esforzarse
/esfoɾθaɾse/from spelling rules
The English phrase "striving" is translated into Spanish as esforzarse.
Esforzarse is used to describe making a great effort to achieve something or to do something well. To express what you are striving for, you typically follow the verb with the preposition por for a goal or para to indicate the purpose of the effort.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, particularly in the Caribbean, you may hear the colloquial expression darle duro to mean putting in a lot of effort. Another colloquial way to express putting in effort or giving your all is echarle ganas.
How does it change in a sentence?
Esforzarse is a reflexive verb, which means you must use a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to show that the subject is the one performing the effort. For example, the third-person singular form is se esfuerza (he/she strives) and the gerund form used for continuous action is esforzándose.
How do you pronounce it?
/esfoɾθaɾse/
Did you know?
- While esforzarse describes the act of striving, the phrase echarle ganas literally means 'to throw desire at it'. This reflects a cultural view in Mexico and parts of Latin America where effort is treated as an external energy one pours into a task.
- The verb esforzarse is reflexive, meaning the effort is linguistically directed back at the self. This differs from English, where 'striving' is an outward action toward a goal, whereas in Spanish, the grammar suggests the person is 'efforting themselves'.
- The root of esforzarse is fuerza, meaning 'force' or 'strength'. This links the act of striving not just to persistence, but to the application of internal or external power, similar to how 'effort' in English comes from the Latin word for 'out-force'.
Examples in context
- Me esfuerzo por alcanzar mis metasI strive to achieve my goals
- Debemos luchar por nuestros sueñosWe must strive for our dreams
- Si le echas ganas, podrás lograrloIf you strive for it, you can achieve it
- Tienes que darle duro para alcanzar tus metasYou have to strive hard to reach your goals
- Nosotros nos esforzamosWe strive
- Ella se esfuerzaShe strives
- La clave del éxito está en el esfuerzo continuo y la dedicación.The key to success lies in continuous effort and dedication.
- Se esfuerza por mejorar cada día.He strives to improve every day.
- Es importante esforzarse para alcanzar tus metas.It is important to strive to reach your goals.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are talking about their university studies.
- SofíaAlejandro, ¿estás estudiando mucho para el examen?Alejandro, are you studying a lot for the exam?
- AlejandroSí, voy a esforzarse para sacar una buena nota.Yes, I am going to strive to get a good grade.
- SofíaEso es bueno, el profesor es muy exigente.That's good, the professor is very demanding.
- AlejandroLo sé, por eso debo esforzarse cada día.I know, that is why I must strive every day.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry esforzarse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
