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"Atacar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to attack", and "asaltar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to rob". Learn more about the difference between "atacar" and "asaltar" below.
atacar(
ah
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tah
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kahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to strike)
2. (medicine)
a. to attack
La infección ha atacado sus nódulos linfáticos.The infection has attacked her lymph nodes.
a. to attack
El embajador ruso atacó sin piedad al primer ministro griego.The Russian ambassador mercilessly attacked the Greek prime minister.
a. to tackle
Hace mucho que no le hacemos nada al jardín. Lo atacaremos este fin de semana.We haven't done anything with our garden in a long time. We're going to tackle it this weekend.
a. to attack
Varias organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro han tratado de atacar el problema de la pobreza mundial.Many nonprofit organizations have tried to attack the problem of global poverty.
6. (to pester)
a. to get on one's nerves
La manera en que se gritan los vecinos a las tres de la mañana me ataca.The way my neighbors yell at each other at three in the morning gets on my nerves.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
7. (to strike)
a. to attack
Estamos listos para atacar cuando mandes.We are ready to attack when you give the order.
atacarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
8. (colloquial) (to overeat) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. to stuff oneself (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Se atacó de pizza y ahora no puede dormir.He stuffed himself on pizza, and now he can't sleep.
asaltar(
ah
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sahl
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to rob (a bank, store or person)
Ayer asaltaron un banco y vaciaron la caja fuerte.Yesterday a bank was robbed and its safe emptied.
b. to hold up (a bank, store or person)
Dos hombres enmascarados nos asaltaron a punta de pistola y nos robaron el dinero destinado al pago de sueldos.We were held up at gunpoint by two masked men who stole the money intended for wages.
c. to mug (a person)
Un ladrón intentó asaltar a la viejita, pero la policía lo atrapó en el acto.A thief tried to mug the old woman, but the police caught him in the act.
2. (to raid)
3. (to tackle)
a. to accost
Parece que el reportero asaltó al grupo de refugiados a las puertas del albergue.The reporter seemingly accosted the group of refugees outside the hostel.
4. (to besiege)
a. to bombard
Cuando Sofía llegó de la fiesta, sus papás la asaltaron con preguntas.When Sofia came back from the party her parents bombarded her with questions.
a. to strike
De pronto me asaltó una gran idea para salvar el negocio.Suddenly, I was struck by a great idea for saving the business.
b. to seize
El miedo me asaltó en medio de la noche y ya no pude dormir.I was seized by fear in the middle of the night and I couldn't sleep as a result.
c. to assail
Cuando te toca firmar el documento, te asaltan las dudas.When it's your turn to sign the document, you're assailed by doubts.
