Introduction
Understanding how to talk about habits and getting used to things is essential in Spanish. This article explains two key ways to express habits: acostumbrarse and soler. You will learn when to use each one, how to conjugate them, differences in meaning, and plenty of real-life examples to help you speak naturally.
Overview: Acostumbrarse vs Soler
Both acostumbrarse and soler relate to routine or repeated behavior, but they work differently grammatically and conceptually. Acostumbrarse emphasizes the process of becoming accustomed to something or being used to it, often focusing on change or adaptation. Soler describes habitual actions that typically happen, with no focus on becoming used to them.
Key differences at a glance
Acostumbrarse often appears with a reflexive pronoun and may use a preposition such as a or de before an infinitive or noun. It highlights adaptation: getting used to a new situation, habit, or sensation. Soler is a defective verb used mainly in the imperfect and present to indicate what someone usually does; it pairs directly with an infinitive and does not indicate a change.
How Acostumbrarse works
Acostumbrarse is reflexive: the subject experiences the process of getting used to something. Common constructions include acostumbrarse a + infinitive or acostumbrarse a + noun. You can also find acostumbrarse de in some dialects, but a is the standard and most common choice.
Conjugation and structure
Use the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject: me, te, se, nos, os, se. Conjugate the verb according to tense and person. Examples in present and past:
Present: me acostumbro, te acostumbras, se acostumbra, nos acostumbramos, os acostumbráis, se acostumbran
Preterite: me acostumbré, te acostumbraste, se acostumbró, nos acostumbramos, os acostumbrasteis, se acostumbraron
Common patterns
acostumbrarse a + infinitive — describes becoming used to doing something
Me estoy acostumbrando a levantarme temprano.
Me acostumbré a levantarme temprano.
acostumbrarse a + noun — becoming used to a situation, environment, or sensation
Se acostumbró a la comida picante.
Nos acostumbramos a la ciudad nueva.
Nuances and usage notes
Acostumbrarse can describe an ongoing process (estar acostumbrándose, ir acostumbrándose) or a completed change (acostumbrarse in the preterite). Use present progressive to stress the learning or adaptation phase.
Estoy acostumbrándome a estudiar por la noche. — I am getting used to studying at night.
Me acostumbré a vivir solo después de seis meses. — I became used to living alone after six months.
Negative and impersonal forms
To say not getting used to something, add no before the reflexive pronoun or verb depending on emphasis.
No me acostumbro a este clima. — I do not get used to this climate.
También puedes usar le/les como pronombres de cortesía en algunas construcciones, pero la forma reflexiva es la más común en español coloquial.
How Soler works
Soler expresses habitual actions. It is most commonly used in the imperfect tense to describe what someone used to do regularly in the past, and in the present to describe typical current habits. Soler is followed directly by an infinitive and is not reflexive.
Conjugation and structure
Common conjugations:
Present: suelo, sueles, suele, solemos, soléis, suelen
Imperfect: solía, solías, solía, solíamos, solíais, solían
Future and conditional forms are less common but possible: soleré is rare; speakers prefer other periphrases.
Typical uses
Use soler when you want to say something happens habitually or usually.
Suele llover en abril. — It usually rains in April.
Cuando era niño, solía jugar en el parque todos los días. — When I was a child, I used to play in the park every day.
Important notes about meaning
Soler describes regularity without implying a change or adaptation. It states what is normal or expected. Compare:
Suelo desayunar a las ocho. — I usually have breakfast at 8. (stable habit)
Me acostumbré a desayunar a las ocho. — I got used to having breakfast at 8. (implies change)
Side-by-side examples
Seeing both verbs used in similar contexts helps clarify their differences.
Example 1 — new job:
Al comenzar el trabajo, me costó despertarme temprano, pero me acostumbré a la rutina. — When I started the job, it was hard to wake up early, but I got used to the routine.
Ahora suelo levantarme a las seis. — Now I usually get up at six.
Example 2 — food:
No me acostumbré a la comida tan picante. — I did not get used to such spicy food. (focus on adaptation)
En México suelo comer tacos con salsa. — In Mexico I usually eat tacos with salsa. (habit)
How tense affects meaning
Imperfect solía emphasizes repeated action in the past, while acostumbrarse in the preterite focuses on the moment or period when adaptation occurred.
Antes solía fumar, pero me acostumbré a dejarlo gradualmente. — I used to smoke, but I got used to quitting gradually. (habit -> process of change)
Grammar tips and common mistakes
1. Remember reflexive form for acostumbrarse. Omitting the reflexive pronoun changes the meaning or makes the sentence incorrect.
Incorrect: Acostumbro a vivir en la ciudad. — This sounds odd or wrong.
Correct: Me acostumbro a vivir en la ciudad. / Me acostumbré a vivir en la ciudad.
2. Use soler + infinitive; never conjugate the following verb.
Incorrect: Suelo que desayuno a las ocho. — Wrong structure.
Correct: Suelo desayunar a las ocho.
3. Distinguish process vs stable habit. If you want to say you became used to something, use acostumbrarse. If you describe a recurring action, use soler.
4. Avoid literal translations. English phrases like get used to and usually map to these verbs, but Spanish preference for reflexive structure and prepositions can feel different.
Regional and register variations
Most Spanish-speaking regions follow the same basic uses of acostumbrarse and soler. You may hear alternative expressions like estar acostumbrado/a a + noun or soler + infinitive with slight stylistic differences. In informal speech, speakers might shorten or drop certain pronouns, but reflexive forms remain common.
Practical example sentences with translations
Me acostumbré a trabajar desde casa. — I got used to working from home.
Cuando viajamos, solemos visitar un museo cada día. — When we travel, we usually visit a museum every day.
No me acostumbro al ruido de la calle. — I do not get used to the street noise.
En verano solemos cenar tarde. — In summer we usually have dinner late.
Se acostumbraron a manejar por la derecha después de mudarse. — They got used to driving on the right after moving.
Antes solía leer antes de dormir. — I used to read before sleeping.
Short dialogues to hear natural usage
Dialogue 1
A: ¿Te gusta la comida local?
B: Al principio no, pero me acostumbré. Ahora me encanta.
Dialogue 2
A: ¿A qué hora te despiertas normalmente?
B: Suelo despertarme a las siete, pero los fines de semana me quedo más tiempo en la cama.
Cultural notes and real-life contexts
Talking about habits is very natural in everyday Spanish. Use soler when describing family routines, weather patterns, or personal tendencies. Use acostumbrarse when discussing adaptation to cultural differences, new jobs, travel, language learning, or changes in lifestyle. Native speakers often combine both verbs to narrate a change and a new habitual state: first acostumbrarse to highlight adaptation, then soler to state the new routine.
Examples in cultural contexts
Moving to a new country: Me costó adaptarme, pero me acostumbré a la gente y ahora suelo salir con amigos locales. — This shows adaptation followed by a stable habit.
Seasonal habits: En invierno suele nevar en la montaña, así que la gente se acostumbra a la ropa de abrigo. — Weather habit and adaptation coexisting.
Advanced tips for learners
If you want to express partial or gradual adaptation, pair acostumbrarse with adverbs or progressive forms: ir acostumbrándose, poco a poco, gradualmente. To add emphasis to a frequent habit with soler, use adverbs of frequency: siempre, casi siempre, normalmente.
Poco a poco me estoy acostumbrando a la comida local. — Little by little I am getting used to the local food.
Nuestra familia suele cenar juntos casi siempre. — Our family usually eats dinner together almost always.
Conclusion
Mastering acostumbrarse and soler helps you talk clearly about habits, routines, and adaptation in Spanish. Use acostumbrarse to describe becoming used to something and remember the reflexive structure with a. Use soler to state usual actions directly with an infinitive. With these tools and the examples above, you will be able to describe routines and changes with confidence.
