How to Say "to accommodate" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to accommodate” is “alojar” — use 'alojar' when referring to a place that has the capacity to house or lodge a number of people, like a hotel or a shelter..
alojar
/ah-loh-HAR//a.loˈxaɾ/
Examples
El hotel puede alojar a más de cien huéspedes.
The hotel can accommodate more than one hundred guests.
Este hotel puede alojar a quinientos turistas.
This hotel can host five hundred tourists.
Mis tíos nos van a alojar en su casa durante el viaje.
My aunt and uncle are going to host us in their house during the trip.
El estadio se usó para alojar a los evacuados.
The stadium was used to accommodate the evacuees.
The Personal 'a'
Since 'alojar' usually involves people, remember to put 'a' before the person you are hosting. For example: 'Voy a alojar a mi hermana'.
Reflexive vs. Direct
Use 'alojar' when you provide a room for others, but use 'alojarse' (with words like 'me' or 'se') when you are the one staying at a hotel.
Mistaking 'Alojar' for 'Staying'
Mistake: “Alojo en el hotel Marriott.”
Correction: Me alojo en el hotel Marriott. Use the reflexive form when you are the guest.
hospedar
/oh-speh-dahr//ospeˈðar/
Examples
Nos hospedamos con unos amigos durante nuestras vacaciones.
We were accommodated by some friends during our vacation.
Mi tía nos va a hospedar en su casa durante el festival.
My aunt is going to host us in her house during the festival.
Este hotel puede hospedar a más de quinientas personas.
This hotel can accommodate more than five hundred people.
El gobierno decidió hospedar a los refugiados en centros comunitarios.
The government decided to house the refugees in community centers.
Providing vs. Receiving
When you use 'hospedar' by itself, you are the one giving the room to someone else. If you want to say YOU are staying somewhere, you must add 'se' to make it 'hospedarse'.
A/An After the Verb
When 'hospedar' is followed by a person, you need to use the word 'a' before the person, like: 'hospedar a Juan'.
Forgetting the 'Se' for yourself
Mistake: “Yo hospedo en un hotel.”
Correction: Me hospedo en un hotel. Use 'me' because you are lodging yourself.
Place vs. Personal Hosting
Related Translations
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