Encarar

[laepelba]

My Spanish/English dictionary says that this means "to approach, to face up to, to stand up to, to confront".

RAE says the following:
1. tr. Poner con diversos fines una cosa, un animal, etc., frente a otro.
2. tr. Apuntar, dirigir un arma hacia un lugar. Encarar la saeta, el arcabuz.
3. tr. Hacer frente a un problema, dificultad, etc. U. t. c. prnl.
4. intr. Dicho de una persona: Ponerse cara a cara, enfrente y cerca de otra. U. t. c. prnl.
5. prnl. Dicho de una persona o de un animal: Colocarse frente a otro en actitud violenta o agresiva.

#2 means to direct a weapon toward a certain place.
#3 means to stand up to a problem or a difficulty.
#4 means to do these things (confront, approach, stand up to) face to face with a person.
#5 is similar to #4, but adds aggression to the attitude.

Are my understandings of these correct?

#4 says that it's an intransitive use of the verb. Would you please give me an example of this usage?

I do not understand #1 at all. What does that mean?

Thanks!!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

My Spanish/English dictionary says that this means "to approach, to face up to, to stand up to, to confront".

RAE says the following:
1. tr. Poner con diversos fines una cosa, un animal, etc., frente a otro.
2. tr. Apuntar, dirigir un arma hacia un lugar. Encarar la saeta, el arcabuz.
3. tr. Hacer frente a un problema, dificultad, etc. U. t. c. prnl.
4. intr. Dicho de una persona: Ponerse cara a cara, enfrente y cerca de otra. U. t. c. prnl.
5. prnl. Dicho de una persona o de un animal: Colocarse frente a otro en actitud violenta o agresiva.

#2 means to direct a weapon toward a certain place.
#3 means to stand up to a problem or a difficulty.
#4 means to do these things (confront, approach, stand up to) face to face with a person.
#5 is similar to #4, but adds aggression to the attitude.

Are my understandings of these correct?

#4 says that it's an intransitive use of the verb. Would you please give me an example of this usage?

I do not understand #1 at all. What does that mean?

Thanks!!

As to #1 refers: It has the same meaning, to face. It says to put for different purposes a things or an animal in fron of another (facing)

Place that book facing this way.

All of these mean "encarar"

[laepelba]

Thanks, Chileno!!

So are my understandings of the rest okay?

And would you use it in an intransitive way for me so that I can see it? Thanks!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Thanks, Chileno!!

So are my understandings of the rest okay?

And would you use it in an intransitive way for me so that I can see it? Thanks!

You'll have to wait for a other member more qualified and acquainted with grammar to answer.

[Perikles]

For what it's worth, my dictionary gives:

encarar [A1] verbo transitivo
A (afrontar, enfocar) ‹tarea› to approach; yo encaro el problema desde otro punto de vista I approach the problem from a different angle; hay que encarar el futuro con optimismo we must look to the future with optimism; encaró su desgracia con valentía she faced up to her misfortune with courage
B ‹piezas› to marry, fit … together
C (México) ‹persona› to stand up to


nencararse v pron encararse con alguien to face up to o stand up to somebody; esta vez se encaró con él y le dijo qué pensaba this time she stood o faced up to him and told him exactly what she thought; se encaró con el jefe para pedirle el aumento he faced up to o confronted the boss and asked for more money

[laepelba]

Thanks, both of you!

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Perikles

nencararse v pron encararse con alguien to face up to o stand up to somebody;

4. intr. Dicho de una persona: Ponerse cara a cara, enfrente y cerca de otra. U. t. c. prnl.

Surely this must be intransitive, i.e. having no direct object, when encararse con alguien

[laepelba]

That's sort of what I was thinking. Maybe a question for Irma?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

That's sort of what I was thinking. Maybe a question for Irma?

I've just worked out that U. t. c. prnl. means also used as a prnl. but I'm not sure whether that helps me. Dang.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I've just worked out that U. t. c. prnl. means also used as a prnl. but I'm not sure whether that helps me. Dang.

Right - I had that. And that seems to be closely related to #5. It seems to me that when it's pronomial, it is "up close and personal" ... even aggressive/violent...

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I've never thought about so many possibilities of this verb, so here are some examples, as I understand the definitions:


#1: tr. Poner con diversos fines una cosa, un animal, etc., frente a otro.
· Se sentaron en las butacas encarando al escenario.
They took the seats in front of the stage.
· Encaré al gato con el perro y se veían muy cómicos gruñéndose uno al otro.
I put the cat in front of the dog and they looked really funny growling to each other.


#2. tr. Apuntar, dirigir un arma hacia un lugar. Encarar la saeta, el arcabuz.
· El soldado encaró el cañón al enemigo y disparó.
The soldier pointed the cannon toward the ennemy and shot.


#3. tr. Hacer frente a un problema, dificultad, etc. U. t. c. prnl.
· Los investigadores encaran el gran reto de encontrar una vacuna para el VIH en nuestros laboratorios.
Researchers are tackling the big challenge of finding a vaccine against HIV in our laboratories.
· Estamos encarando la crisis creando empleos temporales para los desempleados.
We're facing the crisis by creating temporary jobs for the unemployed.


#4. intr. Dicho de una persona: Ponerse cara a cara, enfrente y cerca de otra. U. t. c. prnl.
· Tienes que encarar a tu novio/te tienes que encarar con tu novio y preguntarle de frente si de verdad quiere casarse contigo.
You have to talk face to face to your boyfriend and ask him straight if he really wants to marry you.
· Me encaré con el profesor en el patio para disculparme por hacer trampa en el examen.
I stood face to face with the teacher to apologize for cheating at the test.


#5. prnl. Dicho de una persona o de un animal: Colocarse frente a otro en actitud violenta o agresiva
· El luchador se encaró con los aficionados que le gritaban "¡Tramposo!" y amenazó con arrojarles una silla.
The wrestler confronted the fans who yelled at him "Cheater!" and threatened to throw a chair at them.
· Cuando la iba a matar con el palo, la rata me encaró y me atacó.
As I was going to kill it with the stick, the rat confronted me and attacked me.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

I put the cat in front of the dog and they looked really funny growling at each other.

The soldier pointed the cannon toward the ennemy and shot.

I stood face to face with the teacher to apologize for cheating on the test.

THANKS!! Very helpful! Your examples always are!!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I seem to be rather distracted today.

Thank you!

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I stood face to face with the teacher to apologize for cheating on the test.

Are you sure you wanted to make this correction? I would have said

I stood face to face with the teacher to apologize for cheating in the test.

To cheat on can only be used in the specific circumstance of being unfaithful to a partner. Perhaps I'm being too pedantic.

[laepelba]

Another AmE vs. BrE thing? Because I would never ever say "cheating in a test" in any circumstance. Hmmm...

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Another AmE vs. BrE thing? Because I would never ever say "cheating in a test" in any circumstance. Hmmm...

Interesting. That's the only way to say it in BrE.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

The only right thing then is that "at" was definitely wrong.

Thank you both. It's good to know what to say in both countries.

[laepelba]

I love your icons........