How to Say "dominate" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “dominate” is “controlar” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishB1
verbB1
a game or competition

Examples
Ella se controló para no llorar delante de todos.
She restrained herself so as not to cry in front of everyone. (Used reflexively)
El boxeador controló a su oponente con facilidad.
The boxer dominated his opponent easily.
The Self-Control Verb
When you add 'se' (or me, te, nos, os) to 'controlar,' it means you are controlling your own behavior or emotions. This is called a reflexive verb.
Forgetting the 'Se'
Mistake: “Dije 'no puedo controlar' cuando estaba muy enojado.”
Correction: Dije 'no puedo controlarme' (I can't control myself). Always include the reflexive pronoun when talking about personal restraint.
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