encarar
“encarar” means “to face” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to face, to confront
Also: to deal with, to tackle
📝 In Action
Tenemos que encarar la realidad de la situación.
B1We have to face the reality of the situation.
Ella encaró sus miedos y fue a la entrevista.
B2She faced her fears and went to the interview.
El gobierno decidió encarar la crisis económica con nuevas leyes.
C1The government decided to tackle the economic crisis with new laws.
to point, to face toward
Also: to aim
📝 In Action
El fotógrafo encaró su cámara hacia el paisaje.
B2The photographer pointed his camera toward the landscape.
Encaró el coche hacia la salida.
B1He pointed the car toward the exit.
El delantero encaró la portería y tiró.
B2The forward faced the goal and shot.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: encarar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'We have to face the problem'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Spanish prefix 'en-' (in/on) and the noun 'cara' (face). It literally means 'to put something face-to-face'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'encarar' and 'enfrentar'?
They are very similar! 'Enfrentar' is more common for 'facing an opponent' or 'confronting,' while 'encarar' strongly suggests the physical act of looking at something or aiming toward it.
Can I use 'encarar' for physical objects?
Yes! You can 'encarar' a camera toward a mountain or 'encarar' a car toward the garage door.
Is 'encarar' a regular verb?
Yes, it follows the standard pattern for all -ar verbs in all tenses.