criticarse

Criticarse is a Spanish pronominal verb that denotes the act of criticizing oneself or engaging in self-criticism. It is formed from the verb criticar plus the reflexive pronoun se, indicating that the action is directed at the subject. The term can express self-reproach and inward evaluation of one’s behavior, abilities, or decisions. Depending on context, criticarse may convey neutral self-assessment as a step toward improvement or excessive self-blame.

Usage and nuances: It commonly appears with the preposition por to specify the object of self-criticism, as in criticarse por un error. In present tense: me critico, te criticas, se critica, nos criticamos, os criticáis, se critican. It is used in psychological, educational, and self-help contexts to describe how a person examines and sometimes judges their own performance. The noun autocrítica covers the broader habit or capacity of self-analysis, while criticarse emphasizes the act itself. Example: Me critico por haber llegado tarde, pero trato de aprender de la experiencia.

Etymology and related terms: criticarse derives from crítica and crítico combined with the reflexive suffix -se. It is closely related to other self-directed forms such as autocrítica, autoevaluación, and crítica constructiva. In contemporary usage, criticarse can denote healthy self-evaluation aimed at improvement or, in a negative sense, excessive self-blame that undermines confidence.