Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Rebuke in Spanish: Reprender
Reprender · verb · reh-prehn-DEHR
Reprender means to rebuke or scold someone for their behavior, carrying a tone of authority and disapproval. A more casual synonym is regañar, which parents frequently use with children. Reprochar adds an emotional dimension, suggesting hurt feelings alongside the criticism.
Pronounce it reh-prehn-DEHR with stress on the final syllable. The 'pr' cluster is crisp, and the ending '-der' rhymes with 'air' in most Latin American accents.
El profesor reprendió al estudiante por llegar tarde.
The teacher rebuked the student for arriving late.
rebuke in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for rebuke, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| reprender | rebuke | reh-prehn-DEHR | Default, widely understood |
| regañar | rebuke | common in everyday speech, especially with children | |
| reprochar | rebuke | used for moral or emotional reproach |
How Native Speakers Use Reprender
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
workplace authority
La directora reprendió al empleado por falsificar los reportes.
The director rebuked the employee for falsifying the reports.
Reprender suits formal or authoritative contexts.
parenting
Mi abuela siempre nos regañaba cuando corríamos dentro de la casa.
My grandmother always rebuked us when we ran inside the house.
Regañar is the everyday word parents and grandparents use.
moral reproach
Le reprochó su falta de honestidad frente a toda la familia.
She rebuked him for his lack of honesty in front of the whole family.
Reprochar implies emotional weight beyond simple discipline.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Reprender
using rebukar
Incorrect: El jefe lo rebukó delante de todos.
Correct: El jefe lo reprendió delante de todos.
Rebukar does not exist in Spanish — the verb cannot be borrowed directly from English by adding a Spanish verb ending.
regañar formality mismatch
Incorrect: El juez regañó al acusado por desacato.
Correct: El juez reprendió al acusado por desacato.
Regañar is too informal for legal or highly official contexts; reprender conveys the appropriate level of authority.
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See Reprender used by native speakers
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Common Questions About rebuke in Spanish
- What is the difference between reprender and regañar?
- Reprender carries a formal, authoritative tone appropriate for teachers, judges, or supervisors correcting behavior. Regañar is the informal equivalent used in families and casual relationships, similar to the difference between 'rebuke' and 'scold' in English.
- Can reprochar be used as a noun?
- The noun form is reproche, meaning 'reproach' or 'rebuke' in its emotional sense. You might hear 'me lanzó un reproche' (she threw a reproach at me) in everyday conversation.
- How do I conjugate reprender in the past tense?
- Reprender is a regular -er verb, so its preterite forms follow the standard pattern: reprendí, reprendiste, reprendió, reprendimos, reprendisteis, reprendieron. No stem changes or irregularities apply.