apañar

A very common Peninsular Spanish verb meaning to fix or patch something up (apañar la avería), to manage or handle a situation (apañárselas), or, in a more critical sense, to cover up for someone's wrongdoing. Heard constantly in everyday Spain Spanish, far less in Latin America.

• Apañó el grifo con cinta mientras llamaba al fontanero. — He patched up the faucet with tape while calling the plumber.
• Entre todos apañaron la cena para veinte personas. — Between all of them they pulled together dinner for twenty people.
• El jefe apañó el error antes de que nadie se diera cuenta. — The boss covered up the mistake before anyone noticed.

Using apañar outside Spain expecting it to be understood the same way — in most of Latin America it's rare or has different connotations, so arreglar is the safer, more universally understood choice.

Often confused with apañárselas.