dificulta

Dificulta is a verb form found in both Spanish and Portuguese. It represents the third-person singular present indicative of the verb dificultar, meaning to hinder, complicate, or make something more difficult. In practice, it is used when referring to someone or something that creates difficulties for another thing or action.

In Spanish, dificulta corresponds to él, ella, or usted dificulta. In Portuguese, ele, ela, or você dificulta. The form is transitive, typically paired with a direct object: la tarea dificulta a los estudiantes, or a abertura dificulta as negociações. The root verb, dificultar, shares the same meaning across both languages, with related nouns such as dificultad (Spanish) and dificuldade (Portuguese).

Etymology traces dificulta to the Latin word difficilis, meaning difficult, through the evolution of the verbs in the Romance languages. The verb family includes forms such as dificultar (infinitive) and its various conjugations, with dificultad/dificuldade as the nominal counterparts.

Usage notes: dificulta is commonly used to describe obstacles, procedures, or conditions that impede progress, access, or development. It can appear in formal or informal contexts and is often contrasted with synonyms like complicar or impedir, depending on nuance. In both languages, alternatives and refinements may be chosen to emphasize the degree or nature of the hindrance.

See also: dificultar, dificultad (Spanish), dificuldade (Portuguese), impedir, complicar.