avanzar
“avanzar” means “to move forward” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to move forward, to advance
Also: to proceed
📝 In Action
El coche no puede avanzar porque hay mucho tráfico.
A1The car cannot move forward because there is a lot of traffic.
Cuando la luz se puso verde, todos avanzamos.
A2When the light turned green, we all advanced (moved forward).
Los soldados avanzaron lentamente por el campo.
B1The soldiers proceeded slowly across the field.
to progress, to make headway
Also: to move on
📝 In Action
Hemos avanzado mucho con el proyecto esta semana.
B1We have progressed a lot with the project this week.
La tecnología médica avanza a un ritmo increíble.
B2Medical technology is advancing at an incredible pace.
Necesitamos avanzar al siguiente punto de la agenda.
B1We need to move on to the next point on the agenda.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: avanzar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'avanzar' to mean 'to make progress' rather than 'to move physically'?
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Old Spanish 'avanzar', which itself came from the French 'avancer'. The root is related to the Latin 'ante' (before), giving the sense of moving something to the front or ahead.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'avanzar' transitive or intransitive?
'Avanzar' is usually used intransitively, meaning it doesn't need a direct object (like 'The car advances'). However, it can sometimes be used transitively, meaning it acts on something else, such as 'avanzar dinero' (to advance/lend money).
How do I remember the spelling change (z to c)?
Think of it as Spanish protecting the 's' sound! The letter 'z' makes that sound before 'a', 'o', or 'u'. But before 'e' or 'i', the letter 'c' is used to keep that sound consistent. So, 'avanzar' becomes 'avancé' and 'avance'.