carecer
Lemma Details
Translation: to lack; to be without; to be deprived of; to need
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Carecer comes from Latin 'carescere', an inchoative form of 'carere' meaning 'to be without, to lack'. The Latin root 'car-' is related to words indicating absence or deprivation. This root is not commonly found in English cognates, making it a distinctive Spanish verb that expresses the concept of lacking something essential or necessary.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Mnemonics
- Think of 'care' + 'cer' as 'care-less' – when you carecer de algo, you are without care for it because you don't have it.
- Associate with 'scarcity' – carecer means to experience scarcity of something.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Carecer is commonly used in formal contexts, especially in academic, legal, and literary Spanish. It's often used with the preposition 'de' to indicate what is lacking.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'carecer' means 'to lack', 'carearse' means 'to confront' or 'to develop dental caries'. They look similar but have completely different meanings.
Confused word:
Los testigos se carearon en el juicio.
The witnesses confronted each other in the trial.
Notes: Carecer always requires the preposition 'de' to connect it with what is lacking.
Mnemonic: Carecer has to do with absence (lacking), while carearse involves presence (confronting someone).
Explanation: Though they look somewhat similar, 'carecer' means 'to lack' while 'conocer' means 'to know' or 'to be familiar with'.
Confused word:
Conozco bien esa ciudad.
I know that city well.
Notes: Both are -er verbs but with opposite implications: carecer indicates absence while conocer indicates familiarity.
Mnemonic: Carecer starts with 'care' (think 'care-less' for lacking) while conocer starts with 'con' (think 'cognition' for knowing).