How to Say "to instruct" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to instruct” is “instruir” — B1 level.
Examples
El profesor quiere instruir a sus alumnos en la historia del arte.
The teacher wants to instruct his students in art history.
Es necesario instruir al personal sobre el uso del nuevo sistema.
It is necessary to train the staff on the use of the new system.
Se instruyó a sí mismo leyendo muchos libros.
He educated himself by reading many books.
The 'Y' Spelling Rule
For verbs like 'instruir' that end in -uir, you add a 'y' before endings that start with 'o', 'e', or 'a'. For example, it's 'yo instruyo', not 'instruo'.
Using 'En' for Subjects
When you want to say what subject someone is being taught, use the word 'en'. Example: 'Instruir en matemáticas' (to instruct in mathematics).
Using it for simple teaching
Mistake: “Instruyo a mi hijo a amarrarse los zapatos.”
Correction: Enseño a mi hijo a amarrarse los zapatos.
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