Asegurarse

Asegurarse is a pronominal Spanish verb meaning to make sure or to ensure oneself. It describes taking steps to verify a condition, prevent problems, or guarantee a result. The construction most commonly uses de before an infinitive or a clause introduced by que, as in me voy a asegurar de cerrar la ventana or me aseguré de que todos llegaran a tiempo.

Grammatical notes: as a reflexive verb, it conjugates with reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) and follows the typical verb conjugation patterns of -ar verbs. In compound tenses it uses the auxiliary haber: me he asegurado, te habrás asegurado, se había asegurado, etc. The verb contrasts with asegurar, which is transitive and means to guarantee or assure something for others, whereas asegurarse emphasizes the subject taking responsibility to ensure a condition for themselves.

Common constructions and usage: "asegurarse de + infinitivo" (Me aseguré de revisar todo) or "asegurarse de que + subjuntivo" (Me aseguré de que todo estuviera listo). The imperative forms include "asegúrate de...", "asegúrense de...", "asegúrese de...". Regional usage is widespread, though in some contexts speakers prefer alternatives like "no olvidar" or "comprobar".

Etymology and related forms: asegurarse derives from asegurar, which in turn comes from the Latin securus, meaning safe, with the prefix a- forming a reflexive construction. Related nouns include aseguramiento and seguridad.