planea
/pla-NEH-ah/
plan
When someone planea (plans) something, they make arrangements for the future.
planea(verb)
plan
?to make arrangements for the future
,design
?to design a project or strategy
arrange
?to organize an event
📝 In Action
Ella planea un viaje a Italia el próximo verano.
A2She is planning a trip to Italy next summer.
El equipo planea la nueva estrategia de marketing.
B1The team is planning the new marketing strategy.
Si usted planea la cena con anticipación, será más fácil.
B1If you plan dinner ahead of time, it will be easier. (Formal command)
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Planear' with Infinitives
You can follow 'planear' directly with another verb in its base form (infinitive) to say what is being planned: 'Planea estudiar' (He plans to study).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't confuse the verb forms
Mistake: "Using 'planea' when you mean 'yo planeo' (I plan)."
Correction: 'Planea' is only for 'he/she/it/you formal.' Remember the 'o' ending is for 'yo' (I).
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
In Latin America, 'planear' is almost always used for 'to plan.' In Spain, 'proyectar' or 'programar' might also be used depending on the context.
A bird planea (glides) when it moves smoothly and continuously through the air.
planea(verb)
glide
?to move smoothly and continuously through the air
,soar
?to fly high in the air
hover
?to remain suspended in the air
📝 In Action
El águila planea sobre la montaña sin mover sus alas.
B2The eagle glides over the mountain without moving its wings.
La avioneta planea suavemente antes de aterrizar.
B2The small plane glides gently before landing.
💡 Grammar Points
Related to 'Plano'
This meaning comes from the idea of moving on a flat surface ('plano') or maintaining a flat trajectory, like a paper airplane.
⭐ Usage Tips
Literal vs. Figurative
When referring to physical movement, 'planea' often implies slow, controlled, or floating motion, unlike 'vuela' (flies), which suggests rapid movement or engine use.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: planea
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'planea' in the sense of 'to glide'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if 'planea' means 'plans' or 'glides'?
Look at the thing doing the action. If it's a person, team, or project, it almost certainly means 'plans' (e.g., 'She plans a trip'). If it's a bird, aircraft, or object moving smoothly through the air, it means 'glides' or 'soars' (e.g., 'The kite glides').
Is 'planear' a stem-changing verb?
No, 'planear' is a perfectly regular -ar verb. Its stem (plane-) never changes, which makes it easy to conjugate! Just follow the standard endings.