This is the 2551st most frequent Spanish word.
castigar
To punish.
In this sentence, 'castigar' is used in its standard meaning of disciplining or imposing a penalty on someone for inadequate behavior or an offense.
El profesor decidió castigar a los alumnos por no entregar la tarea.
The teacher decided to punish the students for not submitting the homework.
Here, 'castigar' emphasizes the context of disciplining children appropriately, suggesting a corrective or educational intent behind the act.
Los padres deben pensar cuidadosamente cómo castigar a sus hijos para enseñarles a mejorar.
Parents must carefully consider how to punish their children to teach them to improve.
This usage of 'castigar' expresses unfair or misplaced penalization, discussing the appropriateness of punishment.