identificar
verbCEFR B2
What does “identificar” mean in English?
to identify, to pinpoint
to identify, to pinpoint (identificar las causas/problemas — determine or recognise what something is)
Example sentences
Los investigadores lograron identificar las causas principales del fracaso del proyecto tras un análisis exhaustivo.
The researchers managed to identify the main causes of the project's failure after exhaustive analysis.
La policía identificó al sospechoso gracias a las imágenes de las cámaras de seguridad del edificio.
The police identified the suspect thanks to security camera footage from the building.
Me identifico plenamente con los valores que defiende este movimiento social y quiero contribuir activamente.
I fully identify with the values this social movement stands for and want to contribute actively.
How to use it
Identificar means 'to identify' or 'to pinpoint'. At B2, it is used in analytical and research contexts: identificar las causas/los problemas/los factores (identify the causes/problems/factors). The reflexive identificarse con means 'to identify with': me identifico con los personajes de la novela. Structure: identificar + noun, or identificar que + clause. Don't confuse with reconocer (recognise — implies prior knowledge of the thing) or detectar (detect — implies discovery of something hidden or problematic).
Common mistake
Identificar (determine what something is — active process of identification) vs. reconocer (recognise — acknowledge or identify based on prior knowledge). 'Reconocí su voz' (I recognised his voice — I had heard it before). 'Identificaron al agresor' (they identified the attacker — through investigation, not necessarily prior knowledge).