How to Say "to reinforce" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to reinforce” is “reforzar” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Necesitamos reforzar los muros de la casa.
We need to reinforce the walls of the house.
El profesor quiere reforzar los conocimientos básicos.
The teacher wants to strengthen basic knowledge.
La policía decidió reforzar la seguridad durante el concierto.
The police decided to beef up security during the concert.
The 'O' to 'UE' Change
This verb is a 'stem-changer.' In the present tense, the letter 'o' changes to 'ue' in all forms except for 'we' (nosotros) and 'you all' (vosotros).
Spelling Change in Preterite
In the 'yo' form of the past tense, the 'z' changes to a 'c' before the letter 'e' to keep the sound correct (reforcé).
Missing the Stem Change
Mistake: “Yo reforzo mis estudios.”
Correction: Yo refuerzo mis estudios. Because it's a stem-changing verb, the 'o' must become 'ue' when stressed.
Confusing with 'Force'
Mistake: “Me reforzaron a ir.”
Correction: Me obligaron a ir. 'Reforzar' means to strengthen something that exists, while 'obligar' is used to force someone to do something.
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.