relajar

Relajar is a Spanish verb in its infinitive form that means to loosen or to relax, in physical, mental, or normative senses. It is commonly used transitively, as in relajar la tensión, relajar los músculos, or relajar las normas, and it can be used reflexively to denote unwinding or reducing one’s own tension: relajarse.

Etymology and related forms: Relajar comes from Latin relaxare, from re- (again, back) plus laxus (loose). It shares its root with related terms such as relajación (relaxation), relajante (relaxing or sedative), and relajado (relaxed, loosened). The verb follows regular -ar conjugation patterns in most tenses. Its reflexive form is relajarse, with corresponding present, past, and compound tenses: me relajo, te relajas, se relaja, nos relajamos, os relajáis, se relajan; imperfecto de indicativo, pretérito perfecto, etc. The gerund is relajando and the past participle relajado.

Usage notes: Relajar can refer to diminishing physical stiffness (relajar la musculatura), easing mental or emotional strain (relajar la mente), or loosening rules and standards (relajar las normas). In everyday language, it often conveys a transition from tension to ease. Synonyms include aflojar, calmar, tranquilizar, descansar; antonyms include tensar, endurecer. The reflexive use emphasizes personal relaxation or self-relief, as in me relajo tras el trabajo, or relajarse con una caminata.

See also: Relajación, relajante, relajado, relajarse. Overall, relajar denotes the act of reducing stiffness, stress, or restrictions, yielding a calmer or looser state.