Inklingo

emprender

em-pren-DER/em.pɾenˈdeɾ/

emprender means to undertake in Spanish (starting a task or project).

to undertake, to start a business

Also: to set out on, to embark on
VerbB1regular er
A hiker at the base of a mountain path, putting on a backpack and looking up at the trail with determination.
gerundemprendiendo
past Participleemprendido
infinitiveemprender

📝 In Action

Decidió emprender un negocio de café orgánico.

B1

He decided to start an organic coffee business.

Mañana vamos a emprender el viaje de regreso.

B1

Tomorrow we are going to set out on the return journey.

Es valiente emprender nuevas aventuras a cualquier edad.

B2

It is brave to embark on new adventures at any age.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • iniciar (to initiate/start)
  • comenzar (to begin)
  • acometer (to undertake/tackle)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • emprender un viajeto set out on a trip
  • emprender acciones legalesto take legal action
  • emprender una aventurato embark on an adventure

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesemprendieran
yoemprendiera
emprendieras
vosotrosemprendierais
nosotrosemprendiéramos
él/ella/ustedemprendiera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesemprendan
yoemprenda
emprendas
vosotrosemprendáis
nosotrosemprendamos
él/ella/ustedemprenda

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesemprendieron
yoemprendí
emprendiste
vosotrosemprendisteis
nosotrosemprendimos
él/ella/ustedemprendió

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesemprendían
yoemprendía
emprendías
vosotrosemprendíais
nosotrosemprendíamos
él/ella/ustedemprendía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesemprenden
yoemprendo
emprendes
vosotrosemprendéis
nosotrosemprendemos
él/ella/ustedemprende

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "emprender" in Spanish:

to undertake

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: emprender

Question 1 of 3

Which of the following is the best context to use 'emprender'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
emprendedor(entrepreneur)Noun
emprendimiento(entrepreneurship/venture)Noun
empresa(company/business)Noun
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Latin word 'in-prehendere', which meant 'to take in hand' or 'to seize'. It's the idea of grabbing hold of a task.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: enterpriseFrench: entreprendre

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'emprender' only used for business?

No! While very common in business, you can also 'emprender' a journey, a difficult task, or even legal action.

Is 'emprender' a regular verb?

Yes, it follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -er.

Can I say 'emprender a' followed by another verb?

It is much more common to follow 'emprender' with a noun (like 'un viaje' or 'un negocio') rather than another verb. For actions, use 'empezar a' or 'comenzar a'.