exprimir
verbCEFR B2
What does “exprimir” mean in English?
to squeeze, to extract maximum value
to squeeze, to extract maximum value (exprimir — figurative: extract the most from resources or people)
Example sentences
Las empresas buscan constantemente nuevas formas de exprimir al máximo la productividad de sus equipos de trabajo.
Companies are constantly looking for new ways to squeeze maximum productivity from their work teams.
El presupuesto es muy ajustado; habrá que exprimir cada euro para llegar a fin de mes.
The budget is very tight; we will have to squeeze every euro to make ends meet.
El director financiero advirtió que ya no era posible exprimir más al personal sin consecuencias.
The finance director warned that it was no longer possible to squeeze the staff any further without consequences.
How to use it
Exprimir means 'to squeeze' or, figuratively, 'to squeeze the most out of'. Literal: exprimir una naranja (squeeze an orange). Figurative at B2: exprimir los recursos (squeeze resources to the maximum), exprimir la productividad (squeeze productivity). The figurative sense often has a slightly negative connotation — pushing people or resources to their limits. Contrast aprovechar (to make good use of — neutral) and explotar (to exploit — clearly negative, involving injustice).
Common mistake
Exprimir al máximo is a fixed intensifying frame — very natural in Spanish. The human object (exprimir a los trabajadores) is slightly pejorative, implying exploitation of people rather than just resources. For neutral maximum use, aprovechar al máximo is safer. Exprimir is never used for 'squeeze through a gap' (that is colarse or pasar).