contraer

to contract

contraer(kohn-trah-ehr)

transitive verb

1. (to become infected)

a. to contract

Contrajo malaria de un mosquito que la picó.

She contracted malaria from a mosquito that bit her.

b. to catch

Contraje un resfriado que me tiene bien congestionado.

I caught a cold that is making me really congested.

2. (anatomy)

a. to contract

Este ejercicio contrae los músculos de la pierna y la cadera.

This exercise contracts the muscles in your leg and your hips.

b. to tighten

Contrajo los músculos con cada abdominal.

She tightened her muscles with every sit-up.

c. to contort

Contrajo la cara de asco al ver el cadáver.

He contorted his face in disgust when he saw the cadaver.

3. (to get into a habit)

a. to acquire

Cuando estaba en la universidad, contrajo algunas malas costumbres, como fumar.

She acquired some bad habits, like smoking, when she was in college.

4. (to make an obligation)

a. to contract

Hay que estar dispuesto a contraer una deuda para montar un negocio.

You have to be willing to contract a debt to start up a business.

b. to incur

No había manera de que pagaran las deudas que habían contraído.

There was no way for them to pay back the debts they had incurred.

c. to make (commitment)

Hemos contraído más compromisos de los que podemos cumplir.

We've made more commitments that we can fulfill.

5. (to make shrink)

a. to shrink

El frío puede contraer el material de su chaqueta y hacer que se rompa fácilmente.

The cold may shrink the material in your jacket and cause it to tear easily.

contraerse

pronominal verb

6. (anatomy)

a. to contract

Se me contrae la pantorrilla cuando salto.

My calf contracts when I jump.

7. (to shrink)

a. to contract

El agua no se contrae cuando se congela, sino que se expande.

Water doesn't contract when it freezes, rather it expands.