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"Enterrar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to bury", and "clavar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to hammer". Learn more about the difference between "enterrar" and "clavar" below.
enterrar(
ehn
-
teh
-
rrahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to bury
El pirata enterró el tesoro en un lugar secreto.The pirate buried the treasure in a secret location.
2. (to entomb)
a. to bury
Enterraron a su abuelo en un cementerio fuera de la ciudad.They buried their grandfather in a cemetery outside the city.
3. (to survive)
a. to outlive
Después de enterrar a todos sus hermanos, Edith se sintió sola.After outliving all of her siblings, Edith felt lonely.
4. (to conceal)
a. to cover up
El presidente de la empresa enterró su malversación entre facturas legítimas.The company president buried his embezzlement among legitimate invoices.
6. (to stab) (Latin America)
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. to thrust into
Agarró el tenedor y lo enterró en la pechuga de pollo.He grabbed the fork and thrust it into the chicken breast.
enterrarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to cut oneself off from the world
Después de perder el campeonato, se enterró por seis meses.After losing the championship, he cut himself off from the world for six months.
clavar(
klah
-
bahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to force)
a. to hammer
Ayer clavé dos clavos en la pared del salón para colgar los cuadros.Yesterday, I hammered two nails into the living room wall to hang two paintings.
b. to drive
¡Te clavé una estaca en el pecho, vampiro! ¿Cómo es que sigues con vida?I drove a stake through your heart, vampire! How do you still live?
c. to thrust
El hombre le clavó un cuchillo en la pierna, pero por suerte no fue una herida grave.The man thrust a knife into her leg, but fortunately she wasn't badly wounded.
d. to pin
Clavé las tachuelas en mi corcho para poner las fotos más tarde.I pinned some tacks on my notice board to put up the pictures later.
e. to sink
El perro se asustó y le clavó los dientes en la mano.The dog got frightened and sank his teeth into her hand.
f. to stick
La mujer clavó la sombrilla en la arena para protegerse del sol.The woman stuck the beach umbrella in the sand to protect herself from the sun.
a. to nail
Clavamos unas maderas en las ventanas para protegerlas del huracán.We nailed some pieces of wood into the windows to protect them against the hurricane.
3. (to stare)
a. to fix
Clavó la mirada en el ladrón y le dijo que se fuera.She fixed her gaze on the burglar and told him to get out.
4. (colloquial) (to charge excessively)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to rip off (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Ya no voy más a esa tienda; me clavaron demasiadas veces.I stopped shopping at to that store; I was ripped off too often.
b. to get ripped off to the tune of (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
En este supermercado me clavaron diez euros por una botella de aceite.In this supermarket, I got ripped off to the tune of ten euros for a bottle of oil.
a. to stand up
No sé por qué sigo esperando a Gabi; siempre me clava.I don't know why I'm still waiting for Gabi; she always stands me up.
clavarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
7. (to force)
8. (colloquial) (to steal) (Central America) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to swipe (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Beatriz trató de clavarse un lápiz labial de la tienda.Beatriz tried to swipe a lipstick from the store.
b. to nick (colloquial) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Mario se clavó varias camisetas y las dependientas no se dieron cuenta.Mario nicked several T-shirts, and the store clerks didn't realize it.
c. to filch (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
El policía vio al hombre clavarse una botella de vodka.The policeman saw the man filch a bottle of vodka.
9. (sports) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to dive
Los clavadistas en Acapulco se clavan desde una altura de 35 metros.Divers in Acapulco dive from a height of 35 meters.
10. (colloquial) (to become obsessed; used with "con") (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to be fixated on
Me clavé con el libro que me prestaste. ¡Está buenísimo!I'm fixated on the book you lent me. It's so good!
b. to be into (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
El profesor se clavó con el tema y los alumnos notaron su pasión.The teacher was into the topic, and the students could sense his passion.
11. (colloquial) (to fall in love with; used with "con") (Central America) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to fall for
Beto se clavó con mi compañera de cuarto y no deja de hablar de ella.Beto fell for my roommate and won't stop talking about her.
12. (vulgar) (to have sex with) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
