enfrentarse
“enfrentarse” means “to face” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to face
Also: to deal with, to confront
📝 In Action
Debemos enfrentarnos a la realidad de la situación.
B1We must face the reality of the situation.
Ella se enfrentó a sus miedos y subió al avión.
B1She faced her fears and got on the plane.
to take on
Also: to clash with, to play against
📝 In Action
El Barcelona se enfrentará al Real Madrid este domingo.
B1Barcelona will play against Real Madrid this Sunday.
Los manifestantes se enfrentaron a la policía.
B2The protesters clashed with the police.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: enfrentarse
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I am facing my problems'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Spanish word 'frente' (front/forehead), which itself comes from Latin 'frons'. It literally means to put your forehead or face toward something.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'enfrentar' and 'enfrentarse'?
While 'enfrentar' can be used, 'enfrentarse' (the reflexive version) is much more common when you are the one doing the facing. Use 'enfrentarse a' for almost everything from sports to personal challenges.
Can I use 'con' instead of 'a'?
Yes! While 'a' is most common, you can say 'se enfrentó con su enemigo' to mean he clashed or fought with his enemy.