aferrar
verbCEFR B2
What does “aferrar” mean in English?
to grip, to grasp
to grip, to grasp (aferrar/aferrarse a — hold tightly; physically or figuratively cling to something)
Example sentences
El niño se aferró con fuerza a la mano de su madre mientras cruzaban la concurrida plaza.
The child gripped his mother's hand tightly as they crossed the busy square.
Tras el fracaso del proyecto, se aferró a la idea de que aún era posible recuperar la inversión.
After the project's failure, he clung to the idea that it was still possible to recoup the investment.
La empresa se aferró a un modelo de negocio obsoleto en lugar de adaptarse a los cambios del mercado.
The company clung to an obsolete business model instead of adapting to market changes.
How to use it
Aferrar means 'to grip', 'to grasp', or 'to clutch'. The reflexive aferrarse a means 'to cling to' (physically or figuratively): aferrarse a la esperanza (cling to hope), aferrarse al pasado (cling to the past). At B2, the figurative reflexive sense is most important. The non-reflexive aferrar (grip something) appears in descriptive narrative. Synonyms: agarrar (grab — more abrupt), sujetar (hold — neutral and stable), asir (grasp — literary).
Common mistake
Aferrarse a (cling to) is the most useful B2 form. The preposition is always a — never *aferrarse con or *aferrarse de. Figuratively it often implies resistance to change or unwillingness to let go of something that should be released (hope, an idea, the past). This negative connotation is not always present but is very common.