proceder
/pro-seh-DEHR/
to act
A person decides to act by planting a tree.
proceder(verb)
to act
?to behave or take action in a specific way
to proceed
?to move forward with a plan or action
📝 In Action
Debemos proceder con mucha cautela en este asunto.
B1We must act with great caution in this matter.
El director no supo cómo proceder ante la emergencia.
B2The director didn't know how to act in the face of the emergency.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'proceder a'
When you want to say you are starting a task or moving to the next step, use 'proceder a' followed by another action word (infinitive).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Proceeding with 'con' vs 'a'
Mistake: "Using 'proceder a' when you mean 'to act with'."
Correction: Use 'proceder con' for manners (e.g., with caution) and 'proceder a' for actions (e.g., to vote).
⭐ Usage Tips
Professional Tone
If you want to sound more professional than just using 'hacer' (to do), use 'proceder' when explaining steps in a project.
The water comes from a source deep within the mountain.
proceder(verb)
to come from
?origin or source of something
to originate
?formal way of saying where something starts
📝 In Action
Este vuelo procede de Madrid.
A2This flight is coming from Madrid.
Muchos de estos problemas proceden de la falta de comunicación.
B1Many of these problems come from a lack of communication.
💡 Grammar Points
Origins with 'de'
To say where something starts or its source, always pair 'proceder' with the word 'de'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Airports and Travel
You will often hear this at airports on the loudspeakers when they announce where a flight is arriving from.
A gavel represents what is appropriate or allowed by the rules.
proceder(verb)
to be appropriate
?used to say if something is fair or allowed
to be valid
?legal standing
,to apply
?when a rule or request is relevant
📝 In Action
Su reclamo no procede.
B2Your claim is not valid / does not apply.
En este caso, lo que procede es pedir una prórroga.
C1In this case, the appropriate thing to do is to ask for an extension.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'No Procede' Phrase
If you hear a judge or an official say 'No procede', they are telling you that your request or action isn't legally allowed or doesn't make sense in this context.
Helping others is a sign of good behavior.
📝 In Action
Su proceder fue ejemplar durante toda la crisis.
C1His behavior was exemplary throughout the entire crisis.
💡 Grammar Points
Verbs as Nouns
In Spanish, the base form of a verb can sometimes be used as a noun. In this case, 'el proceder' refers to the concept of 'the acting' or 'the way of acting'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Nouns and Gender
When used as a noun, 'proceder' is always masculine: 'el proceder'.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: proceder
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'proceder' to mean 'to come from'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'venir de' and 'proceder de'?
They both mean 'to come from,' but 'proceder de' is much more formal. You'd use 'venir' when talking to friends, and 'proceder' for flights, legal origins, or fancy speeches.
Is 'proceder' a regular verb?
Yes! It follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in '-er', so if you know how to conjugate 'comer', you know how to conjugate 'proceder'.