enterarse

Enterarse is a Spanish pronominal verb whose core meaning is to become aware of something or to learn about it. It is commonly used with the preposition de, as in enterarse de algo, to indicate obtaining new information or discovering a fact. The sense often implies a moment of surprise or new knowledge, rather than a gradual realization.

Usage and nuances

Enterarse focuses on the moment of learning something new, especially information one did not previously know. It contrasts with phrases like darse cuenta (to realize) or averiguar (to investigate and find out). The verb can appear with de or with that-clauses: me enteré de la noticia, me enteré de que se mudan, or me entere de que... in formal or regional varieties. It can also be used transitively in the form enterar a alguien de algo, meaning to inform someone of something, though inform or hacer saber are more common in everyday speech.

Conjugation and forms

Enterarse is reflexive in most uses, with standard regular -ar conjugation in present tense: me entero, te enteras, se entera, nos enteramos, os enteráis, se enteran. The preterite form is me enteré, te enteraste, se enteró, nos enteramos, os enterasteis, se enteraron. Other tenses follow regular patterns: imperfect me enteraba, future me enteraré, present subjunctive me entere, imperfect subjunctive me enterara (or me enterase).

Etymology

The verb enterarse originates in early Spanish and is related to the broader family of verbs meaning to inform or to make someone aware. It conveys the transition from not knowing to knowing and is widely used across the Spanish-speaking world.

See also: darse cuenta, averiguar, informar, hacer saber.