acostumase

Acostumarse is a Spanish reflexive verb meaning to become accustomed to something or to get used to a situation, habit, or environment. It describes the process of adaptation or acclimatization, often over time, rather than an instantaneous change.

Etymology and form: The verb comes from acostumbrar (to accustom) with the reflexive pronoun se. It shares its root with costumbre (habit, custom) and ultimately derives from Latin concepts of habit and practice. As a regular -ar verb, its conjugation follows standard patterns: present se acostumbro, te acostumbras, se acostumbra, nos acostumbramos, os acostumbráis, se acostumbran; imperfect, preterite, and other tenses align with typical -ar verb endings. The reflexive use is required in most contexts: acostumarse a algo or acostumbrarse a hacer algo.

Usage and syntax: Acostumarse is used with a preposition a followed by an infinitive or a noun: se acostumbra a vivir solo; me estoy acostumbrando a trabajar desde casa. The related phrase estar acostumbrado a describes a state of being used to something: estoy acostumbrado a la lluvia. In Spanish, acostumbrar can be used transitively to mean “to accustom someone to something” (acostumbrar a alguien a algo), while acostumarse expresses the subject’s own adaptation.

Examples: Con el tiempo, se acostumbró al nuevo horario. Los expatriados suelen necesitar tiempo para acostumbrarse a la comida local. Es fácil acostumbrarse a la rutina de la ciudad si se mantiene un horario regular.

See also: costumbre, acostumbrar, acostumbramiento.