Apretar

[DailyWord]

This is a discussion thread for the Daily Spanish Word for January 26, 2009

apretar - verb - to squeeze, compress, grip, clench, tighten. Look up apretar in the dictionary

Aprieta bien los tornillos para que no se aflojen.
Tighten the bolts well so they don't come loose.

[sosia]

Modismo: "Dios aprieta pero no ahoga"

[poli]

Originally Posted by sosia

Modismo: "Dios aprieta pero no ahoga"

Por favor explica eso.
God will frighten you but won't kill you?

[Rusty]

Look here.

[laepelba]

Which? Here you wrote "ahoga". In the link, it says "ahorca". Am I being picky? My translator says that they are two different words. ??

[poli]

two different words. Ahorcar me to hang, as in capital punishment--not as in a picture or a phone. Ahogar means to drown. Both words discribe methods of killing someone, so the phrase works with either word.

[laepelba]

The phrase works with either word ... but is either word *the* word that is used in that particular phrase?

[Rusty]

Sosia listed the saying the way he has heard it most (I suppose). Both words are used in the saying. Which one is actually used may be regional.

[laepelba]

Thanks, Rusty!

[sosia]

Yes, I usually heard it with "ahoga", but can be used with "ahorca".
It depends of the speaker/regional use.
"ahogar" is also to suffocate
"ahorcar" is to hang.
Both means to hold tight ("apretar") too much.
Saludos