Reprobar vs. suspender vs. catear
Spanish, like any other language, features a variety of ways to express similar ideas. This diversity emerges clearly when discussing terms such as 'reprobar', 'suspender', and 'catear', all of which roughly translate to 'to fail' or 'to flunk' in English. While these verbs all carry a general sense of academic failure, they each have their nuances that arise from their use in different regions and contexts.
Reprobar
Reprobar is a term often used in Latin America to denote failure, particularly in an academic setting. When a student does not pass an exam or a course, you could say that he or she 'reprueba'.
Lamento informarte que has reprobado el examen de matemáticas.
(I regret to inform you that you have failed the math exam.)
Pablo reprobó la materia por no entregar las tareas.
(Pablo failed the subject for not submitting the homework.)
Suspender
'Suspender' is more prevalent in Spain where it also denotes failing an exam or course. It is synonymous with 'reprobar' but less commonly used outside of the Iberian Peninsula.
Si suspendes este examen, tendrás que repetir el curso.
(If you fail this exam, you will have to repeat the course.)
María suspendió su prueba de historia.
(Maria failed her history test.)
Catear
'Catear' is colloquial terminology largely limited to certain regions, notably Spain and some parts of South America. Like the more formal 'suspender', it refers specifically to failing exams.
Si sigues sin estudiar vas a catear todas las materias.
(If you keep not studying you're going to flunk all subjects.)
Summary
In essence, while 'reprobar', 'suspender', and 'catear' all signify academic failure, their usage can greatly depend on geographical location. 'Reprobar' is mostly used in Latin America, while 'suspender' is predominant in Spain, even though both words are understood universally amongst Spanish speakers. The term 'catear' is also mostly used in Spain alongside some places in South America and serves as more informal or colloquial language to indicate flunking an exam or course. Therefore, these terms showcase the rich linguistic diversity within the Spanish language.