dificultarle

Dificultarle refers to the Spanish verb phrase formed by the verb dificultar plus the indirect object pronoun le, used to indicate that something makes a task, situation, or activity difficult for a specified person. It is a transitive construction in which the action of making something harder is attributed to an external factor and the affected person is identified by le (to him/her/you).

Usage and morphology:

Dificultar is conjugated normally, and le functions as the indirect object. The phrase can appear in various tenses: le dificulta, le dificultaba, le dificultará, etc. It can also occur in infinitive constructions, such as dificultarle a alguien hacer algo, though more common is the declarative pattern le dificulta + infinitive or + noun. The indirect object pronoun agrees in gender and number with the affected person (le, les). In practice, both le and a alguien can be used depending on style and regional preference.

Function and nuance:

The expression emphasizes hindrance or complication rather than outright impossibility. It is often used to describe factors that impede someone’s ability to perform a task, plan, or activity, such as resource limitations, timing, or external constraints. Common synonyms include complicar, obstaculizar, and dificultar, with subtle differences in emphasis.

Examples:

- La falta de recursos le dificulta terminar el proyecto.

- Las condiciones climáticas le dificultan viajar.

- Esa normativa le dificulta a María compaginar el trabajo y la familia.

- Le dificulta la vida vivir en una ciudad tan ruidosa.

See also: dificultar a alguien, dificultárselo, dificultad.