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esforzar

es-for-saresforˈθar

“esforzar” means “to make an effort” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to make an effort

Also: to strive, to try hard
VerbA2irregular (stem-changing o > ue) ar
General
A small child pushing a large, heavy wooden crate across a wooden floor.
gerundesforzando
past Participleesforzado
infinitiveesforzar

📝 In Action

Me esfuerzo mucho por aprender español cada día.

A2

I make a big effort to learn Spanish every day.

Si te esfuerzas, conseguirás el trabajo.

B1

If you try hard, you will get the job.

Ellos se esforzaron por terminar el proyecto a tiempo.

B2

They strove to finish the project on time.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • empeñarse (to persist/insist)
  • luchar (to fight/struggle)
  • intentar (to try)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • esforzarse al máximo – to try one's very best
  • esforzarse por – to strive for
  • vale la pena esforzarse – it is worth making an effort

Idioms & Expressions

  • esforzar la marcha – to pick up the pace or work harder to finish quickly

to strain

Also: to force
VerbB2irregular (stem-changing o > ue) ar
A singer on a stage with their mouth wide open, hand on their throat, showing they are pushing their voice.
gerundesforzando
past Participleesforzado
infinitiveesforzar

📝 In Action

No debes esforzar la vista leyendo con poca luz.

B2

You shouldn't strain your eyes reading in low light.

El cantante esforzó la voz y ahora no puede hablar.

C1

The singer strained his voice and now he can't talk.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • forzar (to force)
  • fatigar (to tire/fatigue)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • esforzar la voz – to strain the voice
  • esforzar la vista – to strain the eyes

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoesforzara
túesforzaras
él/ella/ustedesforzara
nosotrosesforzáramos
vosotrosesforzarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesesforzaran

Present Subjunctive

yoesfuerce
túesfuerces
él/ella/ustedesfuerce
nosotrosesforcemos
vosotrosesforcéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesesfuercen

Indicative

Preterite

yoesforcé
túesforzaste
él/ella/ustedesforzó
nosotrosesforzamos
vosotrosesforzasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesesforzaron

Imperfect

yoesforzaba
túesforzabas
él/ella/ustedesforzaba
nosotrosesforzábamos
vosotrosesforzabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesesforzaban

Present

yoesfuerzo
túesfuerzas
él/ella/ustedesfuerza
nosotrosesforzamos
vosotrosesforzáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesesfuerzan
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "esforzar" in Spanish:

to force→to strain→to strive→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: esforzar

Question 1 of 3

Which form is correct for 'I make an effort'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
el esfuerzo(the effort) — Noun
esforzado(hardworking/brave) — Adjective
reforzar(to reinforce) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin prefix 'ex-' (out/thoroughly) and 'fortiare' (to make strong), which comes from 'fortis' (strong). It literally means to put your strength out into the world.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: s'efforcerEnglish: effort

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'esforzar' and 'tratar'?

'Tratar' means 'to try' or 'to attempt,' while 'esforzarse' implies a deeper level of hard work, sweat, and dedication.

Is 'esforzar' a regular verb?

No, it's a stem-changing verb (o > ue) and it also has a spelling change (z > c) in some forms.

Can I use 'esforzar' for a car engine?

Yes! You can say 'esforzar el motor' if you are pushing the car's engine too hard.