Inklingo

How to Say "to displace" in Spanish

English → Spanish

desalojar

/deh-sah-lo-HAR//desaloˈxaɾ/

verbB1
Use 'desalojar' when you mean to force someone or something out of a place, often to remove them from their home or usual location.
A sad person standing on a sidewalk next to a stack of packed cardboard boxes and a small lamp, looking back at a closed house door.

Examples

El dueño tuvo que desalojar a los inquilinos porque no pagaban el alquiler.

The owner had to evict the tenants because they weren't paying the rent.

La policía desalojó el edificio tras la amenaza de bomba.

The police cleared out the building after the bomb threat.

Es obligatorio desalojar la sala antes de las diez de la noche.

It is mandatory to vacate the room before ten at night.

Using the 'Personal A'

When you are evicting a person, you must use 'a' before their name or the person word, like 'desalojar a los vecinos'.

A Regular -ar Verb

Good news! This verb follows the standard pattern for all -ar verbs, so once you know the basic endings, you can conjugate this perfectly.

Confusing with 'Evacuar'

Mistake:Using 'evacuar' for a legal eviction.

Correction: Use 'desalojar' for legal removals. 'Evacuar' is mostly for safety/emergencies like fires or floods.

desplazar

des-plah-SAR/desplaˈθaɾ/

verbB2
Use 'desplazar' when something or someone takes the place of another, or when moving something from its original position, often in a more general or figurative sense.
A large bird landing on a branch, causing a smaller bird to fly away.

Examples

Las máquinas han desplazado a los trabajadores en la fábrica.

Machines have displaced the workers in the factory.

El nuevo producto desplazó a la competencia del mercado.

The new product ousted the competition from the market.

Miles de personas fueron desplazadas por el conflicto.

Thousands of people were displaced by the conflict.

Passive Force

In news reports, you will often see this in the past form (desplazado) to describe people forced to leave their homes.

Confusing Eviction with Replacement

Learners often confuse 'desalojar' and 'desplazar' by using 'desalojar' when something is simply replaced, rather than forcibly removed. Remember, 'desalojar' implies forcing someone or something out, while 'desplazar' is about taking a position or moving.

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.