How to Say "follows" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “follows” is “persigue” — use 'persigue' when 'follows' means to chase or pursue something, often with the implication of movement or even a slight sense of pursuit..
persigue
per-SEE-gheh/peɾˈsiɣe/
Examples
El perro persigue la pelota en el parque.
The dog follows the ball in the park.
El gato persigue al ratón por toda la casa.
The cat chases the mouse all over the house.
Mi sombra me persigue cuando camino bajo el sol.
My shadow follows me when I walk under the sun.
¡Persigue al coche! No dejes que se escape.
Chase the car! Don't let it get away.
The E to I Change
The verb perseguir is irregular. The 'e' in the stem changes to 'i' in most present tense forms (like persigue), but not in the 'we' (nosotros) or 'you plural informal' (vosotros) forms.
Statement or Command?
'Persigue' can mean 'He/She/It chases' (a statement) OR 'Chase!' (an informal command to one person, tú). Context is key to knowing which one it is.
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: “Él perseguimos la verdad.”
Correction: Él persigue la verdad. Remember to change the 'e' to 'i' in this form.
respeta
/reh-SPEH-tah//resˈpeta/
Examples
Siempre respeta las señales de tráfico.
He always follows the traffic signals.
Ella respeta mucho a sus profesores.
She respects her teachers a lot.
El conductor respeta las señales de tráfico.
The driver respects/follows the traffic signs.
Usted respeta la privacidad de los demás.
You (formal) respect the privacy of others.
The 'Personal A'
When 'respeta' is used to describe respecting a person, you must put the word 'a' before the person's name or title (e.g., 'respeta a su madre').
Two-in-One Form
This word works as a statement ('He respects') and also as a command to a friend ('Respect!').
Missing the 'a'
Mistake: “Él respeta su padre.”
Correction: Él respeta a su padre. Always use 'a' when the action is directed at a specific human.
Chasing vs. Obeying
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.