limitar
verbCEFR B2
What does “limitar” mean in English?
to limit, to restrict
to limit, to restrict (to confine within bounds; limitarse a — to do no more than; limitar el acceso)
Example sentences
La resolución limita la circulación de vehículos pesados en el centro histórico de la ciudad durante las horas punta.
The resolution restricts the circulation of heavy vehicles in the historic city centre during peak hours.
El orador se limitó a confirmar los hechos ya conocidos, sin añadir ninguna información nueva.
The speaker confined himself to confirming the already known facts, without adding any new information.
Las nuevas medidas limitarán la posibilidad de que las empresas trasladen sus beneficios a territorios de baja fiscalidad.
The new measures will limit the ability of companies to transfer their profits to low-tax territories.
How to use it
Limitar (in the sense of 'confine' or 'restrict') means to limit, restrict, or confine to a specific scope. At B2, the key senses are: (1) limitar el acceso (restrict access), limitar las opciones (limit the options), limitar su actuación a (confine/limit one's action to); (2) geographically: España limita con Francia (Spain borders France). The reflexive limitarse a means 'to confine oneself to / to restrict oneself to': 'me limité a escuchar' (I confined myself to listening). Don't confuse with confinar (to confine to a space — more restrictive, often physical or medical).
Common mistake
Limitarse a + infinitive is a key B2 collocation that means 'to do no more than X / to confine oneself to X': 'el informe se limita a describir los hechos' (the report merely describes the facts). This is subtly different from solo + verb. Also: limitar (restrict/limit) ≠ confinar (confine to a bounded space) — confinar is more restrictive (confinamiento = confinement/lockdown, as learnt from COVID vocabulary).