preocupar
to worry
To cause or feel anxiety, or to take responsibility for handling something
Encoding Strategies:
linguistic
preoccupy
preoccupy
+
-ar
verb suffix
Preocupar means to worry and turns the English word preoccupy0 into a verb1, since something that worries you will naturally preoccupy your mind.
preocupar
to worry, to concern
When something external is causing someone to worry.
- Me preocupa el examen = The exam worries me
- Le preocupa la salud de su madre = His mother's health concerns him
preocuparse
to worry, to be concerned
The reflexive form shifts the focus to the person themselves, who is actively worrying about something.
- No te preocupes = Don't worry
- Se preocupa demasiado por todo = She is concerned about everything too much
to take care of, to see to, to make sure
When your mind is preoccupied with something, you naturally take responsibility for it.
- Yo me preocupo de la cena = I'll take care of dinner
- Él se preocupa de que todo esté listo = He makes sure everything is ready