Chasing is one of those deceptively simple English verbs that expands into a nuanced web of options when translated into Spanish. Depending entirely on what is being chased, why it is being chased, and the intensity of the pursuit, the word you choose changes dramatically. If you rely solely on a dictionary’s first entry, you risk saying you are "hunting" a bus when you mean you are "running after" it, or "persecuting" a dream when you mean you are "pursuing" it. Mastering this vocabulary distinction is a major milestone on the path to fluency.
The Core Distinction: Concrete vs. Abstract
The very first decision you must make is whether the object of the chase is physical and tangible (a dog, a ball, a thief) or abstract and metaphorical (a dream, a career, happiness, a deadline) That alone is useful..
For Physical Pursuits: Perseguir and Correr detrás de
When the chase involves legs, wheels, or wings moving through physical space, perseguir is the standard, go-to verb. It implies a deliberate, sustained effort to catch or reach someone or something moving away from you.
- El perro persigue al gato. (The dog chases the cat.)
- La policía persiguió al ladrón por tres cuadras. (The police chased the thief for three blocks.)
Even so, perseguir carries a certain weight. Think about it: it sounds purposeful, sometimes even intense. If the action is more casual, playful, or descriptive of the physical motion rather than the intent to capture, native speakers often prefer the periphrastic phrase correr detrás de (literally: "to run behind").
- Los niños corren detrás del balón. (The kids are chasing the ball / running after the ball.)
- No corras detrás del autobús, viene otro en cinco minutos. (Don't chase the bus / run after the bus; another comes in five minutes.)
Correr detrás de paints a picture of the movement itself. Perseguir paints a picture of the hunter-prey dynamic.
For Abstract Goals: Perseguir (Metaphorical) and Buscar
Here is where English speakers often stumble. Now, in English, we "chase dreams," "chase money," and "chase deadlines. " In Spanish, using correr detrás de for a dream sounds absurd (you cannot physically run behind a concept). For abstract pursuits, perseguir remains the primary verb, but it shifts register from "hunting" to "striving for" or "pursuing relentlessly.
Short version: it depends. Long version — keep reading.
- Ella persigue la fama desde que era niña. (She has chased fame since she was a girl.)
- Mi padre siempre me dijo que persiguiera mis sueños. (My father always told me to chase my dreams.)
A strong synonym for abstract chasing is buscar (to seek/look for). While perseguir implies the goal is fleeing or elusive, buscar implies active effort to find or attain It's one of those things that adds up. Which is the point..
- Buscan una vida mejor en el extranjero. (They are chasing/seeking a better life abroad.)
- No busques la felicidad, constrúyela. (Don't chase happiness, build it.)
The Intensity Scale: Acechar, Rastrear, and Hostigar
Spanish possesses specific verbs that describe how the chase happens. Choosing these adds precision and native-like color to your speech.
Acechar — To Stalk / To Lie in Wait
This is not a high-speed chase. This is the predator in the tall grass. It implies stealth, patience, and hiding before the pounce. It can be used for animals or people (often with a negative, creepy connotation for the latter) That alone is useful..
- El león acecha a la cebra herida. (The lion stalks the wounded zebra.)
- Siento que alguien me acecha en la oscuridad. (I feel like someone is stalking/lurking after me in the dark.)
Rastrear — To Track / To Trace
The focus here isn't speed; it is evidence. You follow footprints, digital footprints, scent, or clues. Detectives, hunters, and search-and-rescue teams rastrean Small thing, real impact..
- Los perros rastrean la droga en el equipaje. (The dogs track/sniff out drugs in the luggage.)
- Tuvimos que rastrear el origen del error en el código. (We had to trace/chase down the origin of the bug in the code.)
Hostigar — To Harass / To Hound
This is the dark side of chasing. It implies relentless pressure, annoyance, or persecution. The goal isn't necessarily to "catch" the person, but to wear them down Practical, not theoretical..
- Los periodistas hostigaron al actor hasta su coche. (The reporters hounded/chased the actor to his car.)
- Deja de hostigarme con esa pregunta. (Stop hounding/badgering me with that question.)
Specialized Contexts: When "Chase" Changes Meaning Entirely
Idioms and specific scenarios require completely different verbs. Memorizing these chunks will prevent embarrassing mistranslations.
Chasing Drinks: Echar / Tomar / Beberse un chupito
In a bar context, "chasing" a shot of liquor with a beer or soda has a specific verb: echar (to throw/pour) or simply taking the chaser (el chaser or el refresco) afterward. You do not "perseguir" a tequila with a beer Surprisingly effective..
- Me tomé el tequila y le eché una cerveza de chaser. (I took the tequila and chased it with a beer.)
Chasing Someone Romantically: Cortejar, Conquistar, Insistir
Saying persigo a María sounds like you are hunting her down with a net. To "chase" a romantic interest—to woo them—use cortejar (court/woo - formal/old school), conquistar (win over/conquer), or colloquially, echarle los perros a alguien (literally "throw the dogs at someone," meaning to hit on/flirt persistently).
- Lleva meses intentando conquistarla. (He’s been chasing/trying to win her over for months.)
- Deja de echarle los perros, no está interesada. (Stop chasing/hitting on her, she’s not interested.)
Chasing Money / Debts: Cobrar / Reclamar
If you are a freelancer "chasing" an invoice, you are not persiguiendo the money. You are cobrando (collecting) or reclamando (claiming/demanding) Easy to understand, harder to ignore. And it works..
- Tengo que ir a cobrar esa factura pendiente. (I have to go chase/collect that pending invoice.)
Chasing Shadows / Wild Geese: Buscarle tres pies al gato
There is a magnificent idiom for a futile chase: buscarle tres pies al gato (literally: "to look for three feet on the cat"). Since cats have four, looking for three implies looking for problems that don't exist or chasing an impossible solution.
- No le busques tres pies al gato, la solución es obvia. (Stop chasing your tail / overcomplicating things; the solution is obvious.)
Grammar Deep Dive: Perseguir Conjugation Trap
Because perseguir is the heavy lifter of this vocabulary set, you must conjugate it correctly. So naturally, it is an irregular stem-changing verb (e → i) in the present indicative, present subjunctive, and imperative forms for specific pronouns. The stem persegu- changes to persig- Surprisingly effective..
Present Indicative:
