protagonizar
“protagonizar” means “to star in” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to star in
Also: to play the lead
📝 In Action
Ella va a protagonizar una nueva serie de Netflix.
A2She is going to star in a new Netflix series.
Antonio Banderas protagonizó muchas películas famosas.
B1Antonio Banderas starred in many famous movies.
¿Quién protagoniza la obra de teatro esta noche?
B1Who is playing the lead in the play tonight?
to be at the center of
Also: to lead/carry out
📝 In Action
Los estudiantes protagonizaron las protestas de ayer.
B2The students were at the center of yesterday's protests.
El equipo de fútbol protagonizó una remontada histórica.
B2The football team carried out a historic comeback.
Varios políticos protagonizaron un escándalo financiero.
C1Several politicians were involved in a financial scandal.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: protagonizar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'She stars in the movie' correctly in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From 'protagonista' (main actor), which comes from Greek 'protos' (first) and 'agonistes' (actor or competitor). It literally means to act as the first or main competitor.
First recorded: 19th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is protagonizar only for movies?
No! You can 'protagonizar' a play, a TV show, a historical event, a protest, or even a scandal.
Is it a regular verb?
Yes, it follows the regular -ar pattern, except for a small spelling change from 'z' to 'c' when the ending starts with 'e' (like in the past 'yo' form).
Can I use 'estelarizar' instead?
Yes, 'estelarizar' is a synonym often used in Latin America, but 'protagonizar' is more common globally and sounds slightly more natural in formal contexts.