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"Arañar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to scratch", and "rasguñar" is a transitive verb which is also often translated as "to scratch". Learn more about the difference between "arañar" and "rasguñar" below.
arañar(
ah
-
rah
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nyahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to graze)
a. to scratch
La valla metálica me arañó el brazo y tuve que ponerme la antitetánica.The metal fence scratched my arm and I had to get an anti-tetanus injection.
3. (colloquial) (figurative) (to struggle to obtain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. to scrape together (money)
Arañamos todo el dinero que podemos para llegar a fin de mes.We scrape together all the money we can to make it to the end of the month.
b. to scrape (grade, pass, tie)
Por suerte, Juanita logró arañar un 4 en el examen.Luckily, Juanita managed to scrape a 4 in the exam.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to scrape by (financially)
Nunca le pedía plata a su marido. Llevaba la casa arañando con lo que le daba.She never asked her husband for money. She ran the house by scraping by on what he gave her.
b. to scrape through (in an exam)
Había estudiado muy poco y aprobó arañando.She hadn't studied very much at all and just scraped through.
arañarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
5. (to graze)
a. to scratch
Sergio se había arañado la mejilla así que le puse una curita.Sergio had scratched his cheek so I put a Band-Aid on it.
rasguñar(
rrahs
-
goo
-
nyahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to scrape)
a. to scratch
¡El gato me rasguñó la mano cuando lo estaba acariciando!The cat scratched my hand as I was petting it!
rasguñarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to graze
Los patinadores usan rodilleras para evitar rasguñarse las rodillas si se caen.The skaters are using kneepads to avoid grazing their knees if they fall.
b. to scratch
Me rasguñé el brazo cuando me di un golpe contra el borde afilado de la cubierta.I scratched my arm when I bumped into the sharp edge of the counter.
