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relajar(se)

verbUpper-intermediate

What does “relajar(se)” mean in English?

  1. to relax

    to relax (relajarse — unwind personally; also: relajar las normas — loosen rules)

Example sentences

  • El médico le aconsejó que aprendiera a relajarse mejor, ya que el estrés afectaba su salud.

    The doctor advised him to learn to relax better, as stress was affecting his health.

  • La nueva directiva decidió relajar los controles de calidad para acelerar la producción.

    The new management decided to relax the quality controls to speed up production.

How to use it

Relajar(se) means 'to relax'. Transitive relajar (the music relaxed him) and reflexive relajarse (to relax oneself). Also figurative: relajar las normas (loosen/relax the rules). Collocations: relajar la tensión, relajarse después del trabajo, música para relajarse.

Common mistake

Relajarse (personally unwind) vs. descansar (rest — stop working) vs. distenderse (ease tension — more formal). Don't confuse the figurative relajar las normas (loosen rules) with the personal sense (relax).

Topics

Related Upper-intermediate words

Reference

This entry’s teaching guidance follows Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes (Instituto Cervantes), B2 Funciones 6.54.