Inklingo
← Dictionary

maneja

mah-NEH-hah/maˈne.xa/

drives, handles

Also: operates
VerbA1regular ar
SpainMexico, Central America, Caribbean, Andean Region
A person sitting happily in the driver's seat of a bright red car, holding the steering wheel and looking forward, illustrating the action of driving.
infinitivemanejar
gerundmanejando
past Participlemanejado

📝 In Action

Mi padre maneja un camión muy grande.

A1

My father drives a very big truck.

¿Usted maneja por la ciudad o prefiere el metro?

A2

Do you (formal) drive through the city or prefer the subway?

Ella maneja con mucha precaución, es muy segura.

B1

She drives with a lot of caution; she is very safe.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • manejar un coche – to drive a car
  • manejar la moto – to ride/drive the motorcycle

manages, handles

Also: runs, deals with
VerbB1regular ar
A professional person standing at a large table with several papers and models, using a hand gesture to direct or instruct two other individuals, symbolizing management.
infinitivemanejar
gerundmanejando
past Participlemanejado

📝 In Action

Nuestra jefa maneja el presupuesto con mucha cautela.

B1

Our boss manages the budget very carefully.

Cuando hay un conflicto, él lo maneja de forma diplomática.

B2

When there is a conflict, he handles it diplomatically.

La nueva aplicación maneja grandes cantidades de datos.

C1

The new application handles large amounts of data.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • gestiona (manages)
  • dirige (directs)

Common Collocations

  • manejar una crisis – to handle a crisis
  • manejar personal – to manage staff

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedmaneja
yomanejo
túmanejas
ellos/ellas/ustedesmanejan
nosotrosmanejamos
vosotrosmanejáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedmanejaba
yomanejaba
túmanejabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesmanejaban
nosotrosmanejábamos
vosotrosmanejabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedmanejó
yomanejé
túmanejaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesmanejaron
nosotrosmanejamos
vosotrosmanejasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedmaneje
yomaneje
túmanejes
ellos/ellas/ustedesmanejen
nosotrosmanejemos
vosotrosmanejéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedmanejara
yomanejara
túmanejaras
ellos/ellas/ustedesmanejaran
nosotrosmanejáramos
vosotrosmanejarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "maneja" in Spanish:

deals with→drives→handles→manages→operates→runs→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: maneja

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'maneja' in the sense of 'managing a task' rather than 'driving a vehicle'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
manejar(to drive, to manage) — Verb
el manejo(the handling, the management) — Noun
manejable(manageable, controllable) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Spanish verb 'manejar,' which is related to the Latin word 'manus' (hand). The original meaning was literally 'to handle something with your hands,' which evolved to mean 'to control' or 'to guide,' whether it's a horse, a vehicle, or a business.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: manejarFrench: manier

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'maneja' a command or a statement?

'Maneja' can be both! It is the present tense statement for 'He/She/You formal drives/manages' (e.g., 'Ella maneja'). It is also the informal command for 'Drive!' or 'Handle it!' (e.g., '¡Maneja con cuidado!').

How do I know if 'maneja' means 'drive' or 'manage'?

The context is key. If the object of the verb is a vehicle (coche, camión, moto), it means 'drive.' If the object is an abstract thing (dinero, proyecto, situación), it means 'manage' or 'handle.'