Spanish Word of the Day: Ensimismamiento (absorption / self-absorption)

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Today I thought I would write about a word that I just love the sound of vocally: esimismamiento. Wouldn’t you agree that it just rolls off the tongue?

However, its meaning isn’t exactly positive. It comes from the reflexive verb ensimismarse, which means to become lost in thought or to be self-absorbed.

Latin American Pronunciation

European Pronunciation

Although I said at the beginning that ensimismamiento means self-absorption, it can also be used to mean absorption in general or being totally engrossed in something, so it isn’t always necessarily a negative thing.

In Latin America, ensimismamiento can mean vanity or conceit.

Estaba tan harta de su ensimismamiento que dejé de llamarla.

I was so fed up with her self-absorption that I stopped calling her.

Latin American Pronunciation
European Pronunciation
lady looking at herself in the mirror

In searching for synonyms for the word ensimismamiento, I came across another new favourite word – navel-gazing or ombliguismo from the word ombligo (navel or belly button).

About The Author

Joanna Houseman

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Thanks to family connections and work opportunities, Joanna has a lifelong affiliation with Spain and has been learning the Spanish language since the age of 12. Following university, Joanna spent a year living and working in Barcelona where her level of spoken Spanish was elevated to new levels (and she also dabbled in a little Catalan). Upon returning to the UK, she spent another year working for a Madrid based company whilst living in London, liaising every day with the factory in Spain. Joanna and her family then decided to up roots and move to Andalucía where they lived and worked for 12 years, fully integrated into Spanish village life and supporting the ex-pat community with their language challenges. Now living in Wales, Joanna has kept her connections to her village in Spain and returns as often as possible.

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