aislar
verbCEFR B2
What does “aislar” mean in English?
to isolate, to cut off
to isolate, to cut off (aislar a alguien/aislarse — separate from contact with others; be in a state of isolation)
Example sentences
La pandemia aisló a millones de personas durante meses, con consecuencias graves para la salud mental.
The pandemic isolated millions of people for months, with serious consequences for mental health.
Para reproducir los resultados del experimento hay que aislar cuidadosamente cada variable y controlarlas por separado.
To replicate the experiment's results, each variable must be carefully isolated and controlled separately.
Cada vez más personas mayores se aíslan socialmente tras la jubilación, lo que agrava los problemas de salud.
More and more elderly people isolate themselves socially after retirement, which exacerbates health problems.
How to use it
Aislar means 'to isolate', 'to cut off', or 'to insulate'. Three uses at B2: (1) social/emotional isolation: aislar a alguien (isolate a person from their social network); (2) technical insulation: aislar un cable/una habitación (insulate a cable/room); (3) identify separately: aislar una variable (isolate a variable). The reflexive aislarse means 'to isolate oneself' or 'to be cut off'. Key noun: el aislamiento (isolation/insulation).
Common mistake
Aislar (isolate — cut off from external contact or environment) vs. separar (separate — keep two things apart). 'Aisló al grupo de control' (he isolated the control group — from all external variables); 'separó los grupos' (he separated the groups — put them in different places). Aislar implies cutting off from influence, not just physical separation.