Apurarse, worry VS hurry

Question

Apurarse, worry VS hurry. I have never heard it to mean worry,

But I just heard a little kid say "No quiero que se apure" when he saw someone was upset because his friend was in the hospital.....and he clearly meant worry there.

So - No quiero que te apures = No quiero que te preocupes....

But how do you know he didn't mean "I don't want you to hurry"? _ I guess just pure context, but what if he meant, don't rush around in the hospital?

Answer 1

Sounds like it's regional, LA to hurry, Spain to worry.

http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=apurarse - Kiwi-Girl, Oct 23, 2011

It is also used in some places in Latin America. - Gekkosan, Oct 24, 2011

Answer 2

According to the dictionary here it can mean to worry or to be troubled. I'd never heard it used like that, either, but apparently it can.

Answer 3

It does not mean worry under any context, the little kid had to be referring to something else

This is not correct, Saratoga. It most definitely can mean "do not worry", "don't fret". - Gekkosan, Oct 24, 2011

Answer 4

I have heard it used both way in Mexico.

Apúrate

is a really common way to say hurry up, but

No te apures

would tend to mean Don't worry.