Evitar vs. esquivar

The Spanish words 'evitar' and 'esquivar' are verbs and they both generally mean 'to avoid'. While they can sometimes be used interchangeably, they also have specific contexts where one is more suitable than the other.

Evitar

'Evitar' typically means 'to avoid' in a general sense. It can also indicate the prevention of something from happening. It is commonly used to refer to avoiding people, topics, accidents, situations, or anything that one wants to stay away from or prevent.
Intento evitar los dulces porque estoy a dieta.
(I try to avoid sweets because I'm on a diet.)
Debemos evitar el desperdicio de agua.
(We should avoid wasting water.)
María siempre evita hablar de política.
(Maria always avoids talking about politics.)
La vacuna ayuda a evitar la enfermedad.
(The vaccine helps prevent the disease.)

Esquivar

'Esquivar' has a more physical connotation and refers to avoiding something by dodging or eluding it. It is often used when referring to physical objects or problems that one wants to circumvent or sidestep.
El torero esquiva al toro con su capa.
(The bullfighter dodges the bull with his cape.)
Esquivó el charco de agua en el camino.
(He dodged the puddle on the road.)
Ella esquivó la pregunta difícil que le hizo el entrevistador.
(She dodged the tough question posed by the interviewer.)
Yo logré esquivar el tráfico tomando una ruta alternativa.
(I managed to dodge the traffic by taking an alternate route.)

Summary

Although both 'evitar' and 'esquivar' can generally be translated as 'to avoid', they are not always interchangeable. 'Evitar' is usually more appropriate when you're trying to prevent something or stay away from it in a broad sense. On the other hand, 'esquivar' implies a more active, often physical, action of dodging, eluding, or circumventing something.