evitar

to avoid

evitar(eh-bee-tahr)

transitive verb

1. (to keep clear of)

a. to avoid

Gira aquí a la izquierda si quieres evitar el tráfico.

Turn left here if you want to avoid the traffic.

2. (to avert)

a. to prevent

Lávate las manos con frecuencia para evitar resfriarte.

Wash your hands frequently to prevent colds.

b. to avoid

El accidente se habría evitado si las luces hubieran estado encendidas.

The accident would have been avoided if the lights had been on.

3. (to keep from)

a. to save from

Gracias por traerme estos documentos. Me evita tener que regresar a la oficina a buscarlos.

Thanks for bringing these documents. It saves me from having to go back the office to get them.

b. to save

Te quería evitar la molestia de tener que venir hasta acá, pero no alcancé contactarte antes de que salieras.

I wanted to save you the trouble of coming all the way out here, but I didn't catch you before you left.

evitarse

pronominal verb

4. (to keep clear of)

a. to save oneself

Si sales media hora antes, te evitas el problema de la hora pico.

If you leave half an hour earlier, you save yourself the problem of rush hour.

evitar

transitive verb

1. (impedir)

a. to avoid, to prevent

podría haberse evitado esta catástrofethis disaster could have been avoided o prevented

evitar que alguien haga algoto stop o prevent somebody from doing something

2. (eludir)

a. to avoid

Javier siempre evita encontrarse conmigoJavier always avoids meeting me

no puede evitarlohe can't help it

3. (ahorrar)

a. to save

esto me evita tener que irthis saves me (from) having to go

pronominal verb

4. (general)

a. to save

te evitarás muchos problemasyou'll save yourself a lot of problems

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

evitar

transitive verb

1 (eludir) to avoid

quiero evitar ese riesgo I want to avoid that risk; intento evitar a Luisa I'm trying to avoid Luisa

para evitar tales dificultades

no pude evitarlo I couldn't help it; evitar hacer algo to avoid doing sth; María evita a toda costa encontrarse con él María avoids bumping into him at all costs

no pude evitar que saliera de casa

2 (ahorrar) to save

esto nos evitará muchos problemas this will save us a lot of problems; me evita (el) tener que ... it saves me having to ...

pronominal verb

evitarse

1 (ahorrarse) to save o.s.

evitarse trabajo to save o.s. trouble; así me evito tener que ir that saves me having to go; that way I avoid having to go

2 [+dos personas] to avoid each other