encajarse (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

Verb

Phonetic Transcription

/enkaˈxaɾse/

Translation Options into English

• to fit in
• to adjust

Meaning and Usage

Encajarse refers to the act of fitting into or adjusting oneself to a certain context, environment, or set of circumstances. It is commonly used in both oral and written Spanish; however, it appears more frequently in spoken language in casual contexts. The term can refer to physical fitting (like pieces of a puzzle) or metaphorical fitting (social situations, roles, adapting to new environments, etc.).

Example Sentences

1. Me costó mucho encajarme en la nueva escuela.
   (It was hard for me to fit in at the new school.)

2. Tienes que encajarte mejor en el equipo para trabajar juntos.
   (You need to fit in better with the team to work together.)

3. Ella siempre ha sabido cómo encajarse en diferentes grupos sociales.
   (She has always known how to fit in with different social groups.)

Idiomatic Expressions

Encajarse is also found in several idiomatic expressions:

1. Encajarse en un molde
   (To fit into a mold)
   – No todas las personas encajan en un molde preestablecido.
   (Not everyone fits into a predefined mold.)

2. Encajarse en la piel de alguien
   (To put oneself in someone’s shoes)
   – Es importante encajarse en la piel de alguien para entender sus problemas.
   (It's important to put yourself in someone’s shoes to understand their problems.)

3. No encajar en la norma
   (Not fitting into the norm)
   – Siempre he sido diferente y no encajar en la norma me molesta.
   (I've always been different, and not fitting into the norm bothers me.)

4. Encajarse como un guante
   (To fit like a glove)
   – Ese vestido se encaja como un guante; te queda perfecto.
   (That dress fits like a glove; it looks perfect on you.)

5. Encajar en la conversación
   (To fit into the conversation)
   – Ella sabe cómo encajar en la conversación sin interrumpir a nadie.
   (She knows how to fit into the conversation without interrupting anyone.)

Etymology

The verb encajarse comes from the Spanish root verb encajar, which means "to fit" or "to insert." The prefix en- often denotes "in" or "within," while cajar is related to "to fall" or "to fit." The evolution of the term reflects the various modes of fitting or adapting oneself.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Integrarse (to integrate) - Adaptarse (to adapt) - Ajustarse (to adjust)

Antonyms: - Desencajar (to dislocate or not fit) - Inadaptarse (to not adapt) - Separarse (to separate)