sacrificar(se)
verbCEFR B2
What does “sacrificar(se)” mean in English?
to sacrifice
to sacrifice (sacrificar + noun — give up something valued for a greater purpose; sacrificarse por — reflexive)
Example sentences
Los empleados sacrificaron sus vacaciones para cumplir con el plazo de entrega del proyecto.
The employees sacrificed their holidays to meet the project delivery deadline.
No debería sacrificarse tanto por el trabajo si ello le genera problemas de salud graves.
You should not sacrifice yourself so much for work if it is causing serious health problems.
How to use it
Sacrificar means 'to sacrifice'. Structure: sacrificar + noun (give up something); sacrificarse (sacrifice oneself — reflexive). Common in ethics, politics, and personal discourse. Collocations: sacrificar tiempo/comodidades/principios, sacrificarse por los demás.
Common mistake
Sacrificar (sacrifice — give up something valued for a higher purpose) vs. renunciar a (give up/renounce — broader, no sense of loss for a cause) vs. ceder (yield — concede a point). Sacrificar implies a genuine cost for a greater good.