Inklingo

How to Say "to conserve" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ahorrar

ah-oh-RRAHR (roll the 'rr')/a.oˈraɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'ahorrar' when you mean to save something, especially money, time, or resources like energy or water, by using less of it.
A cheerful cartoon gardener efficiently pushes a blue wheelbarrow piled high with brown soil across a green lawn, demonstrating reduced effort compared to carrying the soil.

Examples

Tomar la autopista nos ayuda a ahorrar tiempo.

Taking the highway helps us save time.

Debemos ahorrar agua y electricidad en casa para proteger el medio ambiente.

We must conserve water and electricity at home to protect the environment.

Este nuevo sistema nos ahorra mucho esfuerzo.

This new system saves us a lot of effort.

Saving Effort

When using 'ahorrar' with effort or time, it often takes an indirect object pronoun (like 'nos' or 'me') to indicate who benefits from the saving: 'Me ahorra trabajo' (It saves me work).

conservar

/kon-ser-VAR//kon.seɾˈβaɾ/

verbB2general
Use 'conservar' to talk about preserving natural resources, energy, or even food, with the goal of keeping them intact for the future.
A close-up view of a hand reaching out to flip a simple, white light switch into the off position.

Examples

Debemos conservar el agua para las generaciones futuras.

We must conserve water for future generations.

El gobierno tiene un plan para conservar la selva tropical.

The government has a plan to conserve the rainforest.

proteger

proh-teh-HÉHR/pɾo.teˈxeɾ/

verbB1general
Use 'proteger' when the focus is on actively safeguarding or defending natural resources, heritage, or rights from harm or loss.
A sturdy, tall, stylized stone wall completely encloses a peaceful, lush green garden, symbolizing the safeguarding of interests or rights.

Examples

Es deber del gobierno proteger los derechos de los ciudadanos.

It is the government's duty to safeguard citizens' rights.

Debemos proteger la biodiversidad de nuestro planeta.

We must conserve the biodiversity of our planet.

Ella protege la memoria de su abuela, contando sus historias.

She cherishes her grandmother's memory by telling her stories.

Active vs. Passive Voice

This verb is often seen in the passive voice, especially in official language: 'Los datos son protegidos por la ley' (The data is protected by law).

Ahorrar vs. Conservar

Learners often confuse 'ahorrar' and 'conservar'. Remember, 'ahorrar' is about saving by using less (like saving money or energy), while 'conservar' is about preservation and keeping something safe for the long term.

Related Translations

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