Verb conjugation

apretar el culo

To get one's ass in gear; to work one's ass off

Usage

A vulgar, very colloquial fixed expression meaning to get scared or tense up with fear/nerves — literally 'to clench one's butt', close to the English 'to clench up' or 'to bottle it' from fear. Strongly informal and crude; avoid in polite or professional contexts.

Examples

Cuando vio al jefe, apretó el culo del susto. — When he saw the boss, he clenched up from fright.
No apretés el culo, todo va a salir bien. — Don't get scared, everything's going to be fine.
Se le notaba que apretaba el culo antes del examen. — You could tell he was tensing up with nerves before the exam.

Common mistake

Using this in any formal, professional, or mixed-company setting — it's crude slang; tener miedo or ponerse nervioso are the neutral equivalents for 'to get scared/nervous'.

Simple tenses

Imperative (imperativo)

tú	-
nosotros	-
vosotros	-

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "apretar el culo" mean?

"apretar el culo" means "To get one's ass in gear; to work one's ass off".

What is the Imperative (imperativo) of "apretar el culo"?

The imperative (imperativo) of "apretar el culo" is: tú -, nosotros -, vosotros -.

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