Inklingo

How to Say "they run" in Spanish

English → Spanish

corren

/KOH-rehn//ˈko.ren/

verbA1general
Use 'corren' when referring to people or animals physically moving quickly on foot.
A group of children running happily across a green field.

Examples

Los corredores corren rápido en la maratón.

The runners run fast in the marathon.

Los niños corren en el patio.

The children run in the courtyard.

Ustedes corren muy rápido.

You all run very fast.

Who is running?

Use 'corren' when the action is being done by 'them' (ellos/ellas) or a group you are talking to (ustedes).

Mixing up the person

Mistake: “Saying 'él corren' for one person.”

Correction: Use 'él corre' for one person. 'Corren' is only for multiple people.

dirigen

/dee-REE-hen//diˈɾixen/

verbA2general
Choose 'dirigen' when describing people in charge of managing or leading a company, organization, or project.
A person standing at the front of a small group of hikers, pointing toward a mountain path.

Examples

Ellos dirigen una pequeña tienda de comestibles.

They run a small grocery store.

Ellos dirigen una empresa de tecnología muy exitosa.

They run a very successful technology company.

Ustedes dirigen el proyecto con mucha paciencia.

You all lead the project with a lot of patience.

Who is 'dirigen' talking about?

This word is specifically for when 'they' (ellos/ellas) or 'you all' (ustedes) are the ones doing the action right now.

The G-to-J Spelling Rule

This verb normally uses a 'g', but if the next letter is 'o' or 'a' (like in the 'yo' form 'dirijo'), the 'g' changes to 'j' to keep the sound crunchy like a 'h'.

The 'J' Trap

Mistake: “Writing 'dirijen' with a 'j'.”

Correction: Use 'dirigen' with a 'g'. You only use 'j' when the verb ending starts with 'o' or 'a'.

andan

AHN-dahn/ˈan.dan/

verbB1technical
Use 'andan' to describe how machines, engines, or computer programs are functioning or operating.
A close-up view of three large, brightly colored mechanical gears meshing and rotating smoothly.

Examples

Los servidores nuevos andan muy bien.

The new servers run very well.

Los motores andan mejor después del mantenimiento.

The engines work better after maintenance.

Dicen que sus negocios andan muy bien este trimestre.

They say their businesses are running very well this quarter.

Las computadoras andan lentas hoy; hay un problema en la red.

The computers are running slow today; there's a network problem.

Talking About Systems

When talking about how things (like cars, organizations, or clocks) are performing, use 'andar' instead of 'caminar' (which is only for people/animals).

Physical Movement vs. Management

The most common error is using 'corren' for managing a business. Remember, 'corren' is for physical running. For leading or managing, you need 'dirigen'. 'Andan' is specifically for things like engines or programs functioning.

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