How to Say "to follow" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to follow” is “seguir” — use 'seguir' when you are physically moving behind someone or something, or when you are adhering to instructions, advice, or a plan.
Use 'seguir' when you are physically moving behind someone or something, or when you are adhering to instructions, advice, or a plan.
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Use 'suceder' when one event or person comes after another in a sequence or order, often implying inheritance or taking over a position.
Learn more →seh-GEERseˈɣiɾ
Examples
El detective siguió al sospechoso por toda la ciudad.
The detective followed the suspect all over the city.
¡Sigue ese coche!
Follow that car!
Camina despacio, no te puedo seguir.
Walk slowly, I can't follow you.
Para montar el mueble, tienes que seguir las instrucciones.
To assemble the furniture, you have to follow the instructions.
The 'e' to 'i' Change
Notice how the 'e' in 'seguir' changes to an 'i' for most 'now' forms (like 'yo sigo', 'tú sigues'). This happens with many Spanish verbs, but the 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms usually keep the original 'e'.
soo-seh-DEHRsu.θeˈðeɾ
Examples
El hijo del rey sucedió a su padre en el trono.
The king's son succeeded his father on the throne.
La crisis económica sucedió a un periodo de gran crecimiento.
The economic crisis followed a period of great growth.
Ella me sucederá como directora general.
She will succeed me as CEO.
Requires 'a'
When 'suceder' means 'to succeed' or 'to follow (someone)', it usually needs the preposition 'a' before the person or thing being followed: 'Sucede A la jefa' (He succeeds the boss).
False Cognate Warning
Mistake: “Do NOT use 'suceder' to mean 'to be successful' or 'to achieve a goal'.”
Correction: For 'to be successful', use 'tener éxito' or 'lograr'. 'Suceder' is only about sequence or occurrence.
Seguir vs. Suceder
Learners often confuse 'seguir' and 'suceder' because both can imply a sequence. Remember that 'seguir' is for tracking, obeying, or continuing, while 'suceder' is specifically for coming after in a line of succession or an ordered list of events.
Related Translations
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