How to Say "to offset" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to offset” is “balancear” — use 'balancear' when you need to physically distribute weight or items evenly to create stability, like balancing a load..
balancear
/bah-lahn-seh-ahr//balanseˈaɾ/
Examples
Hay que balancear la carga para que el barco no se hunda.
The load must be balanced so the boat doesn't sink.
Necesitamos balancear la carga del camión.
We need to balance the load of the truck.
Es importante balancear los carbohidratos con proteínas.
It's important to balance carbohydrates with proteins.
Using 'con'
When saying you are balancing one thing with another, always use the word 'con' (with). Example: 'Balancear X con Y'.
The adjective form
Mistake: “Saying 'comida balance' for a balanced meal.”
Correction: Use the past participle as an adjective: 'comida balanceada'.
compensar
/kom-pen-SAR//kompenˈsaɾ/
Examples
Su gran esfuerzo compensa su falta de experiencia.
His great effort makes up for his lack of experience.
Su amabilidad compensa su falta de experiencia.
His kindness makes up for his lack of experience.
La empresa compensó a los empleados por las horas extras.
The company compensated the employees for the overtime.
No me compensa trabajar tanto si no tengo tiempo libre.
It's not worth it to me to work so much if I don't have free time.
Using 'por' with Compensar
To say what you are making up for, use the word 'por'. For example: 'Compensar por el error' (To make up for the mistake).
Compensar as 'Worth it'
When used to say something is worth the trouble, it often takes an indirect object (me, te, le). 'No me compensa' means 'It doesn't provide enough benefit for me to justify the effort.'
Confusing with 'Vale la pena'
Mistake: “No compensa el viaje.”
Correction: No me compensa el viaje (or) El viaje no compensa el esfuerzo. Use 'vale la pena' for general 'it's worth it' and 'compensar' when you are comparing a specific cost vs. a specific benefit.
contrarrestar
/kon-tra-rreh-star//kontrarestaɾ/
Examples
Tomó un analgésico para contrarrestar el dolor de cabeza.
He took a painkiller to counteract the headache.
Bebió mucha agua para contrarrestar el efecto de la sal.
He drank a lot of water to counteract the effect of the salt.
El gobierno tomó medidas para contrarrestar la inflación.
The government took measures to counteract inflation.
Su amabilidad contrarresta su falta de experiencia.
Her kindness offsets her lack of experience.
It is a regular verb
Even though it looks long and complex, it follows the exact same patterns as the easy verb 'hablar'.
Direct action
You don't need a middle word like 'against' in Spanish because the 'against' part is already inside the verb (the 'contra-' part).
Adding extra prepositions
Mistake: “Contrarrestar contra el problema.”
Correction: Contrarrestar el problema. Because 'contra' is already part of the word, adding it again is like saying 'counter-against'.
recompensar
/reh-kom-pehn-SAHR//rekompenˈsaɾ/
Examples
Su actitud positiva recompensa su lentitud al trabajar.
His positive attitude makes up for his slowness at work.
Sus ganas de aprender recompensan su falta de experiencia.
His desire to learn makes up for his lack of experience.
Nada puede recompensar el tiempo que pasé lejos de mi familia.
Nothing can compensate for the time I spent away from my family.
Abstract Subjects
In this sense, the subject (the thing doing the action) is often a quality or a situation, rather than a person. For example: 'Su talento recompensa sus errores' (His talent offsets his mistakes).
Compensar vs. Balancear
Related Translations
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