How to Say "to approve" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to approve” is “aprobar” — use 'aprobar' when officially agreeing to or passing something, like a law, a budget, a plan, or even someone's behavior or academic work..
aprobar
/ah-pro-BAR//apɾoˈbaɾ/
Examples
El comité aprobó el nuevo proyecto de marketing.
The committee approved the new marketing project.
El gobierno aprobó la nueva ley de vivienda.
The government approved the new housing law.
Mi madre no aprueba mi nuevo tatuaje.
My mother doesn't approve of my new tattoo.
El director tiene que aprobar el presupuesto.
The director has to approve the budget.
No 'Of' Needed
In English, you 'approve OF something.' In Spanish, you simply 'approve something.' Do not add the word 'de' after aprobar.
Adding unnecessary prepositions
Mistake: “No apruebo de tu conducta.”
Correction: No apruebo tu conducta. Spanish verbs often connect directly to the object without needing 'of' or 'about'.
autorizar
/ow-toh-ree-sahr//au̯toɾiˈsaɾ/
Examples
Necesito que me autorices a salir temprano hoy.
I need you to authorize me to leave early today.
El director tiene que autorizar tu viaje de estudios.
The director has to authorize your study trip.
El banco todavía no ha autorizado la transferencia de dinero.
The bank has not authorized the money transfer yet.
Mis padres me autorizaron a salir hasta medianoche.
My parents authorized me to stay out until midnight.
The Z to C Spelling Change
When the letter 'z' is followed by the letter 'e', it changes to a 'c'. This happens in the 'yo' form of the past tense (autoricé) and throughout the special mood used for wishes/commands (subjunctive).
Using 'A' with People
When you authorize a person to do something, remember to put 'a' before the person: 'Autorizo a Juan'.
English Spelling Confusion
Mistake: “Yo authorizo el documento.”
Correction: Yo autorizo el documento. Spanish does not use 'th' for this sound; use 't' instead.
Missing the Connector
Mistake: “Me autorizaron ir al cine.”
Correction: Me autorizaron a ir al cine. Use 'a' between the verb 'autorizar' and the next action.
sancionar
/san-syo-NAR//sanθjoˈnaɾ/
Examples
El parlamento sancionó la ley después de un largo debate.
The parliament sanctioned the law after a long debate.
El jefe de estado sancionó la nueva ley de educación.
The head of state ratified the new education law.
El congreso espera que el presidente sancione el proyecto.
Congress expects the president to sign the bill into law.
Formal objects
This meaning usually involves a law, a decree, or a budget as the thing being 'sancionado'.
Confusing the two meanings
Mistake: “Thinking the president 'punished' a law when the news says 'sancionó la ley'.”
Correction: Remember that in high-level government news, 'sancionar' usually means official approval, not punishment.
Aprobar vs. Autorizar
Related Translations
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