| Principal Translations |
| entretener⇒ vtr | (distraer) | distract⇒ vtr |
| | | keep [sb] entertained vtr + adj |
| | | entertain⇒ vtr |
| | Entretén a las niñas mientras yo escondo los regalos. |
| | Distract the girls while I hide the gifts. |
| entretener vtr | (divertir) | entertain⇒ vtr |
| | | amuse⇒ vtr |
| | | keep [sb] entertained vtr + adj |
| | El payaso entretuvo a los pequeños con trucos de magia. |
| | The clown entertained the small kids with magic tricks. |
| entretener vtr | (hacer más llevadero) (hunger) | stave off vtr phrasal insep |
| | | nourish⇒ vtr |
| | Me preparé un sándwich para entretener el hambre. |
| | I made myself a sandwich to stave off the hunger. |
| entretenerse⇒ v prnl | (divertirse) | have fun v expr |
| | | entertain yourself, amuse yourself vtr + refl |
| | | keep yourself busy v expr |
| | El niño se entretenía jugando con el ordenador. |
| | The boy was having fun playing computer games. |
| entretenerse v prnl | (demorarse) | get held up, be held up v expr |
| | El jefe se entretuvo porque el coche no quería arrancar. |
| | The boss got held up because the car wouldn't start. |
| entretenerse en hacer algo v prnl + prep | (demorarse haciendo algo) | dawdle about doing [sth] v expr |
| | | get carried away doing [sth] v expr |
| | Me entretuve en preparar a los niños para el colegio y llegué tarde a la reunión. |
| | I dawdled about getting the kids ready for school and was late for the meeting. |