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"Atorarse" is a pronominal verb which is often translated as "to choke", and "atragantarse" is a pronominal verb which is also often translated as "to choke". Learn more about the difference between "atorarse" and "atragantarse" below.
atorarse(
ah
-
toh
-
rahr
-
seh
)A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
1. (to swallow the wrong way) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. to choke
Tragué una espina de pescado por accidente y me atoré.I choked when I accidentally swallowed a fishbone.
2. (to stutter) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. to get tongue-tied
Estaba nervioso durante mi presentación y me atoré varias veces.I was nervous during my presentation and I got tongue-tied many times.
a. to become clogged
El desagüe de la bañera se atoró con pelos.The bathtub drain became clogged with hair.
a. to get stuck
La camioneta se atoró en el lodo y tuvimos que empujarla para sacarla.The pickup truck got stuck in the mud and we had to push it to get it out.
atorar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
5. (to stop up)
b. to clog
Romina quitó la basura que atoraba la cañería.Romina removed the garbage that was clogging the pipe.
c. to obstruct
El balcón se llenó de agua porque había algo que atoraba el desagüe.The balcony flooded because something was obstructing the drain.
6. (to hold in place) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. hold open (window or door)
Pablo atoró la ventana con un papel doblado para que no se cierre.Pablo held the window open with a folded piece of paper.
atragantarse(
ah
-
trah
-
gahn
-
tahr
-
seh
)A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to choke
Mi padre vio que me atraganté con la comida y me hizo la maniobra de Heimlich.My father performed the Heimlich maneuver on me when he saw me choking on food.
a. to lose one's train of thought
Me atraganté, así que tuve que dar la explicación otra vez desde cero.I lost my train of thought, so I had to start my explanation all over again.
3. (colloquial) (figurative) (to dislike)
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. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
El padre de mi novio se me atraganta. Es racista y homófobo.I can't stomach my boyfriend's father. He's racist and homophobic.
Al principio, Lucas se me había atragantado, pero ahora me cae bien.I couldn't stand Lucas at the beginning, but now I like him.
