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"Desafiar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to challenge", and "retar" is a transitive verb which is also often translated as "to challenge". Learn more about the difference between "desafiar" and "retar" below.
desafiar(
deh
-
sah
-
fyahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to challenge
Mi padrastro me desafió a un juego de ajedrez.My stepfather challenged me to a game of chess.
b. to dare
Te desafío a ir al centro comercial y no comprar nada.I dare you to go to the mall and not buy anything.
a. to defy
Desafió a su papá, y fue a una universidad muy lejos de casa.She defied her father and attended a college far away from home.
retar(
rreh
-
tahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to dare)
a. to tell off (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Su hermana lo retó cuando la criticó por el vestido que llevaba.His sister told him off when he criticized her for the dress she was wearing.
