enfrentarse
/en-fren-TAR-seh/
to face
Facing a difficult situation or problem with courage.
enfrentarse(verb)
to face
?dealing with a problem or situation
to deal with
?handling a difficult reality
,to confront
?addressing an issue head-on
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'a'
This word almost always needs the little word 'a' before the thing or person you are facing. For example: 'enfrentarse a un problema'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't forget the 'se'
Mistake: "Yo enfrento el problema."
Correction: Yo me enfrento al problema. (In Spanish, you 'face yourself to' the problem using those extra pronouns like me, te, or se).
⭐ Usage Tips
Facing Problems vs. People
Use this word when you're talking about being brave and tackling a tough situation head-on.
Taking on an opponent in a competition.
enfrentarse(verb)
to take on
?competing against an opponent
to clash with
?having a physical or verbal fight
,to play against
?sports matchups
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Reciprocal Meaning
When two people face 'each other,' you still use the plural forms like 'nos enfrentamos' or 'se enfrentan'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
With whom?
Mistake: "Se enfrentó el rival."
Correction: Se enfrentó *al* rival. (You always need the 'a' or 'con' to show who you are competing against).
⭐ Usage Tips
Sports Talk
This is the perfect word for sports match-ups. '¿Quién se enfrenta hoy?' means 'Who is playing against whom today?'
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: enfrentarse
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I am facing my problems'?
📚 More Resources
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.