Expulsarse

Expulsarse is a Spanish pronominal verb derived from expulsar, meaning to drive out or eject. The reflexive form indicates that the subject is involved in the act of expulsion or is affected by it. The term is used in several contexts, with nuances depending on the construction.

In ordinary usage, expulsar or ser expulsado are preferred to describe someone being forced to leave a place or institution by an authority (for example, a school, a country, or a club). The reflexive form se expulsó is possible but less common in formal writing, and when used it can feel stylistically forced; speakers often choose passive constructions (fueron expulsados) instead.

In sports reporting, the reflexive form appears in expressions such as autoexpulsarse, which describes a player causing his own sending-off (for example, after a second yellow card). This usage emphasizes the actor’s role in triggering the expulsion.

Grammatical notes: expulsarse conjugates regularly like other -ar verbs. Some sample forms are: present tense: me expulso, te expulsas, se expulsa; imperfect: me expulsaba, te expulsabas, se expulsaba; preterite: me expulsé, te expulsaste, se expulsó. The noun related is expulsión, meaning the act of being expelled.

Etymology: from Latin expulsare, ex- meaning out and pellere meaning to drive or push.

See also: expulsión, expulsado, expulsar, autoexpulsión.