How to Say "to direct" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to direct” is “dirigir” — use this when you are in charge of something, like a project, a company, an orchestra, or traffic.
dirigir
dee-ree-HEERdi.ɾiˈxiɾ
Examples
El director dirige la empresa con éxito.
The director directs the company successfully.
Ella dirige la orquesta sinfónica de la ciudad.
She directs the city's symphony orchestra.
Mi jefe dirige el departamento de marketing.
My boss manages the marketing department.
El presidente dirigió un mensaje a la nación anoche.
The president addressed a message to the nation last night.
The 'g' to 'j' Change
In the 'yo' form of the present tense, the spelling changes from 'dirigir' to 'dirijo'. This is only to keep the hard 'H' sound (like the Spanish 'j') that you hear in the infinitive.
Forgetting the spelling change
Mistake: “Yo dirigo.”
Correction: Yo dirijo. Remember the 'j' sound is crucial for the first-person present tense.
guiar
gee-AHRɡiˈaɾ
Examples
El policía guio al conductor a través de la ciudad.
The police officer guided the driver through the city.
El guía nos va a guiar por el museo.
The guide is going to guide us through the museum.
Mis padres me guiaron en mis estudios.
My parents guided me in my studies.
Deja que tu instinto te guíe.
Let your instinct lead you.
The Accent Mark Rule
In the present tense, the 'i' gets an accent mark (guío, guías) because we want to emphasize that 'i' sound separately from the other vowels. Without the accent, the vowels would blend together.
Short Past Tense Forms
In the past tense (preterite), the 'yo' form 'guie' and the 'él' form 'guio' no longer take accent marks according to modern rules, because they are now pronounced as single-syllable sounds.
Missing Accents
Mistake: “Yo guio a los turistas.”
Correction: Yo guío a los turistas.
encaminar
en-ka-mee-NAHRẽŋkamiˈnaɾ
Examples
El maestro encaminó al estudiante hacia una carrera en ciencias.
The teacher directed the student toward a career in science.
El recepcionista encaminó a los invitados al salón principal.
The receptionist directed the guests to the main hall.
Debemos encaminar nuestros esfuerzos a reducir la contaminación.
We must direct our efforts toward reducing pollution.
Su mentor lo encaminó hacia una carrera exitosa en leyes.
His mentor set him on the path to a successful law career.
Think of the 'Road'
This word literally contains 'camino' (road). When you use it, you are conceptually putting someone or something 'into a road' toward a goal.
Using Prepositions
When directing someone somewhere, you usually follow this word with 'a' or 'hacia' (toward).
Don't confuse with 'caminar'
Mistake: “Yo encamino por el parque.”
Correction: Yo camino por el parque. Use 'caminar' to walk, and 'encaminar' to point someone else in a direction.
canalizar
ka-na-lee-SARkanaliˈθaɾ
Examples
Debes canalizar tu frustración en una acción positiva.
You must channel your frustration into positive action.
Necesitas canalizar tu energía en algo productivo.
You need to channel your energy into something productive.
La ONG canaliza las donaciones hacia las familias más necesitadas.
The NGO channels donations toward the families in most need.
Es importante canalizar la frustración a través del deporte.
It is important to channel frustration through sports.
The Z to C Spelling Swap
In Spanish, the letter 'z' always changes to a 'c' before the letter 'e'. This is why 'yo canalicé' (I channeled) is spelled with a 'c' instead of a 'z'.
Using 'hacia'
We often use the word 'hacia' (toward) after canalizar to show where the energy or money is being sent.
Wrong letter in the Past
Mistake: “Yo canalizé”
Correction: Yo canalicé. Remember that the 'z' must change to 'c' when it meets the 'e' sound in the past tense.
ordenar
or-deh-NARor.ðeˈnaɾ
Examples
El general ordenó a sus tropas avanzar.
The general ordered his troops to advance.
El presidente ordenó una investigación inmediata.
The president ordered an immediate investigation.
La policía le ordenó detener el coche.
The police commanded him to stop the car.
Action on Others
When this verb means 'to command someone else to do something,' it often uses the special verb form (subjunctive): 'Ordenó que saliéramos' (He ordered that we leave).
Dirigir vs. Guiar
Related Translations
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