recalar

Recalar is a Spanish verb meaning to come to anchor or to anchor a vessel, typically in a harbor or anchorage. It is used mainly in nautical contexts to describe the act of bringing a ship to rest by dropping its anchor. In maritime reporting and navigation literature, recalar denotes the process of settling at a location by anchoring rather than simply approaching it.

The verb is of nautical origin and is treated as part of the regular -ar conjugation in modern Spanish. In everyday speech, anclar is more common for general anchoring, while recalar often emphasizes the act of anchoring at a specific location after sailing. The distinction can be subtle and the two terms may be found in related maritime contexts.

As a regular -ar verb, recalar follows standard conjugation patterns. Present indicative forms include recalo, recalas, recala, recalamos, recaláis, recalan. The preterite forms are recalé, recalaste, recaló, recalamos, recalasteis, recalaron. Example sentences: El barco recala en la ensenada al atardecer. La flota recalará en aguas tranquilas si las condiciones lo permiten.

See also: Anclar, Navegación, Vocabulario náutico. Note that recalar debe distinguirse de recalcar, que significa enfatizar y pertenece a una familia verbal diferente.