encabezar
“encabezar” means “to lead” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to lead, to be at the top of
Also: to head
📝 In Action
Ella encabeza la lista de los mejores estudiantes.
A2She is at the top of the best students list.
Varios activistas encabezaron la manifestación ayer.
B1Several activists led the demonstration yesterday.
Su nombre encabeza la clasificación mundial de tenis.
B2His name leads the world tennis rankings.
to head
Also: to title
📝 In Action
Debes encabezar la carta con la fecha de hoy.
B1You must head the letter with today's date.
El informe estaba encabezado por un título en negrita.
B2The report was topped by a title in bold.
Es importante encabezar cada sección con claridad.
C1It is important to head each section clearly.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: encabezar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'He leads the championship'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Spanish prefix 'en-' (in/on) and 'cabeza' (head), literally meaning 'to put at the head'.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'encabezar' always about being first?
Yes, it almost always implies being at the very front, top, or start of something, whether it's a physical group or a piece of paper.
Can I use 'encabezar' for a sports team captain?
Yes, you can say 'El capitán encabeza al equipo' if you are describing him leading them onto the field.
What's the difference between 'encabezar' and 'liderar'?
'Encabezar' is more about position (being at the top/front), while 'liderar' is more about the action of managing or guiding a group.