portar
“portar” means “to behave” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to behave
Also: to act
📝 In Action
Los niños se portan muy bien en la escuela.
A2The children behave very well at school.
Espero que te portes mejor mañana.
B1I hope you behave better tomorrow.
Se portó como un verdadero profesional durante la crisis.
B2He acted like a true professional during the crisis.
to carry
Also: to wear
📝 In Action
Es obligatorio portar el carné de identidad.
B2It is mandatory to carry your ID card.
El sospechoso portaba un arma de fuego.
B2The suspect was carrying a firearm.
Los diplomáticos portaban sus mejores galas.
C1The diplomats were wearing their finest clothes.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: portar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'to behave well' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'portare', which means 'to carry' or 'to bring'. This root also gives us English words like 'portable' and 'transport'.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'portar' the same as 'llevar'?
Mostly, yes, but 'llevar' is used 99% of the time in conversation. 'Portar' sounds like something you'd read in a police report or a very formal document.
Does 'portarse mal' always mean children misbehaving?
Not necessarily, though it's very common for kids. It can also refer to adults acting inappropriately or even a machine not functioning correctly in some contexts.
How do I conjugate 'portarse'?
Just use the regular 'portar' endings and add the reflexive pronouns (me porto, te portas, se porta, etc.) before the verb.