Pronominal verbs in Spanish often require specific prepositions to complete their meaning. One common preposition is en, which often introduces a place, idea, or action. These verbs are always used reflexively, meaning they come with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) that agrees with the subject. In this article, we will look at eight common pronominal verbs followed by en, each with two example sentences.

Spanish Pronominal Verbs Followed by En

These pronominal verbs followed by en are essential for expressing interest, focus, transformation, reliance, and engagement in Spanish. Recognizing the structure helps you use them more naturally and accurately in conversation and writing.

Interesarse en (to be interested in)

Juan se interesa en la historia antigua porque le fascinan las civilizaciones perdidas.

Juan is interested in ancient history because he is fascinated by lost civilizations.

Me intereso en aprender nuevas lenguas para comunicarme con personas de diferentes culturas.

I am interested in learning new languages to communicate with people from different cultures.

Molestarse en (to take the trouble of)

Te molestaste en escribir una carta a mano, y eso significa mucho para mí.

You took the trouble to write a handwritten letter, and that means a lot to me.

Ella se molestó en preparar una paella solo para hacernos sentir bienvenidos.

She took the trouble to prepare a paella just to make us feel welcome.

Ocuparse en (to be busy with, to engage in)

Los niños se ocuparon en construir una casa de cartón durante toda la tarde.

The children were busy building a cardboard house all afternoon.

Me ocupo en actividades creativas para mantener mi mente activa durante el invierno.

I engage in creative activities to keep my mind active during the winter.

Concentrarse en (to concentrate on, to focus on)

Ellos se concentran en sus estudios porque quieren ir a una buena universidad.

They are concentrating on their studies because they want to go to a good university.

Nos concentramos en terminar el proyecto antes del viernes para evitar problemas con el jefe.

We are concentrating on finishing the project before Friday to avoid problems with the boss.

Esforzarse en (to make an effort to, to strive to)

Nos esforzamos en ofrecer un servicio de calidad que supere las expectativas de los clientes.

We strive to provide a quality service that exceeds customers’ expectations.

Os esforzáis en mejorar vuestras habilidades para alcanzar más metas profesionales.

You always make an effort to improve your skills in order to reach more professional goals.

Entretenerse en (to amuse oneself with)

Me entretengo en leer novelas históricas cuando tengo tiempo libre.

I amuse myself by reading historical novels when I have free time.

Los niños se entretuvieron en hacer manualidades el pasado domingo.

The children amused themselves by doing crafts last Sunday.

Convertirse en (to become, to turn into)

La oruga se convirtió en mariposa después de varias semanas.

The caterpillar turned into a butterfly after several weeks.

Este proyecto se ha convertido en una parte importante de mi vida diaria.

This project has become an important part of my daily life.

Apoyarse en (to rely on, to lean on)

Me apoyo en mis amigos cuando paso por momentos difíciles.

I rely on my friends when I go through difficult times.

El anciano se apoyaba en un bastón para caminar con seguridad por la calle.

The old man leaned on a cane to walk safely down the street.

Exercises

There are more Spanish verbs with the preposition en. Now let’s practice using today’s pronominal verbs followed by en in these exercises to reinforce their structure and meaning.

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

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GrammarPrepositions