protege

proh-TEH-heh

nounm/fB2

protégé?mentored person,mentee?person receiving guidance

Also:disciple?following a master

📝 In Action

El joven artista es el protege del famoso pintor.

The young artist is the protégé of the famous painter.

Ella fue su protege durante la última década.

She was his protégé during the last decade.

Word Connections

Synonyms

pupilo (pupil)
apadrinado (sponsored person)

Antonyms

mentor (mentor)
padrino (sponsor)

Common Collocations

ser el protege de alguien – to be someone's protégé

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Note

Although the noun is borrowed from French, it is commonly used for both men and women in Spanish. You can use 'el protege' or 'la protege' depending on the gender of the person.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal Use

This word is often reserved for professional or artistic contexts where a powerful person is guiding a rising star. It sounds slightly formal.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: protege

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'protege' as a noun?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

protección(protection) - noun

protector(protector (noun/adjective)) - adjective

proteger(to protect) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if 'protege' is the noun or the verb?

Look at the words around it! If 'protege' is preceded by a person (like 'él' or 'ella') or a subject (like 'el perro' or 'la ley'), it's likely the verb meaning 'protects'. If it is preceded by an article ('el' or 'la') or a possessive ('su', 'mi'), it is probably the noun meaning 'mentee'.

Is the verb 'proteger' regular?

It is mostly regular, but it has a key spelling change: the 'g' changes to a 'j' whenever it is followed by the letters 'a' or 'o' to maintain the soft 'h' sound (like in 'yo protejo' and all present subjunctive forms).