pelearse

Pelearse is a pronominal Spanish verb that means to fight or to quarrel with someone. The reflexive form signals involvement on the part of the subject and, when used reciprocally, indicates that two or more people fight each other. The action can be physical or verbal, and the term is commonly employed in everyday language to describe informal or spontaneous confrontations.

Usage varies by region and context. It is often used with a direct object or with the preposition con to specify the opponent, for example: se peleó con su vecino, se pelean mucho entre hermanos. The verb is conjugated regularly in all tenses and moods: me peleo, te peleas, se pelea, nos peleamos, os peleáis, se pelean. The non-reflexive form pelear can be used when the subject initiates a fight without the reflexive nuance, as in pelear a duelo o pelearse contra alguien is more reciprocal or reflexive.

In terms of nuance, pelearse tends to imply an altercation that involves mutual action or personal involvement, whereas pelear (without se) can denote simply to fight or contend, sometimes in more formal or distant contexts. The expression se peleó in reference to a single participant is common for describing someone who engages in a fight or argument with another person.

Origin and related terms: pelearse derives from the verb pelear, which comes from Latin pugnare, meaning to fight. Related terms include pelea (fight) and disputas, as well as phrases such as entrar en una pelea or discutir, depending on the level of hostility.