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"Engaño" is a form of "engaño", a noun which is often translated as "deceit". "Engañó" is a form of "engañar", a transitive verb which is often translated as "to deceive". Learn more about the difference between "engaño" and "engañó" below.
el engaño(
ehng
-
gah
-
nyoh
)A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
2. (ruse)
a. trick
¿Dices que fue todo un engaño? ¿Entonces nunca hablaste con Elvis?You're telling me it was nothing but a trick? So you never spoke to Elvis?
b. ploy
Kevin ideó un engaño que resultó efectivo para mantener lejos a sus oponentes.Kevin devised an effective ploy to hold off his opponents.
c. hoax
¿Crees que ese video de la autopsia a un extraterrestre es un engaño montado por el gobierno?Do you think that video of an alien autopsy is a hoax perpetrated by the government?
d. swindle
Algunos tipos de negocios, como los esquemas de pirámides, son un engaño.Some kinds of businesses, like pyramid schemes, are a swindle.
engañar(
ehng
-
gah
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nyahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to lie to)
a. to deceive
Pudo engañar al público con su propaganda.He was able to deceive the public with his propaganda.
b. to trick
Me dijiste que no sabías jugar, ¡me engañaste!You told me you didn't know how to play. You tricked me!
c. to fool
No te dejes engañar con sus historias encantadoras.Don't let him fool you with his charming stories.
a. to cheat on
Mi ex-novio me engañó con mi mejor amiga.My ex-boyfriend cheated on me with my best friend.
3. (to defraud)
a. to mislead
Me engañó vendiéndome una casa que no tenía derecho de vender.He misled me into buying a home that he did not have the right to sell.
b. to trick
Le dijo que estaba embarazada con el fin de engañarlo para casarse con ella.She told him she was pregnant in order to trick him into marrying her.
d. to swindle
Un estafador despreciable los engañó en la subasta.A despicable con man swindled them at the auction.
4. (to appease)
a. to curb
Como quedaban tres horas para la comida, decidió engañar el hambre con una merienda.With three more hours till dinner, she decided to curb her hunger with a snack.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
engañarse
A reflexive verb is a verb that indicates that the subject performs an action on itself (e.g., Miguel se lava.).
a. to fool oneself
Te estás engañando si crees que realmente te van a pagar tanto. You are fooling yourself if you think they are really going to pay you that much.
