lançarse

Lançarse is not a standard Spanish spelling; it more closely resembles Portuguese orthography. The verb in both Spanish and Portuguese means to throw oneself or to launch oneself into an action, but the conventional forms are different: in Spanish the correct form is lanzar(se) with a z, written as lanzarse; in Portuguese the standard form is lançar-se with ç and a hyphen.

Etymology and meaning: The verb derives from the Latin root lanc-, related to throwing or casting. In both languages, the reflexive use emphasizes the subject performing the action upon themselves, often indicating voluntary risk, commitment, or immersion in an activity. The sense ranges from physically throwing oneself into something (a dive, a fall, an attack) to figuratively committing to a project or venture.

Usage in Spanish and Portuguese: In Spanish, se lanzó al agua desde el muelle (he threw himself into the water) or se lanzó contra el adversario (he rushed at the opponent). In Portuguese, ela se lançou ao mar (she threw herself into the sea) or ele se lançou ao ataque (he launched himself at the attack). Common figurative uses include lançar-se a um projeto or lanzarse into a career, meaning to commit oneself vigorously to a new undertaking.

Orthography and variants: Spanish uses lanzar-se or lanzarse; Portuguese uses lançar-se, with the current standard spelling including the cedilla and a hyphen. The form lançarse is considered nonstandard in Spanish and would typically be interpreted as a misrendering of lança- forms.

See also: lanzar, lançar, lançamento, lance.