logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
August 9, 2021 by Olga Put Spanish Grammar 0 comments

Desempeñar vs Empeñar in Spanish: Verb Comparison

Desempeñar and empeñar are two Spanish words that look similar and have common roots but have gone totally separate ways in common, everyday usage.

Are you ready to get rid of the confusion between these two verbs? 

Keep reading! 

Desempeñar vs Empeñar: Why It’s Confusing 

There’s no doubt about it, desempeñar and empeñar are confusing. 

Why? 

For starters, desempeñar uses the prefix des-, which denotes negation or inversion of the meaning of the stem word empeñar. This makes us assume that these two words are antonyms—something like desconfiar (mistrust) is to confiar (trust).

But they’re not!

When you look up these words in a dictionary, here is what you find:

  • empeñar – to pawn or to dedicate
  • desempeñar – to redeem, to carry out, to play 
empeñar

Wait, what? 

In one sense, “to pawn” (empeñar) is an antonym to “to redeem” (desempeñar), but all other definitions for each verb don’t have anything to do with one another!

If you think it’s confusing, I agree with you! But, let’s break it down to explore the several meanings of empeñar and desempeñar to help remedy this confusion.

Empeñar

Let’s begin with empeñar. It comes from the Latin words “pignus, pignoris,” which mean to pledge, security, hostage. When Romans used the expression “in pignus,”  they meant “in pledge.” From there, two Spanish words arose: pignorar and empeñar, which both mean “to pawn.” 

3 Different Meanings

The following 3 meanings of empeñar include example sentences to show the verb in action.  

1. To pawn

This meaning is synonymous with the expression dejar en prenda. 

Mi padre empeñó la televisión para comprar dos boletos para las Olimpiadas.
My father pawned the television to buy two tickets for the Olympics.

2. To give

It’s a synonym of dar and we usually use it in the expression empeñar la palabra, meaning “to pledge one’s word.”

El presidente empeñó su palabra al decir que el sueldo base aumentaría.
The president pledged  his word saying the minimum wage would increase.

3. To spend

You could also use pasar to express this meaning, but empeñar is more formal.

Empeñó toda su vida ayudando a las personas sin techo.  
He spent his entire life helping the homeless.

empeñar

Empeñarse

This is the reflexive, or pronominal, form of the verb empeñar.

3 Different Meanings

Let’s discover how this verb’s meaning changes when it becomes empeñarse, a pronominal verb.

1. To insist on

It’s a synonym for obstinarse en algo. It always precedes the preposition en.

Se empeñó en que fuera su novia y ella finalmente le dijo que sí.
He insisted on her being his girlfriend and she finally said “yes.”

2. To endeavor

Synonym to esforzarse. It also precedes the preposition en.

¡Me empeñé en aprender español y lo logré!
I endeavored to learn Spanish and I accomplished it!

3. To fall into debt

It’s a synonym for endeudarse.

Me empeñé con mi amigo para poder pagar la operación de mi hermana.
I fell into debt with my friend so I could pay for my sister’s surgery.

How to Conjugate Empeñar

Let’s now see the conjugation of empeñar in some Spanish sentences using the present, past, and future tenses. For the English translation, you’ll see the verb “to pawn,” but remember that there are more meanings to this verb.

empeñar

Preterite Tense Conjugation Chart: Empeñar

ENGLISHSPANISH
I pawnedYo empeñé
You pawnedTú empeñaste
He, she, it pawned (fml. You pawned)Él, ella, usted empeñó
We pawnedNosotros empeñamos
You pawnedUstedes empeñaron
They pawnedEllos, ellas empeñaron

Future Tense Conjugation Chart: Empeñar  

ENGLISHSPANISH
I will pawnYo empeñaré
You will pawnTú empeñarás
He, she, it will pawn (fml. You will pawn)Él, ella, usted empeñará
We will pawnNosotros empeñaremos
You will pawnUstedes empeñarán
They will pawnEllos, ellas empeñarán

Noun Form of Empeñar is El Empeño

The noun el empeño can mean:

1. Determination

Él siempre trabaja con empeño.
He always works with determination.

2. Effort

Puso todo su empeño en terminar la carrera.
He put all his effort into finishing the race.

empeñar

3. Fervent wish, desire

Mi empeño es vencer mis miedos.
It’s my fervent wish to overcome my fears.

4. Pawning

Le puso muy triste el empeño del collar que le había regalado su abuela.
He was very sad about having to pawn the necklace his grandmother had given him.

Desempeñar

We’ve covered the meaning “to redeem” for desempeñar, but it has a few more definitions. Let’s explore them here.

4 Different Meanings

1. To redeem

This is the antonym of the empeñar meaning “to pawn.” The synonym is recuperar.

Si no desempeñas tu carro, lo venderán a otra persona.
If you don’t redeem your car, they will sell it to another person.

2. To carry out

A synonym for ejecutar.

Debo reconocer que has desempeñado todas tus tareas de forma ejemplar.
I must recognize that you have carried out all your tasks in an exemplary fashion.

3. To hold

For jobs and positions.

Mi padre desempeña un cargo ejecutivo en esta empresa.
My father holds an executive position in this company.

4. To play

Desempeñar can also mean “to play” in both a literal and metaphorical meaning.

Juan Pérez desempeña el papel de Don Quijote.
Juan Pérez plays the role of Don Quijote.

El hígado desempeña un papel muy importante en nuestro cuerpo.
The liver plays a very important role in our body.

Desempeñarse

Let’s see what happens when desempeñar turns into the reflexive desempeñarse.

1. To work as

You can use it as a synonym to realizar las funciones. 

Se desempeñó como director de la empresa durante cinco años.
He worked as the company’s director for five years.

2. To get out of debt

Me desempeñé muy rápido porque decidí pagar dos meses en uno.
I got out of debt very fast because I decided to pay two months in one.

empeñar

Finding Connections Between Empeñar and Desempeñar

In the past, people would say that someone empeñaba su palabra, meaning that they were pledging their word to pay any type of debt. 

Thereafter, the expression desempeñar la palabra referred to the moment when the person paid the debt and recovered their word, good name, and honor—meaning cumplir, or fulfilling one’s duty. 

Eventually, the meaning evolved to mean “to perform,” “to carry out a task,” or “to hold a job,” as obliged by word, law, or contract.

How to Conjugate Desempeñar

Let’s now see the conjugation of desempeñar in some Spanish sentences: present tense, past tense, and future tense. For the English translation, you’ll see the verb “to redeem” but remember that there are more meanings of this verb.

desempeñar

Preterite Tense Conjugation Chart: Desempeñar

ENGLISHSPANISH
I redeemedYo desempeñé
You redeemedTú desempeñaste
He, she, it redeemed (fml. You redeemed)Él, ella, usted desempeñó
We redeemedNosotros desempeñamos
You redeemedUstedes desempeñaron
They redeemedEllos, ellas desempeñaron

Future Tense Conjugation Chart: Desempeñar 

ENGLISHSPANISH
I will redeemYo desempeñaré
You will redeemTú desempeñarás
He, she, it will redeem (fml. You will redeem)Él, ella, usted desempeñará
We will redeemNosotros desempeñaremos
You will redeemUstedes desempeñarán
They will redeemEllos, ellas desempeñarán

Noun Form of Desempeñar Is El Desempeño

El desempeño can mean:

1. Execution

Su desempeño de las funciones fue ejemplar.
His execution of duties was exemplary.

2. Performance

(Él) Tiene buen desempeño en el colegio.
He has a good performance at school.

3. Redemption of a pawn loan 

No fue fácil conseguir el desempeño de sus joyas; primero tuvo que ahorrar por seis meses.
It wasn’t easy to redeem his jewelry from the pawnshop—he had to save for six months first. 

Practice Talking to a Native Spanish Speaker!

It is now easy to distinguish empeñar from desempeñar and use these verbs in your conversations!

By practicing Spanish, you’re already on your way to fluency! Mastering another language has undeniable benefits. Did you know that according to The Economist, you can earn much more simply because you’re bilingual? 

Yes, you can put a price on your language proficiency!

Why wait any longer? Start by signing up for a free class with one of our native Spanish teachers from Guatemala and dramatically improve your Spanish comprehension and spoken fluency! 

sign up for a free spanish class
Sign up for your FREE TRIAL CLASS today!

Ready to learn more Spanish grammar? Check these out!

  • Llegar vs Llevar in Spanish: What’s the Difference?
  • 10 Essential Ways to Use “Que” in Spanish
  • Solo vs Solamente: What’s the Difference?
  • What Is an Infinitive in Spanish?
  • How To Use the Spanish Verb ‘Parecer’
  • Having Fun in Spanish Using the Verb ‘Divertirse’
  • How to Use the ‘Personal A’ in Spanish: Do’s and Don’ts
  • Hacer Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDF
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Olga Put
Olga Put
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
I'm a Spanish philologist, teacher, and freelance writer with a Master's degree in Humanities from Madrid. I speak Polish, Spanish, and English fluently, and want to get better in Portuguese and German. A lover of literature, and Mexican spicy cuisine, I've lived in Poland, Spain, and Mexico and I'm currently living and teaching in Madeira, Portugal.
Olga Put
Latest posts by Olga Put (see all)
  • 10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior - March 20, 2023
  • Equipping Your Child for Fluency: 8 Tips for Teaching Spanish - March 15, 2023
  • Llegar vs Llevar in Spanish: What’s the Difference? - March 12, 2023
grammar spanish grammar
1

Related Posts

Spanish for dummies

Spanish for Dummies [Greetings, Questions, Small Talk, and More]

March 10, 2022
Read More
spanish pronouns

3 Types of Spanish Pronouns to Perfect Your Fluency

May 16, 2021
Read More
you formal in Spanish

How to Say ‘You’ in Formal and Informal Spanish

September 21, 2021
Read More
filler words in Spanish

The Ultimate Guide to Filler Words in Spanish for More Natural Conversations

September 27, 2021
Read More

Leave a Comment! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore Chichen Itza in Mexico’s Yucatan PeninsulaPrevious Post
War and Peace: Military Vocabulary in SpanishNext Post

About Us

With over 10 years of experience, HSA is where your goals merge with our teachers’ passion: to improve your Spanish fluency. Custom-tailored to fit your needs, you choose your program, schedule, favorite teachers, pace of learning, and more.. Learn More

Resources

  • About
  • Get a Transcript
  • FAQs
  • How it Works
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • 10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior
    10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior
    March 20, 2023
    You surely know that learning a second...
  • 8 Places to Learn Spanish in Costa Rica
    8 Places to Learn Spanish in Costa Rica
    March 18, 2023
    Here's an idea: learn Spanish in Costa Rica....

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Contact Us© 2022 HSA. All rights reserved.