controlar
“controlar” means “control” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
control, manage
Also: govern
📝 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.
restrain, dominate
Also: master
📝 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.
check, monitor
Also: inspect
📝 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.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: controlar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'controlar' in the sense of 'checking/verifying' (Definition 3)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Borrowed from the French word 'contrôle' (meaning check or verification), which itself comes from Medieval Latin. The original meaning relates to verifying accounts by checking a duplicate ledger or 'counter-register.'
First recorded: 18th century (in its modern form in Spanish)
Cognates (Related words)
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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.