Hacer la guerra vs. guerrear
In Spanish, both 'hacer la guerra' and 'guerrear' mean 'to wage war', but they differ in usage and connotation. Let's explore these differences with examples.
Hacer la guerra
This phrase means 'to make war' or 'to wage war'. It is more formal and explicit, often emphasizing the act of initiating, leading, or engaging in a full-scale war.
El país decidió hacer la guerra contra sus invasores.
(The country decided to wage war against its invaders.)
Es necesario tener una razón justa para hacer la guerra.
(It is necessary to have a just cause to wage war.)
En el pasado, muchos reinos hacían la guerra para expandir sus territorios.
(In the past, many kingdoms waged war to expand their territories.)
Guerrear
'Guerrear' can also mean 'to wage war', but it often has a broader and more flexible usage. It can describe being involved in ongoing conflicts or skirmishes without the formalities of declaring an official war.
Los clanes guarrearon durante años antes de llegar a un acuerdo.
(The clans fought for years before reaching an agreement.)
En algunas regiones, las tribus todavía guerrean entre sí.
(In some regions, the tribes still wage war against each other.)
Los bandos opositores parecían estar guerreados eternamente.
(The opposing sides seemed to be in an eternal state of conflict.)
Summary
'Hacer la guerra' and 'guerrear' both mean 'to wage war', but they are used differently. 'Hacer la guerra' is more formal and specific to initiating or engaging in full-scale wars, while 'guerrear' has a broader application and can describe ongoing conflicts or skirmishes without officially declaring war.