Part of Speech

• Verbo (verb)

Phonetic Transcription

• /θaˈfaɾ.se/ (in Spain) or /zaˈfaɾ.se/ (in Latin America)

Translation Options into English

• To free oneself
• To escape
• To break away

Meaning and Usage

The verb "zafarse" is commonly used in Spanish to indicate the action of freeing oneself from something or someone, often in a context where one feels trapped or restrained. It can refer to physically escaping a situation or metaphorically breaking away from an obligation or expectation. The frequency of use is moderate, and it is encountered in both oral and written contexts, although more commonly in conversational scenarios.

Example Sentences

1. El perro logró zafarse de la correa y corrió hacia el parque.

2. The dog managed to break free from the leash and ran towards the park.

3. Ella decidió zafarse de todas las responsabilidades que no le correspondían.

4. She decided to free herself from all the responsibilities that did not belong to her.

5. Se zafó de las manos del hombre y salió corriendo por la calle.

6. He broke free from the man's hands and ran down the street.

Idiomatic Expressions

While "zafarse" itself is not primarily known for being part of fixed idiomatic expressions, it is used in various phrases that reflect the idea of seeking freedom or escape. Here are some examples:

1. Zafarse de las garras de alguien.
2. To free oneself from someone's clutches.
3. “Logró zafarse de las garras de su exnovio.”

4. “He managed to free himself from his ex-boyfriend's clutches.”

5. Zafarse de una situación incómoda.

6. To escape an awkward situation.
7. “Ella siempre sabe cómo zafarse de una situación incómoda.”

8. “She always knows how to escape an awkward situation.”

9. Zafarse del miedo.

10. To break free from fear.
11. “A veces, necesitamos zafarnos del miedo para avanzar.”

12. “Sometimes, we need to break free from fear to move forward.”

13. No zafarse de las consecuencias.

14. Not to escape the consequences.
15. “Es difícil zafarse de las consecuencias de nuestras acciones.”
16. “It’s hard to escape the consequences of our actions.”

Etymology

The verb "zafarse" comes from the Spanish word "zafar," which means to loosen or unfasten. The root of "zafar" derives from the Vulgar Latin suffarare, meaning 'to unfasten' or 'to remove'. The word has evolved to signify not only physical loosening but also the metaphorical idea of liberating oneself from restraints or obligations.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Liberarse - Escaparse - Deshacerse

Antonyms: - Atrapar (to trap) - Encarcelar (to imprison) - Sujetar (to hold or restrain)