verb

sustraer

steal

The Spanish verb "sustraer" has the following explanation:

Meaning:

  1. To subtract or take away — In mathematics or everyday situations, "sustraer" means to remove one quantity from another, i.e., subtraction.

  2. To snatch, steal, or take away secretly — In a more general or legal sense, it can mean to secretly or unlawfully take something from someone, i.e., theft or larceny.


Parts of the word:

  • The verb "sustraer" comes from Latin sustrahere, formed by the prefix sub- (meaning "under" or "from below") and trahere ("to drag" or "to pull").
  • So etymologically, "sustraer" literally means "to pull from under," which fits the meanings above.

Synonyms:

  • For the subtraction meaning:
    • restar (to subtract)
    • quitar (to take away)
  • For the theft meaning:
    • robar (to steal)
    • hurtar (to steal)
    • extraer (to extract or take out)

Antonyms:

  • For the subtraction meaning, antonyms could be:
    • sumar (to add)
    • agregar (to add)
  • For the theft meaning, antonyms could be:
    • devolver (to return)
    • entregar (to deliver/give)

Summary:

  • Sustraer means both "to subtract" in numerical contexts and "to take away/steal" in a more general or legal sense.
  • It carries the idea of removing something from a whole or someone’s possession, either mathematically or practically.

Make “sustraer” part of your vocabulary.

Build your Spanish vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Examples

El ladrón intentó sustraer el dinero de la caja fuerte.verb

The thief tried to steal the money from the safe.

Keep exploring Spanish

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).