esforzarse por
/esfoɾθaɾse poɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'strive for' is translated into Spanish as esforzarse por.
Esforzarse por is a formal phrase that emphasizes personal effort and dedication in striving for an objective. You might also use the formal expression trabajar en pos de to mean working towards something or for the sake of achieving a specific purpose or goal, or the formal verb perseguir to express striving for a particular objective.
What does it mean word for word?
The term esforzarse is a reflexive construction. The verb esforzar means to exert or strain, while the suffix -se indicates that the subject is performing the action upon themselves.
Which one should you use?
While intentar means 'to try' and is a more neutral term, esforzarse por implies a much higher level of sustained effort and struggle.
How does it change in a sentence?
When followed by a verb, the phrase esforzarse por requires the subsequent verb to be in the infinitive form. Additionally, the preposition can change from por to en depending on whether the focus is on the goal (por) or the area/activity in which the effort is being applied (en).
How do you pronounce it?
/esfoɾθaɾse poɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, striving too hard (esforzarse demasiado) can be viewed with suspicion if it is perceived as 'trying too hard' to impress others rather than for the goal itself.
- In some highly poetic or archaic Spanish texts, you may see the phrase ir en pos de used to describe a person striving for an ideal, which literally translates to 'going in the footsteps of'.
- The verb esforzarse shares a root with the word fuerza, meaning 'strength'. To strive in Spanish is literally to apply force to a situation or to oneself.
Examples in context
- Debemos luchar por la igualdad de oportunidades para todos.We must strive for equal opportunities for everyone.
- Nos esforzamos por ofrecer el mejor servicio al cliente.We strive to provide the best customer service.
- Estamos trabajando en pos de la sostenibilidad ambiental.We are striving for environmental sustainability.
- La compañía persigue constantemente la excelencia en todos sus productos.The company continually strives for excellence in all its products.
- Estamos buscando alcanzar nuestras metas de crecimiento este año.We are striving to achieve our growth goals this year.
- Tendemos a esforzarnos por tener una buena calidad de vida.We tend to strive for a good quality of life.
- Me estoy empeñando en aprender a tocar el piano.I am striving to learn how to play the piano.
- Siempre hay que esforzarse por mejorar cada día.One must always strive to improve every day.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
