vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Arrancar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to pull out", and "arrebatar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to snatch". Learn more about the difference between "arrancar" and "arrebatar" below.
arrancar(
ah
-
rrahn
-
kahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to pull out
El dentista le arrancará una muela a mi hermano el lunes.The dentist is going to pull out one of my brother's molars on Monday.
b. to pull up
Tu padre está en el huerto arrancando las malas hierbas.Your father is in the garden pulling up weeds.
d. to gouge out (an eye)
Los ladrones le arrancaron los ojos para no que no pudiera identificarlos.The thieves gouged out his eyes so he couldn't identify them.
e. to pull off (a button)
Mi gato arrancó uno de los botones de mi americana.My cat pulled one of the buttons off my blazer.
f. to tear out (a page)
Había arrancado una página de su diario.She had torn out a page of her diary.
g. to rip out (a page)
Arrancó la página de la revista que tenía la foto de ella.She ripped the page out of the magazine that had her photo.
h. to tear down (a poster)
Arrancaron los carteles del escaparate.They tore the posters down from the store window.
i. to drag out (from a place)
Todo volvió a tranquilizarse después de que lo arrancaron del bar.Everything calmed down again after they dragged him out of the bar.
2. (to turn on)
b. to start up (computer)
Arrancó la computadora y jugó a los videojuegos.He started up the computer and played video games.
c. to boot up (computer)
Arranca la computadora y mete el disco.Boot up the computer and put the disk in.
d. to boot (computer)
Una vez que arranques el programa, crea un documento nuevo.Once you boot the program, create a new document.
3. (to provoke)
a. to extract (information)
Hubo una polémica sobre los métodos que utilizaba la policía para arrancar las confesiones.There was controversy about the methods the police used to extract confessions.
b. to get out
Lo único que quería era arrancar unas risas al público, pero no lo consiguió.All he wanted to do was to get a laugh out of the audience, but he failed.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
4. (to turn on)
b. to boot up (computer)
La computadora ha vuelto a arrancar, pero todavía no funciona muy bien.The computer has booted up again, but it's still not working very well.
a. to start
La senda para la cima arranca en esta cruz.The path to the summit starts at this crossing.
b. to stem from
Todos sus problemas arrancan de la falta de educación por parte de sus padres.All of his problems stem from the lack of upbringing from his parents.
c. to spring (architecture)
Los arcos arrancan de este extremo de la capilla.The arches spring from this side of the chapel.
6. (to begin)
a. to burst into
Se levantó de la mesa y arrancó a cantar.She got up from the table and burst into song.
7. (nautical)
a. to set sail
La tripulación levó el ancla y arrancaron para las Américas.The crew raised the anchor and set sail for the Americas.
8. (colloquial) (to escape) (Chile)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Chile
a. to run away (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Las cosas estaban muy mal en su país y, al final, tuvieron que arrancar.Things were really bad in their country, and in the end they had to run away.
b. to get out (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
No me puedo quedar en esta cárcel. Tengo que arrancar o me voy a volver loco.I can't stay in this prison. I have to get out, or I'm going to go crazy.
arrancarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
9. (to remove)
a. to pull out (hair, tooth)
Mi hermana estaba tan estresada que se arrancaba el pelo.My sister was so stressed, she was pulling her hair out.
b. to pull off (button)
Al entrar en la cabina, Clark Kent se quitó la camisa, arrancándose los botones para exponer su traje de Superman.When he got into the phone booth, Clark Kent took off his shirt, pulling off the buttons to expose his Superman suit.
10. (to begin)
a. to burst into
Mi hermanito se levantó de la mesa y se arrancó a cantar.My little brother stood up from the table and burst into song.
b. to break into
El guitarrista empezó a tocar y la chica se arrancó por tangos.The guitarist started to play, and the girl broke into a tango.
a. to shoot up (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Se ha arrancando muchísimo la inflación en los últimos años.Inflation has really shot up in the last few years.
a. to get away
Me tenía cautivo el enemigo, pero me arranqué cuando se adormecieron los guardias.I was held captive by the enemy, but I got away when the guards fell asleep.
b. to run away
Ahora que le puse correa al perro ya no se me arranca.The dog no longer runs away now that I have him on a leash.
arrebatar(
ah
-
rreh
-
bah
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to snatch
El ladrón trató de arrebatarle la cartera a María, pero esta no se dejó.The thief tried to snatch Maria's purse, but she didn't let him.
Cuando Sarah se dio cuenta de que Joe estaba revisando sus mensajes de texto, le arrebató el celular de las manos.When Sarah noticed that Joe was checking her text messages, she snatched the phone from his hands.
2. (to stir)
a. to captivate
Iba caminando por el centro cuando un guitarrista me arrebató con su música.I was walking downtown when I was captivated by a guitarist's music.
arrebatarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to become furious
Se arrebató y empezó a gritar cuando le dijeron que no le iban a devolver el dinero.He became furious and began to shout when they told him they wouldn't refund his money.
b. to get worked up
Raúl no se puede controlar. Siempre se arrebata por lo más mínimo.Raul can't control himself. He always gets worked up over the smallest things.
c. to get carried away
Marcos se arrebató con su comportamiento perturbador y el maestro lo echó del salón.Marcos got carried away with his disruptive behavior and his teacher kicked him out of class.
4. (culinary)
a. to burn on the outside
Se arrebató la carne. ¡Qué lástima!The meat burned on the outside. What a shame!
