controlar
/kohn-troh-LAHR/
control
To controlar means 'to control' or 'manage' operations or direction.
controlar(verb)
control
?manage or direct
,manage
?finances or operations
govern
?a process or situation
📝 In Action
Mi hermana controla la música en la fiesta.
A1My sister controls the music at the party.
El gobierno necesita controlar mejor el gasto público.
A2The government needs to better control public spending.
💡 Grammar Points
Basic Structure
Like many Spanish verbs, 'controlar' follows a simple structure: [Person] + [controlar] + [The thing being controlled].
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Control' as a Noun
The noun form is 'el control' (masculine), as in 'Tengo el control de la nave' (I have control of the ship).
When you controlar your feelings or actions, you 'restrain' them.
controlar(verb)
restrain
?hold back feelings or actions
,dominate
?a game or competition
master
?a feeling or skill
📝 In Action
Ella se controló para no llorar delante de todos.
B1She restrained herself so as not to cry in front of everyone. (Used reflexively)
El boxeador controló a su oponente con facilidad.
B2The boxer dominated his opponent easily.
💡 Grammar Points
The Self-Control Verb
When you add 'se' (or me, te, nos, os) to 'controlar,' it means you are controlling your own behavior or emotions. This is called a reflexive verb.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'Se'
Mistake: "Dije 'no puedo controlar' cuando estaba muy enojado."
Correction: Dije 'no puedo controlarme' (I can't control myself). Always include the reflexive pronoun when talking about personal restraint.
Controlar can mean 'to check' or 'verify,' often referring to inspecting official items like tickets or documents.
controlar(verb)
check
?inspect or verify documents/tickets
,monitor
?keep track of progress or data
inspect
?quality or compliance
📝 In Action
El guardia controló mi billete en la entrada del museo.
B2The guard checked my ticket at the museum entrance.
Tenemos que controlar los datos semanalmente para ver si hay errores.
B2We have to monitor the data weekly to see if there are errors.
⭐ Usage Tips
Checking vs. Controlling
In many Spanish-speaking regions, especially Spain, 'controlar' often means 'to check' or 'to review,' which is different from the English meaning of 'control' (to have power over).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: controlar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'controlar' in the sense of 'checking/verifying' (Definition 3)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'controlar' always used for big, important things?
'Controlar' is used for everything from serious matters (controlling a budget or a crisis) to everyday tasks (controlling the volume or the temperature). It's a very common, versatile verb.
How is 'controlar' different from 'dominar'?
While they are synonyms in some contexts (like dominating a sports game), 'controlar' is much broader and often means 'managing' or 'checking.' 'Dominar' always implies having mastery or dominance over something.