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verb

recostar

lie down

Apoyar el cuerpo o una parte de él sobre una superficie, normalmente para descansar.

Definition & meaning

Recostar is a Spanish verb meaning to lean, recline, or rest something against a support. It can also mean to lay someone or something down in a reclining position.

It is commonly used in its pronominal form, recostarse , meaning to recline, lie back, or lean against something.

Examples:

  • Recostó la bicicleta contra la pared.
    “He leaned the bicycle against the wall.”
  • Se recostó en el sofá.
    “She reclined on the sofa.”
  • La madre recostó al niño en la cama.
    “The mother laid the child down on the bed.”

The verb may describe either a temporary posture or placing something in that posture.

Grammar & Word origin

Recostar is a regular -ar verb in the infinitive, but it has a stem change o → ue in several present-tense forms:

  • yo recuesto
  • tú recuestas
  • él/ella recuesta
  • nosotros recostamos

The stem change does not occur in the first- and second-person plural forms of the present tense: recostamos , recostáis .

The pronominal form recostarse is very frequent:

  • Me recuesto = “I recline.”
  • Se recostaron = “They reclined.”

The word is historically related to the idea of placing something against its side or back, from Latin roots associated with “rib” or “side.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • reclinar : to recline or tilt something backward; often more formal than recostar.
  • apoyar : to lean or rest something against a support. It emphasizes the support rather than the reclining position.
  • inclinar : to incline or tilt; it is broader and does not necessarily imply resting against something.
  • acostar : to lay someone down or put someone to bed. It is more specifically associated with lying down or going to bed.
  • tumbar : to lay down or knock down; it can sound more forceful than recostar.

Antonyms

There is no single exact antonym in every context. Depending on the meaning, possible opposites include:

  • levantar : to lift or raise something or someone.
  • incorporar : to help someone move from a lying or reclining position to an upright one.
  • enderezar : to straighten something that has been tilted or reclined.

Common phrases & collocations

  • recostarse en el sofá : to recline on the sofa
  • recostarse contra la pared : to lean against the wall
  • recostar la cabeza : to rest or lean one’s head
  • recostar a alguien en la cama : to lay someone down on the bed
  • quedarse recostado : to remain reclining or lying back

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Examples

Prefiero recostarme en el sofá después del trabajo.verb

I prefer to lie down on the couch after work.

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