Operarse

Operarse is a Spanish reflexive verb that means to undergo surgery or to have an operation performed on oneself. It describes the act of a patient receiving a surgical procedure, whether planned or urgent, usually in a clinical setting by trained medical professionals.

Etymology and form: operarse is derived from operar (to operate) with the reflexive pronoun se. It conjugates as a regular -ar verb: me opero, te operas, se opera, nos operamos, os operáis, se operan. The preterite forms are me operé, te operaste, se operó, etc. The reflexive use emphasizes that the action is performed on the subject.

Usage notes: In everyday Spanish, operarse is used to indicate undergoing surgery on a body part, for example, “Se operó de la vesícula” or “Se operó de la vista.” It can refer to elective procedures or emergency operations. When the focus is on the act performed by another person (the surgeon), the non-reflexive verb operar is used, as in “El cirujano operó al paciente.” Related expressions include “someterse a una operación” and the passive “fue operado” or “ha sido operado.”

See also: cirugía, intervención quirúrgica, someterse a una operación, operar.