Direct Answer
Prey on sb means to hunt, attack, or take advantage of someone, usually in a harmful way. It is often used to describe animals or people who exploit others.
Caja de Información Rápida
- Aprovecharse de alguien
- Tipo: Transitivo (requiere un objeto)
- Nivel: B2
- Significado breve: Cazar o explotar a alguien
Meaning in Detail
The prey on sb meaning involves taking advantage of or causing harm to someone. This can be literal, like an animal hunting its prey, or figurative, such as a person exploiting another’s weakness. It often has a negative sense, implying unfair or cruel behavior.
For example, criminals may prey on vulnerable people, meaning they take advantage of them to commit crimes.
Estructura (Reglas gramaticales)
Prey on sb es un verbo frasal inseparable, lo que significa que no puedes separar «prey» y «on» colocando el objeto en medio.
- Correct: They prey on the weak. (Se aprovechan de los débiles.)
- Incorrect: They prey the weak on. (Incorrecto: Se aprovechan de los débiles.)
Sigue este patrón:
-
Prey + on + somebody/something
Ejemplos
Aquí tienes algunos ejemplos de “Prey on sb” en oraciones:
- Owls prey on small rodents at night. (Los búhos cazan pequeños roedores durante la noche.)
- Scammers often prey on elderly people. (Los estafadores a menudo se aprovechan de las personas mayores.)
- In the wild, lions prey on zebras. (En la naturaleza, los leones cazan cebras.)
- Some companies prey on customers’ lack of knowledge. (Algunas empresas se aprovechan de la falta de conocimiento de los clientes.)
- Fear can prey on your mind and make you anxious. (El miedo puede atormentarte la mente y causarte ansiedad.)
Errores Comunes
- Incorrect: They prey the poor people on.
- Correct: They prey on poor people.
- Incorrect: The tiger preys a deer.
- Correct: The tiger preys on a deer.
Diferencias / Sinónimos
Verbos frasales similares incluyen aprovecharse de y alimentarse de. Sin embargo, “prey on sb” implica específicamente daño o explotación, a menudo con una relación depredador-presa.
- Take advantage of:: Puede ser neutral o negativo, y significa aprovecharse de una situación o persona para obtener beneficio.
- Feed on:: Más literal, significa comer o consumir.
- Prey on sb:: Siempre negativo, significa cazar o explotar.
Colocaciones comunes
- Prey on the weak (Depredar a los débiles)
- Prey on the vulnerable (Aprovecharse de los vulnerables)
- Prey on fear (Aprovecharse del miedo)
- Prey on ignorance (Aprovecharse de la ignorancia)
- Prey on animals (Depredar a los animales)
Verbos frasales relacionados
Aquí hay verbos frasales relacionados de prey on sb:
Diálogo de la vida real
Anna: Did you hear about those scammers?
Anna: ¿Supiste de esos estafadores?
Ben: Yes, they prey on elderly people who don’t know much about technology.
Ben: Sí, se aprovechan de las personas mayores que no saben mucho sobre tecnología.
Anna: That’s terrible. People should be more careful.
Anna: Eso es terrible. La gente debería ser más cuidadosa.
Practicar
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of prey on:
- Some animals _______ small insects for food.
- Fraudsters often _______ people who are lonely.
- Fear can _______ your thoughts and make you worried.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does «prey on sb» mean?
It means to hunt or take advantage of someone, usually in a harmful way.
Is «prey on sb» separable?
No, you cannot separate «prey» and «on» by placing the object in between.
Can «prey on sb» be used for people?
Yes, it is often used to describe people exploiting others.
What is a synonym for «prey on sb»?
«Take advantage of» is a common synonym but may have a less negative meaning.
Can «prey on sb» be used in positive sentences?
No, it usually has a negative or harmful meaning.
