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"Regañar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to scold", and "retar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to challenge". Learn more about the difference between "regañar" and "retar" below.
regañar(
rreh
-
gah
-
nyahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to scold
Su madre lo regañó por no llevar calcetines.His mother scolded him for not wearing socks.
b. to tell off (colloquial)
Me regañaron por no cerrar la puerta con llave.I was told off for not locking the door.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
2. (to argue)
a. to quarrel (formal)
La pareja regañó por la cuestión de cómo educar a su hijo.The couple quarreled over the question of how to bring up their son.
b. to fall out
Los amigos regañaron por un asunto que tenía que ver con un equipo de fútbol.The friends fell out over an issue having to do with a soccer team.
3. (old-fashioned) (to complain)
A word or phrase that is seldom used in contemporary language and is recognized as being from another decade, (e.g., cat, groovy).
a. to grumble
La mujer se marchó de la tienda regañando sobre los precios.The woman stormed out of the shop grumbling about the prices.
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.
