Atar vs. amarrar
The Spanish verbs 'atar' and 'amarrar' both generally mean 'to tie' or 'to bind'. Although similar, they vary subtly in their usage and connotations, depending upon the context.
Atar
'Atar' is generally used to mean tying or fastening one thing to another. It is more commonly used to refer to smaller objects being tied.
Ató la cinta alrededor del regalo.
(He tied the ribbon around the gift.)
Me ato los zapatos antes de salir a correr.
(I tie my shoes before going for a run.)
El perro está atado a un árbol.
(The dog is tied to a tree.)
Amarrar
'Amarrar', on the other hand, has a stronger implication of securing something firmly or strongly. It's often used in the context of ships or larger objects being tied.
Amarró el barco al muelle usando una cuerda.
(He moored the boat to the dock using a rope.)
"No olvides amarrar las maletas antes de volar", le dijo su madre.
("Don't forget to secure the suitcases before flying," his mother told him.)
"¡Amárrale bien los veleros! No queremos que se vayan a la deriva en el mar", dijo el capitán.
("Tie up her sailboats well! We don't want them drifting out to sea," the captain said.)
Summary
'Atar' and 'amarrar' both refer to the action of tying or binding something. However, there are slight nuances between them. 'Atar' is more general and usually applies to smaller items, while 'amarrar' implies a firmer tie or securing larger objects, like ships.