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"Tell off" is a transitive verb phrase which is often translated as "regañar", and "scold" is a transitive verb which is also often translated as "regañar". Learn more about the difference between "tell off" and "scold" below.
tell off(
tehl
af
)A transitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and requires a direct object (e.g., take out the trash.).
1. (colloquial) (to scold)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. regañar
Paco told off his friends for not inviting him to the movies.Paco regañó a sus amigos por no haberle invitado al cine.
b. retar (Southern Cone)
My mom told me off when I got home after midnight.Mi mamá me retó cuando llegúe a casa después de la medianoche.
scold(
skold
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. regañar
My mother used to scold me when I would talk back to her.Mi madre me regañaba cuando le respondía mal.
c. retar (Southern Cone)
I don't like being scolded like a child.No me gusta que me reten como si fuera un niño.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
a. el regañón (M), la regañona (F)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
My teacher is a scold. He's always in a bad mood.Mi profesor es un regañón. Siempre está de mal humor.
