vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Capar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to castrate", and "castrar" is a transitive verb which is also often translated as "to castrate". Learn more about the difference between "capar" and "castrar" below.
capar(
kah
-
pahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (veterinary)
a. to castrate
Capamos al perro por recomendación de nuestra veterinaria.We had our dog castrated on the recommendation of our vet.
b. to geld
Decidimos capar el semental porque no encontrábamos yeguas para la cría.We decided to geld the stallion because we couldn't find any mares for breeding.
2. (colloquial) (to avoid an obligation) (Colombia)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Colombia
a. to get out of
Le dije a la monja de la escuela que me sentía mal para capar misa.I told the nun from school that I was feeling sick to get out of mass.
castrar(
kahs
-
trahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to castrate
Los lechones se castran a pocos días de haber nacido.Piglets are castrated a few days after they are born.
b. to geld
En la actualidad, se emplean unos instrumentos especiales para castrar caballos.Nowadays, special instruments are used to geld horses.
c. to neuter
Si no castras al gato, se va a acabar escapando.If you don't have your cat neutered, it'll end up running away.
d. to fix (colloquial) (United States)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United States
La única manera de que ese perro se calme es castrándolo.The only way to make that dog calm down is to have him fixed.
e. to doctor (colloquial) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Hay servicios gratuitos para castrar mascotas.There are free services for getting your pet doctored.
a. to emasculate
Manuel era un hombre brillante pero muy inseguro porque la madre lo castró de niño.Manuel was a bright man, but terribly self-conscious because as a child he was emasculated by his mother.
a. to remove a honeycomb from
El mejor mes para castrar colmenas en el hemisferio norte es junio.The best month for removing honeycombs from beehives in the northern hemisphere is June.
