rodearse

Rodearse is a pronominal verb in Spanish that means to surround oneself or to be surrounded by something or someone, either physically or figuratively. In its literal sense, it describes being encircled by objects, people, or spaces: for example, a casa está rodeada de un jardín. In a figurative sense, it expresses creating or inhabiting a surrounding environment or influence: se rodeó de gente de confianza; se rodea de hábitos saludables.

The typical construction is rodearse de followed by a noun or noun phrase. With “de” you indicate the elements that form the surrounding environment. Although less common, some dialects also use rodearse con to convey a similar idea, especially when referring to tangible items: se rodeó con libros antiguos. The phrase can convey both positive and negative influences, such as surrounding oneself with supportive people or with compañías tóxicas.

Grammatically, rodearse is a reflexive verb, conjugated regularly in most tenses: me rodeo, te rodeas, se rodea, nos rodeamos, os rodeáis, se rodean. The imperfect, preterite, and other tenses are formed with the corresponding reflexive pronouns. For example, “Me rodeé de admiradores” or “La casa se rodeó de árboles.” The construction can also appear in the passive voice, as in “La casa está rodeada de un jardín.”

Common collocations include entorno, círculo social, hábitos, influencias y compañía. Rodearse de personas positivas, de buenas costumbres o de recursos útiles es frecuente en consejos de desarrollo personal, mientras que rodearse de influencias negativas suele hacerse en un marco crítico o didáctico. Ver también entorno y círculo social.