enfocar
“enfocar” means “to focus” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to focus
Also: to aim
📝 In Action
Tienes que enfocar la cámara antes de sacar la foto.
A2You have to focus the camera before taking the photo.
Mis ojos no pueden enfocar bien sin mis gafas.
B1My eyes cannot focus well without my glasses.
Enfocaron las luces hacia el escenario.
B1They aimed the lights toward the stage.
to approach
Also: to frame
📝 In Action
Debemos enfocar este problema desde una perspectiva diferente.
B2We must approach this problem from a different perspective.
El escritor enfocó su novela en la vida rural.
B2The writer centered his novel on rural life.
Es importante cómo enfoques la entrevista de trabajo.
C1How you approach the job interview is important.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: enfocar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I focused' (past tense) in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Formed by combining 'en-' (in/into) and 'foco' (focus/hearth/fire), originally referring to the point where light rays meet.
First recorded: 19th century (modern photographic sense)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'enfocar' always about cameras?
No! While it started with optics, it is very commonly used for mental focus and how we deal with problems or tasks.
What is the difference between 'enfocar' and 'centrar'?
'Enfocar' is about clarity and perspective, while 'centrar' is about placing something in the middle or making it the main point.
Why does the 'c' change to 'qu' sometimes?
In Spanish, 'ce' sounds like 'se'. To keep the 'ke' sound from the original word, we use 'que' instead.