Otorgarse

Otorgarse is a pronominal form of the Spanish verb otorgar, which means to grant or award. When used reflexively, it denotes granting something to oneself or rewarding oneself, often implying self-authorization or a self-imposed privilege. The construction usually indicates that the subject is both the doer and the recipient of the act of granting.

Grammatical notes: Otorgarse is regular in its conjugation as an -ar verb and takes reflexive pronouns: me otorgo, te otorgas, se otorga, nos otorgamos, os otorgáis, se otorgan. The thing granted appears as a direct object, typically a noun such as un título, un permiso, un descanso, un premio, un derecho, un beneficio, un aumento, etc. The recipient is the subject itself, which may be emphasized with a sí mismo/a: “me otorgo a mí mismo un día de descanso”.

Common usages and tone: The reflexive form is most frequent in formal, rhetorical, or administrative contexts, and can carry a nuance of self-approval or self-serving action. It can contrast with concederse, permitirse, or autoasignarse, depending on the sense of merit or entitlement implied.

Examples:

- Me otorgué un día de descanso después del proyecto.

- La empresa se otorgó un aumento de presupuesto.

- El comité se otorgó a sí mismo un título honorífico.

Notes: Although synonymous with concederse in some contexts, otorgarse emphasizes the act of bestowing something upon oneself, sometimes implying an unapplied right or a self-granted privilege. Its use can appear ironic or critical when describing self-justified benefits.