Trabaron

Trabaron is the third-person plural preterite indicative form of the Spanish verb trabar. The verb trabar has several related senses: to fasten or join two objects; to attach or secure; and to block, impede, or hinder progress. In figurative usage, it can denote a stagnation or complication of a process.

Grammatically, trabar is transitive, and "trabaron" specifically means "they fastened" or "they blocked," depending on the object. In everyday speech, it appears in constructions such as "trabaron las piezas" (they fastened the pieces). The reflexive form "trabarse" describes becoming stuck or jammed, as in "la puerta se trabó" (the door got jammed). The past tense "trabaron" is used in narratives to describe completed actions by a group.

Usage notes: In physical contexts, it commonly denotes fastening or securing components. In figurative contexts, it can describe delays or obstacles, such as plans that stalled or negotiations that faced deadlock, though the reflexive form "se trabó" is often preferred for describing stagnation.

Etymology: The origin of trabar is not precisely settled; it is an old verb with long attested use in Iberian Romance. The form "trabaron" is simply the preterite plural of that verb.

See also: traba, trabar, trabado; related terms include atar, sujetar, bloquear, and estancar.