desvelarse

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lose sleep, stay awake, stay up, take great pains, devote oneself
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/desbeˈlaɾse/
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To give up sleep, literally through wakefulness or figuratively through tireless care.
Practice using desvelarse in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Se desvela cada vez que toma café por la tarde.
    She loses sleep whenever she drinks coffee in the afternoon.
  • Los padres se desvelaron cuando el bebé empezó a llorar.
    The parents woke up and could not get back to sleep when the baby began to cry.
  • Nos desvelamos para que el acto saliera bien.
    We spared no effort to make the event go well.
  • La médica se desvela por el bienestar de sus pacientes.
    The doctor devotes herself to her patients' wellbeing.
  • Nos desvelamos para terminar el proyecto.
    We stayed up to finish the project.

Similar words

afanarse
esmerarse
esforzarse
desvivirse
pasar la noche en vela
aplicarse
perder el sueño
quedarse despierto
velar
trasnochar

Meanings

Lose sleep or stay awake

verb
sleep
neutral
To wake and be unable to return to sleep, or deliberately stay awake when one would normally be sleeping.

Examples

  • Anoche me desvelé por el ruido de la calle.
    Last night I lost sleep because of the street noise.
  • No te desveles mirando el teléfono.
    Do not stay up looking at your phone.
  • Se desvela cada vez que toma café por la tarde.
    She loses sleep whenever she drinks coffee in the afternoon.
  • Nos desvelamos para terminar el proyecto.
    We stayed up to finish the project.
  • Los padres se desvelaron cuando el bebé empezó a llorar.
    The parents woke up and could not get back to sleep when the baby began to cry.

Similar words

perder el sueño
quedarse despierto
trasnochar
pasar la noche en vela
velar

Take exceptional care or trouble

verb
effort
literary
To put intense care and effort into a responsibility or a desired result, often at personal cost.

Examples

  • La médica se desvela por el bienestar de sus pacientes.
    The doctor devotes herself to her patients' wellbeing.
  • Se desveló por conseguir una solución justa.
    She worked tirelessly to achieve a fair solution.
  • Quienes se desvelan por el barrio merecen reconocimiento.
    Those who devote themselves to the neighbourhood deserve recognition.
  • Nos desvelamos para que el acto saliera bien.
    We spared no effort to make the event go well.
  • El equipo se ha desvelado por atender cada detalle.
    The team has taken great care over every detail.

Similar words

esmerarse
esforzarse
afanarse
desvivirse
volcarse
aplicarse

Etymology

Formed from desvelar, itself built from the prefix des- and velar, meaning to stay awake or keep watch, plus the pronominal -se.

FAQ

What does desvelarse mean?

Desvelarse usually means to lose sleep or stay awake. Figuratively, it can mean to take exceptional care or trouble over something.

How is desvelarse different from desvelar?

Desvelarse is pronominal and focuses on the person who loses sleep or makes a tireless effort. Desvelar can also mean to keep someone awake.

Is desvelarse a regular verb?

Yes. It follows the regular -ar pattern and keeps the reflexive pronoun, as in me desvelo and se desveló.

What is the past tense of desvelarse?

A common first-person preterite form is me desvelé. The participle is desvelado.

Can desvelarse be figurative?

Yes. The more formal figurative sense means to work tirelessly or take great care over a person, duty, or goal.

Where does desvelarse come from?

Desvelarse comes from desvelar, built from des- and velar, plus the pronominal -se.

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