Inklingo

How to Say "to relocate" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mudarse

moo-DAHR-sehmuˈðarse

verbA2general
Use 'mudarse' when referring to the act of moving oneself or one's household to a new residence, often within the same city or to a different one.
A stack of cardboard boxes and a small plant sitting in an empty, brightly lit living room.

Examples

Me voy a mudar a un apartamento nuevo mañana.

I am moving to a new apartment tomorrow.

Me mudo a un apartamento nuevo mañana.

I am moving to a new apartment tomorrow.

¿Por qué decidieron mudarse a España?

Why did they decide to move to Spain?

Using the 'se' part

The 'se' at the end means this verb is reflexive. It shows that you are moving yourself to a new location. You must change the 'me, te, se' part to match the person doing the action.

Mover vs. Mudarse

Mistake: “Using 'mover' to say you are moving to a new house.”

Correction: Use 'mudarse' for changing homes. 'Mover' is for moving a physical object or a part of your body (like your arm).

mudar

moo-DAHRmuˈðar

verbA1formal
Use 'mudar' when the focus is on the action of moving a house or a business, often implying a more formal or planned event.
A stack of cardboard boxes and a small plant sitting on a wooden floor in a bright, empty room.

Examples

Me voy a mudar a un apartamento nuevo el próximo mes.

I am going to move to a new apartment next month.

Ellos se mudaron a España para aprender el idioma.

They moved to Spain to learn the language.

Using 'se' for Moving

When talking about moving house, we almost always add 'se' to the end (mudarse). This shows the action is happening to the person who is moving.

Mover vs. Mudar

Mistake: “Using 'mover' to say 'I am moving to a new house'.”

Correction: Use 'mudarse'. 'Mover' is for shifting objects (like a chair), but 'mudar' is for changing your home.

trasladar

trah-slah-DARtɾaslaˈðar

verbB1general
Employ 'trasladar' when discussing the relocation of a business, office, or sometimes a residence, emphasizing the transfer of operations or belongings.
A person pushing a cardboard box across the floor of an empty room.

Examples

La empresa va a trasladar su oficina al centro.

The company is going to move its office downtown.

Trasladaron al paciente a un hospital más grande.

They transferred the patient to a larger hospital.

Es difícil trasladar todos estos muebles en un solo coche.

It is difficult to move all this furniture in just one car.

When to use 'a' with trasladar

When you are moving a person, you must put the word 'a' before them: 'Trasladaron a María' (They moved Maria).

Trasladar vs. Mover

Use 'trasladar' for significant moves, like changing cities, jobs, or official locations. Use 'mover' for small physical actions, like moving your arm or a chair.

Moving house

Mistake: “Yo traslado a una casa nueva.”

Correction: Me traslado a una casa nueva.

Choosing Between 'Mudar' and 'Mudarse'

The most common confusion is between 'mudar' and 'mudarse'. Remember that 'mudarse' is reflexive and focuses on the person moving house, while 'mudar' can focus more on the house itself being moved, or is used in more formal contexts for moving a business.

Related Translations

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