Understanding Verbs
A comprehensive guide to verbs in English. This section covers the basics and complexities of this essential language component.
comparar
compare
The word 'comparar' is used in Spanish almost identically to how 'compare' is used in English. It is most commonly used when examining the similarities or differences between two things. For example, you may comparar two books, two ideas, or two options to make a decision. It is also used in expressions like 'no hay comparación' (there's no comparison) to express that something is incomparably better.
Example sentences with comparar →completar
complete
The Spanish word 'completar' translates to 'complete' in English. It is often used in the context of finishing an action or fulfilling a requirement. It also corresponds to filling in or filling up something like a form or a container. So, 'completar' carries the sense of making something whole or fully formed in various contexts.
comportarse bien
behave
The Spanish phrase 'comportarse bien' translates to 'behave well' in English. It is an instructional phrase often used to tell someone to act appropriately. It may be used in various contexts such as at home, in school, or in public places where certain kinds of behavior are expected. In Spanish, 'comportarse' is a reflexive verb that means 'to behave' and 'bien' is an adverb meaning 'well' or 'good'.
Example sentences with comportarse bien →comprar
purchase
The Spanish word 'comprar' translates to 'purchase' in English. It is predominantly used as a verb. In terms of usage, it is used in contexts where one is buying or acquiring a good, service, or commodity in exchange for money or its equivalent. It shares roots with the English word 'compromise', although their definitions have diverged. In summary, 'comprar' defines the act of buying or acquiring something in the Spanish language.
comprender
to understand
Comprender means to grasp the nature, significance, or meaning of information. In the context of studying, it usually involves understanding a concept or a subject matter.
Example sentences with comprender →comprobar
check
The Spanish word 'comprobar' is used similarly to how we use 'check' in English. It can mean to verify the truth or accuracy of something, to inspect or take a look at something, or to confirm something. For example, 'Voy a comprobar si el coche está listo' translates to 'I am going to check if the car is ready'. Just like 'check', 'comprobar' is a versatile word with many uses.
Example sentences with comprobar →comulgar
comulgar
The Spanish word 'comulgar' translates to 'to receive communion' in English. It is mostly used in a religious context, specifically in the Christian practice, where individuals partake in the Eucharist in remembrance of Christ's death and resurrection.
Example sentences with comulgar →comunicar
communicate
The Spanish word 'comunicar' translates to 'communicate' in English. It is a verb used to describe the action of exchanging information between individuals through speaking, writing or using some other medium. It involves conveying or sharing information, ideas, or feelings. The Spanish word comes from the Latin 'communicare', which means to share. It is a vital part of everyday life, as it is through communication that we express ourselves, understand others and maintain relationships.
conducir
drive
The Spanish word for 'drive' is 'conducir'. It is used in similar ways to the English verb 'drive'. It can refer to operating a vehicle, like 'conducir un coche' means 'drive a car'. However, it does not have the metaphorical meanings that 'drive' does in English, like determination or motivation.
Example sentences with conducir →confesar
confess
The Spanish word 'confesar' translates to 'confess' in English. It is a verb used in situations where one needs to admit something that they have done or feel, often something wrong or embarrassing that they have been hiding. It is frequently used in legal and religious contexts, but is also common in everyday conversation. The conjugation of 'confesar' changes according to the subject and tense like many other regular Spanish verbs.
conocer
to know
The Spanish word 'conocer' translates to 'get to know' in English. It is often used when referring to meeting someone for the first time or learning about something. For example, 'quiero conocer a tus amigos' means 'I want to get to know your friends'. It can also be used in terms of gaining knowledge or familiarity with a subject, place, or thing, such as 'conocer la ciudad' - 'get to know the city'.
Example sentences with conocer →conquistar la victoria
win
'Conquistar la victoria' is a Spanish phrase that implies achieving victory in any kind of situation, in a literal or figurative sense. In English, it can be interpreted as 'win'. It signifies the act of overcoming an obstacle or defeating an opponent in a competition to reach a desired outcome, which is hence considered a victory or triumph. The term is widely used in discussing sports, games, warfare and other competitive scenarios.
considerar
consider
In Spanish, 'considerar' has a similar usage to the English word 'consider.' It is used to express the action of thinking about something carefully. For example, if someone is taking into account various aspects before making a final decision, they would 'considerar' those aspects. It's commonly used in many contexts and sentences, such as 'Deberías considerar mudarte a una casa más grande', which translates to 'You should consider moving to a bigger house'.
Example sentences with considerar →construir
build
The Spanish verb 'construir' translates as 'build' in English. Much like in English, it is used in a variety of contexts including construction of buildings or infrastructure, creation of relationships or plans, or even personal growth and development. For example, 'Ella puede construir una casa' means 'She can build a house'.
Example sentences with construir →contestar
reply
The Spanish word 'contestar' translates to 'reply' in English. It is a verb that is commonly used in conversation. In a sentence, 'contestar' could be used to instruct someone to reply or answer, such as in a phone call or in response to a question. For example, 'Contestar el teléfono' means 'Answer the phone'. Additionally, 'contestar' can also mean to refute or contest a statement or argument.
continuar
continue
The Spanish word 'continuar' is used much like the English word 'continue'. It suggests the concept of persisting in an action or state or to keep on doing something. It is used in various contexts including but not limited to sentences, conversations, instructions or directions.
Example sentences with continuar →contratar
hire
The Spanish word 'contratar' translates to 'to hire' in English. In terms of usage, 'contratar' is often used in business or professional contexts to express the act of procuring services or taking on employees. In Spanish, you might hear this word in phrases such as 'Voy a contratar a un nuevo empleado', which means 'I am going to hire a new employee'. As with many verbs, do keep in mind 'contratar' will change according to tense, mood, and aspect.
convertirse
become
The Spanish word 'convertirse' is used in similar scenarios as the English word 'become'. It is used to express change or transformation. For example, 'He wants to become a doctor' translates to 'El quiere convertirse en un médico'. Note that the preposition 'en' is usually used after 'convertirse'.
Example sentences with convertirse →cooperar
cooperate
The Spanish verb 'cooperar' translates to 'cooperate' in English. It is used to express the concept of working together to the same end or participating in an activity or a group effort. The word 'cooperar' is a regular verb in Spanish and follows the regular verb conjugation rules. Therefore, being able to use and understand it can help in various communicative contexts where teamwork and mutual assistance are needed.
copia
copy
The word 'copia' in Spanish translates to 'copy' in English. It can be used in various contexts such as referring to duplicating a document or an imitation of something, similar to how 'copy' is used in English. For example, in the sentence 'Haz una copia de este documento' it translates to 'Make a copy of this document' in English. Conversely, if used in a context like 'Esta pintura es una copia de la original', it would translate to 'This painting is a copy of the original' in English.
Example sentences with copia →correr
to run
'Correr' corresponds to the act of running, hurrying or moving swiftly.
Example sentences with correr →cortar
cut
The Spanish word 'cortar' translates to 'cut' in English. It is a verb used to refer to the action of removing or separating something by using a sharp tool, or to stop or interrupt a process or activity. It can be used in various contexts, such as cooking (cutting vegetables), art and craft (cutting paper), or technology (cutting electricity). The conjugation changes depending on the tense and the subject.
cortar el pan
cut the bread
The Spanish phrase 'cortar el pan' translates directly to 'cut the bread' in English. In practice, this phrase could be used in a culinary context where the action of slicing or cutting bread is required.
cortar la carne
cut the meat
The Spanish phrase 'cortar la carne' translates to 'cut the meat' in English. It's a commonly used phrase in cooking and food preparation contexts. 'Cortar' specifically refers to the action of cutting or slicing, and 'la carne' means 'the meat'. Therefore, you would use this phrase when asking someone to cut the meat, or when giving instructions in a recipe, for example.
corte
court
In Spanish, the term 'corte' is often used in legal contexts similar to English. It could refer to a place where legal cases are heard and decisions made ('en el corte'), but it also has other meanings including a cut or incision, or a group of people attending a high-ranking person such as a monarch ('la corte real'). Like many words, its particular meaning can depend on context.
Example sentences with corte →cosas
stuff
The Spanish word for 'stuff' is 'cosas'. Just like in English, 'cosas' is a general term that can refer to a variety of objects, materials, or topics. It is often used when the speaker does not want to specify or does not know exactly what they are referring to. For example, 'Tengo muchas cosas que hacer' translates to 'I have a lot of stuff to do'.
Example sentences with cosas →crear
create
The Spanish word 'crear' translates to 'create' in English. It is used in the context of creating or making something, such as an idea, a project, or an artwork. It can be used in various sentences and contexts, identical to how 'create' is used in English. For example, 'Voy a crear un nuevo proyecto.' which means 'I am going to create a new project.'
Example sentences with crear →crecer
grow
The word 'crecer' translates to 'grow' in English. In Spanish, this verb can be used in a variety of contexts, similar to English. For instance, it can reference physical growth, such as in a person or plant (El niño va a crecer mucho este año - The boy is going to grow a lot this year), or symbolic growth, like a company or experience (Nuestra empresa comenzó a crecer rápidamente - Our company began to grow fast). This makes 'crecer' versatile and commonly used in Spanish language.
Example sentences with crecer →creer
believe
The Spanish translation for 'believe' is 'creer'. It is used in a similar context as in English, to express a belief or faith in something, but the verb 'creer' is usually conjugated to agree with the subject of the sentence in Spanish.
Example sentences with creer →croar
to croak
In Spanish, 'croar' is a verb that means 'to croak'. It is commonly used to describe the sound that frogs or crows make. However, it can also be used metaphorically to describe a person's rough or harsh voice.
Example sentences with croar →