How to Say "to undergo" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to undergo” is “sufrir” — use 'sufrir' when enduring something negative or difficult, like losses, damage, or hardship.
sufrir
soo-FREERsuˈfɾiɾ
Examples
La ciudad sufrió daños significativos por el terremoto.
The city suffered significant damage from the earthquake.
La empresa sufrió grandes pérdidas este trimestre.
The company sustained large losses this quarter.
El edificio sufrió daños graves a causa del terremoto.
The building underwent serious damage due to the earthquake.
Nuestra reputación sufrió un duro golpe.
Our reputation suffered a serious blow.
Non-Human Subjects
In this context, the subject performing 'sufrir' is often an inanimate object, like 'el puente' (the bridge) or 'la economía' (the economy).
Confusing 'soportar'
Mistake: “El puente sufrió el peso.”
Correction: El puente soportó el peso. ('Soportar' means to withstand or bear weight/pressure, while 'sufrir' means to be negatively affected by it.)
experimentar
ex-peh-ree-men-TARekspeɾimenˈtaɾ
Examples
Sentí una gran curiosidad al ver el objeto extraño.
I felt great curiosity upon seeing the strange object.
Ella experimentó una gran alegría al recibir la noticia.
She experienced great joy upon receiving the news.
La ciudad ha experimentado muchos cambios este año.
The city has undergone many changes this year.
A Regular Verb
This verb follows the standard pattern for -ar verbs, meaning once you know the ending rules, you can conjugate it in any tense easily!
Experience vs. Experimentar
Mistake: “Using 'experiencia' as a verb.”
Correction: In Spanish, 'experiencia' is only a noun (the thing you have). To describe the action of having that experience, always use the verb 'experimentar'.
atravesar
ah-trah-veh-SAHRa.tɾa.βeˈsaɾ
Examples
El país está atravesando una profunda reforma política.
The country is going through a deep political reform.
La compañía atraviesa una crisis financiera sin precedentes.
The company is going through an unprecedented financial crisis.
Después de la cirugía, tuvo que atravesar un largo proceso de rehabilitación.
After the surgery, he had to undergo a long rehabilitation process.
transitar
trahn-see-TAHRtɾansiˈtaɾ
Examples
Está transitando una etapa de autodescubrimiento.
She is going through a stage of self-discovery.
Ella está transitando un momento difícil en su vida.
She is going through a difficult moment in her life.
La empresa transita una fase de expansión.
The company is undergoing an expansion phase.
Directly facing the change
When using transitar for life stages, you often use the thing being experienced directly after the verb, like 'transitar una crisis' (to go through a crisis).
someter
so-meh-TEHRsomeˈteɾ
Examples
El jurado someterá las pruebas a un análisis detallado.
The jury will subject the evidence to a detailed analysis.
Someteremos el proyecto a votación mañana.
We will submit the project to a vote tomorrow.
El metal fue sometido a temperaturas extremas.
The metal was subjected to extreme temperatures.
Debes someter tu propuesta al comité.
You must submit your proposal to the committee.
Pairing with 'a'
This meaning almost always uses 'a' to show what the thing is being subjected to. Think of it as 'subjecting [X] TO [Y]'.
incurrir
een-koo-reeriŋkuˈriɾ
Examples
No queremos incurrir en gastos innecesarios.
We do not want to incur unnecessary expenses.
La empresa tuvo que incurrir en gastos adicionales para terminar el proyecto.
The company had to incur additional expenses to finish the project.
Si cancelas tarde, vas a incurrir en una penalización.
If you cancel late, you are going to incur a penalty.
Financial Usage
When talking about money, this verb is used when you are the one responsible for the cost happening.
Choosing Between 'Sufrir' and 'Experimentar'
Related Translations
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