liderar
“liderar” means “to lead” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to lead
Also: to head up
📝 In Action
Ella va a liderar el nuevo equipo de ventas.
A2She is going to lead the new sales team.
Es difícil liderar un proyecto sin el apoyo de todos.
B1It is difficult to lead a project without everyone's support.
Lideró la campaña con gran éxito el año pasado.
B2He led the campaign with great success last year.
to be in the lead
Also: to top
📝 In Action
El equipo español lidera la clasificación del torneo.
B1The Spanish team is leading the tournament standings.
Nuestra empresa lidera las ventas en la región.
B2Our company is leading in sales in the region.
Lideran la carrera por solo unos segundos.
C1They are leading the race by only a few seconds.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: liderar
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct way to say 'He leads the team'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Borrowed from the English word 'leader' at the end of the 19th century, which Spanish then adapted by adding the typical '-ar' verb ending.
First recorded: 19th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'liderar' only apply to business?
Not at all! You can use it for sports, social groups, political movements, or even being at the front of a line.
What's the difference between 'liderar' and 'dirigir'?
They are very similar. 'Dirigir' is often more about managing and giving instructions, while 'liderar' emphasizes the role of being a leader and inspiring others.
Can I use 'liderar' to mean 'to lead a person to a location'?
Usually, no. For physically guiding someone to a place, 'guiar' or 'llevar' is much more common.