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B1 verb #3,000 le plus courant 7 min de lecture

contraer

At the A1 level, 'contraer' is a bit advanced. You usually learn 'tener' (to have) or 'enfermarse' (to get sick). However, you might see 'contraer' in very simple health posters. Think of it as a formal way to say 'to get'. If you see 'contraer una enfermedad', just remember it means 'to get a sickness'. You don't need to use it in your daily speaking yet, but recognizing it in a doctor's office is helpful. It's like the difference between saying 'I got a cold' and 'I contracted a virus'.
By A2, you are starting to learn more specific verbs. You know 'coger un resfriado' (to catch a cold). 'Contraer' is the formal version of this. You might hear it on the news. It is also used for 'contraer matrimonio', which means 'to get married' in a formal way. At this level, focus on the fact that it is an irregular verb. It changes like 'traer'. So, in the past, it's not 'contraí', but 'contraje'. Try to remember it for formal situations like talking to a doctor or reading a newspaper.
At the B1 level, you should start using 'contraer' in your writing and formal speaking. This is the level where you discuss health, social issues, and responsibilities. Instead of always saying 'tener una deuda', you can say 'contraer una deuda' to sound more professional. You should also be comfortable with its irregular past tense (contraje, contrajiste, contrajo). Understand that 'contraer' is used for diseases, marriage, and debts. It's a 'heavy' verb—it's for important things, not for small things like a light cough.
At B2, you need to master the nuances of 'contraer'. You should know the difference between 'contraer' (transitive: to get something) and 'contraerse' (reflexive: to shrink or tighten). You will use it in essays about public health or economics. For example, 'La población corre el riesgo de contraer enfermedades infecciosas'. You should also know the noun form 'contracción' (contraction). At this level, you use 'contraer' naturally in formal registers and understand its metaphorical uses in literature, such as a face contracting with pain.
C1 learners should use 'contraer' with precision across all its meanings. You should be able to discuss 'la contracción económica' or 'contraer obligaciones contractuales' in a business setting. You understand the subtle difference between 'contraer' and 'adquirir' or 'contagiarse'. You can use it in complex grammatical structures, like the 'se' impersonal: 'Se puede contraer el virus por contacto directo'. Your conjugation should be flawless, including the imperfect subjunctive (contrajera/contrajese). You recognize it as a hallmark of sophisticated, academic Spanish.
At the C2 level, 'contraer' is a versatile tool in your vocabulary. You use it to describe physiological processes in detail, legal obligations with exactness, and literary descriptions with flair. You are aware of its historical development from Latin and how it relates to other verbs like 'atraer' or 'distraer'. You can use it in highly formal speeches or technical medical writing without hesitation. You also understand its use in linguistics (like 'al' being a contraction of 'a el'). You use the verb and its derivatives (contractura, contracción, contraído) with total native-like command.
Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

contraer en 30 secondes

  • Contraer is a formal verb for catching diseases, taking on debts, or getting married.
  • It is irregular, following the conjugation of 'traer' (e.g., past: contraje).
  • Physically, it means to shrink or tighten, like a muscle or cooling metal.
  • It is more sophisticated than common verbs like 'coger', 'tener', or 'casarse'.

The Spanish verb contraer is a sophisticated and formal term primarily used in medical, legal, and physiological contexts. At its core, it means to acquire or incur something, most commonly a disease, a debt, or a formal obligation like marriage. When we talk about health, contraer una enfermedad implies the process of becoming infected or catching a virus or bacteria. It is more formal than the colloquial coger or pescar. Understanding this word requires looking at its Latin roots, contrahere, which means to draw together or to bring into a narrow space. This sense of 'drawing in' explains why we use it for muscles tightening or for taking on a heavy responsibility like a debt.

Medical Context
Used when a person becomes infected with a pathogen. Example: Contraer malaria.
Legal/Social Context
Used for formalizing unions or obligations. Example: Contraer matrimonio.
Financial Context
Used for taking on financial burdens. Example: Contraer una deuda millonaria.

"Es fundamental lavarse las manos para evitar contraer infecciones respiratorias durante el invierno."

— Health Advisory Example

"El paciente parece haber contraído el virus en un viaje reciente al extranjero."

"Muchos jóvenes deciden no contraer matrimonio hasta después de los treinta años."

"Al contraer los bíceps, el atleta mostró su impresionante fuerza física."

"La empresa se vio obligada a contraer nuevas deudas para evitar la quiebra total."

Etymology
From Latin 'con-' (together) and 'trahere' (to pull). Literally 'to pull together'.
Conjugation Note
It follows the pattern of 'traer'. Irregular in the preterite: contraje, contrajiste, contrajo.

In summary, 'contraer' is a versatile verb that spans health, finance, and physics. Whether you are talking about a virus spreading through a population, a muscle shortening during exercise, or a couple getting married, 'contraer' provides a precise, formal way to describe the act of bringing something upon oneself or pulling something together. Its usage reflects a higher level of Spanish proficiency, moving beyond basic verbs like 'tener' or 'hacer'.

Using contraer correctly requires attention to both its conjugation and its specific semantic fields. Since it is an irregular verb following the model of traer, learners often struggle with the past tense. For instance, 'I contracted' is contraje, not 'contraí'. This irregularity is a hallmark of B1-B2 level mastery. In a sentence, 'contraer' usually takes a direct object: you contract something. You don't just 'contract' in a general sense unless you are talking about physics (like a cooling metal).

  • Medical: Contraer una infección, contraer el virus del Nilo, contraer neumonía.
  • Social: Contraer nupcias (very formal), contraer matrimonio.
  • Financial: Contraer compromisos, contraer obligaciones financieras.
  • Physical: Contraer los músculos, contraer las pupilas (pupils contracting in light).

When discussing diseases, 'contraer' is the preferred verb in scientific literature and news reporting. If you say 'Me contraje una gripe', it sounds slightly awkward; usually, we say 'Contraje la gripe' or simply 'Me contagié'. The reflexive form 'contraerse' is used for physical shrinking or shortening. For example, 'El metal se contrae con el frío' (Metal contracts with cold). This distinction between the transitive 'contraer' (to get something) and the reflexive 'contraerse' (to shrink) is vital for clear communication.

Furthermore, 'contraer' is often used in the passive voice or in formal documents. 'La enfermedad fue contraída durante su estancia en el trópico' (The disease was contracted during their stay in the tropics). This level of formality is appropriate for medical records, insurance claims, and academic papers. In daily conversation, while you might use it for 'contraer matrimonio', you would more likely use 'pillé un resfriado' for a common cold. However, for serious illnesses like hepatitis or tuberculosis, 'contraer' remains the standard choice even in spoken Spanish among educated speakers.

You will encounter contraer in several specific environments. The most common is the medical field. Doctors, health news segments, and public health announcements use it constantly. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase 'riesgo de contraer el virus' was ubiquitous in Spanish-speaking media. If you are listening to a podcast about health or reading a pamphlet in a clinic, 'contraer' will be the primary verb for infection.

Another major setting is legal and administrative. In a Spanish civil registry or during a wedding ceremony, the officiant might mention 'el deseo de contraer matrimonio'. This is the legal term for getting married. Similarly, in business news or banking, you will hear about countries or companies 'contrayendo deuda' (contracting debt). It suggests a formal entry into a binding agreement.

In scientific and academic contexts, specifically biology and physics, 'contraer' describes the reduction in size. A biology professor might explain how 'el corazón se contrae y se relaja' (the heart contracts and relaxes). A physics textbook will explain how materials 'se contraen' when temperatures drop. Lastly, in literature, 'contraer' is used metaphorically to describe a person's face tightening with emotion: 'Su rostro se contrajo de dolor' (His face contracted with pain). This shows the verb's ability to convey physical tension and emotional distress simultaneously.

The most frequent error with contraer is incorrect conjugation in the preterite (past) tense. Because it looks like a regular '-er' verb, many students say contraí, contraiste, or contraió. The correct forms are contraje, contrajiste, and contrajo. This 'j' stem is essential and mirrors the verb 'traer' (to bring).

Another mistake is using 'contraer' for minor, non-serious conditions where it sounds overly dramatic. For example, saying 'Contraje un pequeño dolor de cabeza' sounds unnatural. 'Contraer' implies a significant acquisition, usually something that stays with you for a while or has a formal status. For a headache, use 'tener'. For a quick cold, use 'pillar' or 'coger'.

Confusion between contraer and contagiarse is also common. 'Contagiarse' is specifically about the transmission of a disease from one person to another (to get infected/catch it from someone). 'Contraer' is the act of getting the disease, regardless of the source. You can 'contraer' a genetic disease (which isn't 'contagiosa'), but you 'te contagias' of the flu from your neighbor. Use 'contraer' when focusing on the medical acquisition and 'contagiarse' when focusing on the transmission.

Finally, avoid using 'contraer' when you mean 'to shrink' in a non-physical sense. While a muscle 'se contrae', a business 'se reduce' or 'se achica' (shrinks). Using 'contraer' for the size of a company sounds like a direct translation from English 'contracting economy', which is sometimes used in economics but 'recesión' or 'contracción económica' are the specific nouns used, not always the verb 'contraer' for the business itself.

Several verbs share semantic space with contraer, but each has its own nuance. Adquirir (to acquire) is a close synonym, especially in formal contexts. You can 'adquirir una enfermedad' or 'adquirir una deuda'. However, 'adquirir' is broader and can also apply to knowledge or property, whereas 'contraer' is more limited to burdens or physical states.

Infectarse (to become infected) is more specific to germs and bacteria. While 'contraer' describes the acquisition of the illness as a whole, 'infectarse' focuses on the biological process of the pathogen entering the body. Contagiarse (to catch/be infected by) implies a social element—getting the illness from someone or something else. It is the most common word for 'catching' a cold or the flu in daily life.

In the physical sense, encogerse (to shrink) is a synonym for 'contraerse'. However, 'encogerse' is usually used for clothes in the wash or a person huddling up, while 'contraerse' is used for muscles or materials in a scientific context. For example, 'mi jersey se encogió' (my sweater shrank) vs 'el músculo se contrajo' (the muscle contracted).

In the context of marriage, casarse is the standard, everyday verb. 'Contraer matrimonio' is the formal, legal equivalent used in ceremonies and paperwork. Similarly, for debts, you might say 'meterse en deudas' (colloquial) vs 'contraer deudas' (formal). Understanding these levels of formality (register) is key to using 'contraer' like a native speaker.

How Formal Is It?

Formel

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Informel

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Niveau de difficulté

Grammaire à connaître

Exemples par niveau

1

Es malo contraer una enfermedad.

It is bad to catch a disease.

Infinitive use after 'es + adjective'.

2

No quiero contraer la gripe.

I don't want to catch the flu.

Direct object 'la gripe'.

3

Él puede contraer un resfriado.

He can catch a cold.

Modal verb 'puede' + infinitive.

4

Lávate las manos para no contraer virus.

Wash your hands to not catch viruses.

Purpose clause with 'para'.

5

Ellos van a contraer matrimonio.

They are going to get married.

Future with 'ir a'.

6

El niño no debe contraer infecciones.

The child must not catch infections.

Obligation with 'deber'.

7

Es posible contraer deudas rápido.

It is possible to get into debt quickly.

Impersonal expression.

8

Yo no contraigo enfermedades a menudo.

I don't catch diseases often.

Present tense 'yo' form (irregular).

1

Ayer, él contrajo un virus en el hospital.

Yesterday, he caught a virus in the hospital.

Preterite third person 'contrajo'.

2

Mis padres contrajeron matrimonio en 1990.

My parents got married in 1990.

Preterite third person plural 'contrajeron'.

3

Si no tienes cuidado, puedes contraer una infección.

If you aren't careful, you can catch an infection.

Conditional 'si' clause (Type 1).

4

El músculo se contrae cuando haces ejercicio.

The muscle contracts when you exercise.

Reflexive 'se contrae'.

5

¿Has contraído alguna deuda este año?

Have you taken on any debt this year?

Present perfect 'has contraído'.

6

Es difícil no contraer la gripe en invierno.

It's hard not to catch the flu in winter.

Infinitive with negation.

7

Ella contrajo una bacteria por comer carne cruda.

She caught a bacteria from eating raw meat.

Preterite 'contrajo'.

8

Nosotros contrajimos un compromiso importante.

We took on an important commitment.

Preterite 'nosotros' form 'contrajimos'.

1

Muchos turistas temen contraer enfermedades tropicales.

Many tourists fear catching tropical diseases.

Verb of emotion 'temer' + infinitive.

2

Es probable que contraigas un resfriado si sales sin abrigo.

It's likely that you'll catch a cold if you go out without a coat.

Present subjunctive 'contraigas'.

3

La empresa contrajo deudas para financiar su expansión.

The company took on debts to finance its expansion.

Preterite for completed action.

4

Al contraer los músculos, generamos calor corporal.

By contracting muscles, we generate body heat.

Gerund-like use of 'al + infinitive'.

5

Dudo que ella haya contraído el virus en la oficina.

I doubt she caught the virus in the office.

Present perfect subjunctive 'haya contraído'.

6

El metal se contrae si la temperatura baja demasiado.

Metal contracts if the temperature drops too much.

Reflexive use for physical properties.

7

Ellos decidieron contraer nupcias en una ceremonia privada.

They decided to get married in a private ceremony.

Formal phrase 'contraer nupcias'.

8

Si contrajeras una infección, deberías ir al médico.

If you caught an infection, you should go to the doctor.

Imperfect subjunctive in 'si' clause.

1

La paciente contrajo una infección intrahospitalaria tras la cirugía.

The patient contracted a hospital-acquired infection after surgery.

Specific medical terminology.

2

Es imperativo evitar que los niños contraigan parásitos.

It is imperative to prevent children from catching parasites.

Subjunctive after 'evitar que'.

3

El país ha contraído una deuda externa sin precedentes.

The country has taken on an unprecedented foreign debt.

Present perfect for recent state.

4

Sus pupilas se contrajeron súbitamente ante la luz intensa.

Her pupils suddenly contracted at the intense light.

Reflexive preterite plural.

5

No podemos permitir que la economía se contraiga más.

We cannot allow the economy to contract further.

Subjunctive after 'permitir que'.

6

El investigador explicó cómo se puede contraer la rabia.

The researcher explained how one can catch rabies.

Passive 'se' with modal.

7

Al contraer matrimonio, ambos aceptan responsabilidades legales.

Upon getting married, both accept legal responsibilities.

Formal register.

8

Había contraído la enfermedad mucho antes de mostrar síntomas.

He had contracted the disease long before showing symptoms.

Past perfect 'había contraído'.

1

Resulta alarmante la facilidad con la que se puede contraer esta cepa.

The ease with which this strain can be contracted is alarming.

Relative clause 'con la que'.

2

El contrato estipula las obligaciones que las partes contraen.

The contract stipulates the obligations the parties take on.

Legal register.

3

Su rostro se contrajo en una mueca de absoluto desprecio.

His face contracted into a grimace of absolute contempt.

Literary description.

4

A menos que contraigas una deuda, no podrás comprar la casa.

Unless you take on a debt, you won't be able to buy the house.

Subjunctive after 'a menos que'.

5

La posibilidad de contraer el ántrax es extremadamente baja aquí.

The possibility of contracting anthrax is extremely low here.

Scientific context.

6

El universo podría contraerse en un futuro lejano, según la teoría.

The universe could contract in a distant future, according to the theory.

Scientific hypothesis.

7

Fue procesado por contraer deudas de forma fraudulenta.

He was prosecuted for fraudulently taking on debts.

Passive voice 'fue procesado'.

8

Es poco probable que el feto contraiga la infección de la madre.

It is unlikely that the fetus will catch the infection from the mother.

Medical precision.

1

La celeridad con la que el patógeno permite contraer la patología es inaudita.

The speed with which the pathogen allows the pathology to be contracted is unprecedented.

Advanced academic vocabulary.

2

Las fibras musculares se contraen mediante impulsos bioeléctricos.

Muscle fibers contract through bioelectric impulses.

Technical scientific description.

3

Habiendo contraído nupcias en el extranjero, debieron validar el acta.

Having got married abroad, they had to validate the certificate.

Compound gerund 'habiendo contraído'.

4

La economía se contrajo un 5% debido a la inestabilidad política.

The economy contracted by 5% due to political instability.

Economic terminology.

5

No se debe contraer ningún compromiso sin antes consultar al abogado.

No commitment should be taken on without first consulting the lawyer.

Impersonal 'se' with passive sense.

6

Su espíritu se contrajo ante la magnitud de la tragedia.

His spirit shriveled/contracted before the magnitude of the tragedy.

Metaphorical literary use.

7

La capacidad del virus para mutar y ser contraído de nuevo es alta.

The virus's ability to mutate and be caught again is high.

Passive infinitive 'ser contraído'.

8

El erario público se ve afectado cuando el Estado contrae deudas externas.

The public treasury is affected when the State takes on foreign debts.

Political-economic context.

Collocations courantes

contraer matrimonio
contraer una enfermedad
contraer deudas
contraer un virus
contraer obligaciones
contraer los músculos
contraer nupcias
contraer una infección
contraer nexos
contraer compromisos

Phrases Courantes

riesgo de contraer

forma de contraer

evitar contraer

tras contraer

al contraer

deseo de contraer

capacidad de contraerse

propenso a contraer

miedo a contraer

manera de contraer

Souvent confondu avec

contraer vs contagiarse

Contagiarse implies transmission from someone else; contraer is the general act of getting the disease.

contraer vs encogerse

Encogerse is for clothes or people; contraerse is for muscles or scientific materials.

contraer vs traer

Traer means to bring; contraer means to contract/get.

Expressions idiomatiques

""

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Facile à confondre

contraer vs

contraer vs

contraer vs

contraer vs

contraer vs

Structures de phrases

Comment l'utiliser

debt

Standard for financial obligations.

disease

Formal, used for serious or specific illnesses.

physics

Reflexive form 'contraerse' is mandatory.

marriage

Legal and highly formal.

Erreurs courantes
  • Saying 'contraí' instead of 'contraje'.
  • Using 'contraer' for a simple headache.
  • Forgetting the 'se' when talking about muscles or metal.
  • Confusing 'contraer' (to get) with 'contener' (to contain).
  • Using it for 'contracting a person' (hiring) - use 'contratar' instead.

Astuces

The 'J' Rule

Whenever you use 'contraer' in the past, remember the 'j'. Contraje, contrajiste, contrajo, contrajimos, contrajeron.

Formal vs Informal

Use 'contraer' for a doctor's report, but 'coger' or 'pillar' when talking to friends about a cold.

Medical Accuracy

Use 'contraer' when the source of the disease isn't necessarily another person (like a genetic or environmental disease).

Legal Writing

In contracts, always use 'contraer obligaciones' to sound professional.

Stress the End

In the infinitive 'contraer', the stress is on the 'er'. Con-tra-ER.

Reflexive Matter

Remember that objects 'se contraen' (reflexive) but people 'contraen' (transitive) diseases.

Wedding Bells

If you are writing a wedding invitation, 'contraer matrimonio' is the perfect phrase.

The Traer Connection

If you can conjugate 'traer', you can conjugate 'contraer'. They are identical twins in grammar.

No 'i' in the Past

Never say 'contraió'. It sounds very uneducated. The correct form is 'contrajo'.

Metaphorical Use

Use 'contraer el rostro' to describe someone who is trying not to cry or is in pain.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of 'Contract'. In English, you 'contract' a disease or 'contract' a muscle. It's the same in Spanish!

Origine du mot

Latin 'contrahere'

Contexte culturel

Contracts and debts are always 'contraídas' in Spanish legal Spanish.

Using 'contraer matrimonio' instead of 'casarse' elevates the status of the event.

Public service announcements (PSAs) in Spain and Latin America use this verb to educate the public on virus prevention.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Amorces de conversation

"¿Sabes cómo evitar contraer la gripe en invierno?"

"¿Crees que es mejor casarse o no contraer matrimonio nunca?"

"¿Alguna vez has contraído una deuda que te costó pagar?"

"¿Qué enfermedades son más fáciles de contraer en la selva?"

"¿Sientes cómo se contraen tus músculos al levantar pesas?"

Sujets d'écriture

Escribe sobre una vez que contrajiste un resfriado fuerte.

Describe los pros y contras de contraer una deuda para estudiar.

¿Qué piensas sobre el acto de contraer matrimonio en la actualidad?

Describe cómo se siente cuando tus músculos se contraen por el frío.

Imagina que eres un médico explicando cómo no contraer un virus.

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, es irregular y sigue el modelo del verbo 'traer' en todos sus tiempos.

Sí, es correcto pero suena muy formal. En una charla casual es mejor decir 'pillar un resfriado'.

El pasado (pretérito perfecto simple) es 'yo contraje'.

Sí, es el verbo estándar para decir que alguien ha asumido una obligación financiera o préstamo.

Es la forma legal y elegante de decir 'casarse'.

Se dice 'el músculo se contrae', usando la forma reflexiva.

Casi, pero 'infectarse' se enfoca en los microbios y 'contraer' en el hecho de tener la enfermedad.

No, para ideas se usa 'concebir' o 'tener'.

Sí, para hablar de la reducción del PIB o de la actividad económica: 'la economía se contrajo'.

Sí, se usa por igual en todo el mundo hispanohablante en contextos formales.

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