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How to Say "according to" in Spanish

English → Spanish

según

PrepositionA2General
Use 'según' when you are citing a source of information, such as a person, document, or map.

Examples

Según mi madre, la tienda cierra a las ocho.

According to my mother, the store closes at eight.

conforme

kon-FOR-mehkonˈfoɾme

PrepositionB1Formal
Use 'conforme' when something is done in agreement with or following a specific plan, rule, or agreement.
A wooden birdhouse built exactly to match a paper blueprint lying next to it.

Examples

El proyecto se desarrolló conforme a lo esperado.

The project developed according to what was expected.

Todo salió conforme al plan.

Everything went according to plan.

Actuó conforme a la ley.

He acted according to the law.

The 'a' connector

When you use 'conforme' to mean 'according to,' you usually need the word 'a' right after it.

siguiendo

see-gee-EN-dohsiˈɣjendo

Verb (Gerund)B1General
Use 'siguiendo' when you mean 'following' in the sense of adhering strictly to instructions, advice, or a path.
A hiker successfully walking along a brightly colored, clearly marked dirt trail leading toward a small, welcoming wooden cabin, symbolizing reaching a goal by following a method.

Examples

Llegamos a la ciudad siguiendo el GPS.

We arrived at the city following the GPS.

Ganó el concurso siguiendo las instrucciones al pie de la letra.

She won the contest by following the instructions to the letter.

Siguiendo la lógica, deberíamos esperar antes de invertir.

Following the logic (or: According to logic), we should wait before investing.

Llegamos a la cascada siguiendo el sendero del río.

We arrived at the waterfall by following the river path.

Explaining the Method

When used alone at the beginning or middle of a sentence, 'siguiendo' often explains how the main action was done, acting like 'by doing X' in English.

The Implied Preposition

Unlike English, you don't need a preposition (like 'by' or 'for') before 'siguiendo' when it explains the method; the gerund handles that job automatically.

tenor

te-NORteˈnoɾ

NounC1Formal/Legal
Use 'tenor' only in the formal phrase 'a tenor de', meaning 'in accordance with' or 'based on' a written text like a contract or law.
An open scroll of paper showing lines of handwriting and a wax seal.

Examples

A tenor de las pruebas, el jurado emitió su veredicto.

In accordance with the evidence, the jury issued its verdict.

A tenor de lo dispuesto en el contrato, no podemos cancelar el servicio.

In accordance with what is stated in the contract, we cannot cancel the service.

El tenor literal de sus palabras fue muy sorprendente.

The literal wording of his words was very surprising.

Siguieron las instrucciones a tenor de la nueva normativa.

They followed the instructions according to the new regulations.

The phrase 'A tenor de'

Think of this as a fancy way to say 'based on' or 'according to.' It is always followed by a noun or a phrase starting with 'lo que'.

Adding an extra 'L'

Mistake: “Saying 'al tenor de'.”

Correction: The correct phrase is just 'a tenor de'. You don't need to combine 'a' and 'el' here unless 'tenor' is a separate object.

Segun vs. Conforme

Learners often confuse 'según' and 'conforme'. Remember that 'según' is for citing a source of information, while 'conforme' is for following a plan or rule. Don't use 'conforme' to cite what someone said.

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