ajustar
verbCEFR B2
What does “ajustar” mean in English?
to adjust, to fine-tune
to adjust, to fine-tune (ajustar + noun; precise calibration of plans, budgets, parameters)
Example sentences
El Banco Central ajustó los tipos de interés a la baja para estimular el consumo interno.
The Central Bank adjusted interest rates downward to stimulate domestic consumption.
Habrá que ajustar el calendario del proyecto para que los plazos sean realistas.
The project schedule will need to be adjusted to make the deadlines realistic.
La propuesta se ajusta perfectamente a los requisitos establecidos en el pliego de condiciones.
The proposal conforms perfectly to the requirements set out in the tender specifications.
How to use it
Ajustar means 'to adjust', 'to fine-tune', or 'to fit'. It covers both physical fitting (ajustar un tornillo — tighten a screw) and figurative adjustment (ajustar el presupuesto — adjust the budget, ajustar el calendario — adjust the schedule). The reflexive ajustarse a means 'to comply with' or 'to conform to': ajustarse a las normas (comply with the rules). At B2, the figurative and formal register uses are most important: adjusting plans, budgets, and policies.
Common mistake
Ajustar and adaptar are near-synonyms in some contexts but differ in nuance: ajustar implies a small, precise calibration (fine-tuning), while adaptarse implies broader self-modification to a new environment. Also, ajustarse a las normas (to comply with rules) is a fixed phrase in legal and administrative language that English would typically express as 'comply with' or 'meet the requirements'.