reclamar
verbCEFR B1
What does “reclamar” mean in English?
1.to lodge a formal complaint, to demand redress
to lodge a formal complaint, to demand redress (from an institution or service provider)
2.to claim back, to retrieve something owed or lost
to claim back, to retrieve something owed or lost (luggage, refund, compensation)
Example sentences
Fuimos a reclamar el equipaje que la aerolínea había perdido y nos pidieron que rellenáramos un formulario de incidencias.
We went to claim the luggage the airline had lost and they asked us to fill in an incident form.
Si el hotel no cumple las condiciones del contrato, tienes derecho a reclamar una indemnización antes de abandonar el establecimiento.
If the hotel does not meet the contract conditions, you have the right to claim compensation before leaving the premises.
How to use it
Reclamar means 'to lodge a formal complaint' or 'to claim back' something that is owed — it is transitive and formal in register, used with airport staff, hotel receptionists, and customer services. Do not confuse it with quejarse de, which means to grumble or complain informally: reclamar requires a specific object or right being asserted, whereas quejarse expresses emotional dissatisfaction. The English verb 'to claim' partially overlaps, but 'claim' in English spans both formal assertion and casual speech, while reclamar is bounded to the formal register.
Common mistake
English speakers often say 'me quejé' when they mean they made a formal complaint to staff; quejarse is the informal grumble register. Use reclamar when a right, object, or refund is formally asserted.