How to Say "obstacle" in Spanish

Use 'obstáculo' when referring to a specific difficulty that actively prevents progress or makes something much harder to achieve.

Choose 'dificultad' to talk about a problem or challenge that makes a situation or task harder, but not necessarily impossible.

Use 'barrera' when the obstacle is something that separates or blocks, like a physical wall or a non-physical but distinct separation such as a language barrier.