rodear
“rodear” means “to surround” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to surround
Also: to encircle
📝 In Action
Las montañas rodean el pequeño valle.
A2The mountains surround the small valley.
Los niños rodearon a la maestra para escuchar el cuento.
A2The children surrounded the teacher to hear the story.
Una muralla antigua rodeaba la ciudad.
B1An ancient wall used to encircle the city.
to go around
Also: to bypass
📝 In Action
Tuvimos que rodear el lago porque el camino estaba cortado.
B1We had to go around the lake because the path was blocked.
Para evitar el tráfico, rodeamos la ciudad por la autopista.
B1To avoid traffic, we bypassed the city via the highway.
to surround oneself with
📝 In Action
Ella siempre se rodea de gente positiva.
B1She always surrounds herself with positive people.
Me gusta rodearme de libros en mi oficina.
B1I like to surround myself with books in my office.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "rodear" in Spanish:
to encircle→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: rodear
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly means 'I am surrounded by trees'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Derived from the Spanish noun 'rueda' (wheel), which comes from the Latin 'rota' (wheel). It literally means to make a wheel or circle around something.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'rodear' a regular verb?
Yes, 'rodear' follows the standard patterns for all verbs ending in -ar. There are no stem changes or irregular endings.
What is the difference between 'rodear' and 'cercar'?
'Rodear' is more general and means to be around something. 'Cercar' usually means to enclose or fence something in, often for protection or to trap it.
Can I use 'rodear' for people?
Yes! You can use it physically (people standing around someone) or figuratively (the type of people you keep in your social circle).