oponer
“oponer” means “to put up” in Spanish (when offering resistance or an obstacle).
to put up, to oppose
Also: to contrast
📝 In Action
El equipo decidió oponer una fuerte resistencia al ataque.
B1The team decided to put up a strong resistance to the attack.
Muchos ciudadanos se oponen a la nueva ley de impuestos.
B1Many citizens are against the new tax law.
No puedes oponer tus deseos a las necesidades de la familia.
B2You cannot put your desires before the needs of the family.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: oponer
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I oppose the project'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'ob-' (against) and 'ponere' (to put). It literally means to 'put something against' something else.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'oponer' and 'oponerse'?
'Oponer' is used when you are putting something (like resistance or a barrier) in the way. 'Oponerse' is used when you are expressing that you personally disagree or are against an idea.
Is 'oponer' related to 'opuesto'?
Yes! 'Opuesto' is actually the past participle of 'oponer'. It is used as an adjective to mean 'opposite'.
Is it a regular verb?
No, it is highly irregular. It changes its stem in the past (opuse) and the future (opondré), just like the verb 'poner'.