propagarse
verbCEFR B2
What does “propagarse” mean in English?
to propagate, to spread
to propagate, to spread (to disseminate quickly, especially of information, ideas, or pathogens; la desinformación se propaga)
Example sentences
La desinformación se propaga en las redes sociales a una velocidad que los sistemas de verificación no consiguen igualar.
Disinformation spreads on social networks at a speed that fact-checking systems cannot match.
Una vez que el incendio comenzó a propagarse por el valle, fue imposible controlarlo sin medios aéreos.
Once the fire began to spread through the valley, it was impossible to contain it without aerial resources.
How to use it
Propagarse (reflexive verb) means 'to spread' or 'to propagate' — to move from one point to many others, typically rapidly and through contact or transmission. The metaphor is biological: viruses, fires, and diseases propagarse. At B2 it has expanded into informational and social contexts: la desinformación se propaga, los rumores se propagan, el miedo se propaga. This makes it the natural choice for contagion metaphors in media and social commentary. Key distinction from extenderse: propagarse implies faster, more contagious, often uncontrolled spreading; extenderse is slower and more neutral. Propagarse almost always has a negative or at least uncontrolled connotation.
Common mistake
Propagarse (rapid, contagious, uncontrolled — viral metaphor) vs extenderse (gradual, more neutral — trends, movements, customs). 'The cold spread through the office' = 'El resfriado se propagó por la oficina' (contagion, fast). 'The custom spread through the country over decades' = 'La costumbre se extendió por el país a lo largo de décadas' (gradual diffusion).