estribar

to rest on

verb es-tree-BAHR Rare

Origin: From estribo (stirrup, support), ultimately from Germanic *streup-.

Also means

to be based on

Usage Note

Estribar is almost exclusively used with the preposition en: el problema estriba en la falta de fondos (the problem rests on the lack of funds). It is a formal verb, common in written analysis and argumentation. It does not mean to 'strive'; that false-friend risk comes from the visual similarity to English 'strive'.

Examples

"La dificultad estriba en encontrar el equilibrio."

Natural Translation

The difficulty lies in finding the balance.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Spanish False Friends That Cause Real Embarrassment

Spanish false friends like embarazada and excitado don't mean what you think. Learn the trap words, the right ones to say instead, and how to stop guessing.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Mexican Spanish Slang Every Traveler Should Know

Mexican Spanish slang decoded for travelers: what güey, mande, órale, and ahorita really mean, who you can safely say them to, and how rude each one is.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Subjunctive Explained Simply for Beginners

The Spanish subjunctive is a mood, not a tense — use it after a WEIRDO trigger plus que. Learn the one rule, the yo-form recipe, and the lines you already say.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Accent Marks: 3 Rules for Every Word

A Spanish word needs an accent mark in just three cases: it breaks the default stress, it's a homophone, or a weak vowel splits off. Here are all three rules.

June 3, 2026 6 min read