How to Say "to redirect" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to redirect” is “derivar” — use 'derivar' when you are sending someone or something to a different department or a more specialized person, often in a professional or medical context..
derivar
/deh-ree-BAR//deɾiˈβaɾ/
Examples
Mi médico me derivó a un especialista de rodilla.
My doctor referred me to a knee specialist.
Te voy a derivar con el departamento de atención al cliente.
I am going to redirect you to the customer service department.
El caso fue derivado al tribunal superior.
The case was referred to the high court.
Using the preposition 'a'
When you are referring or sending someone to a place or person, always use the word 'a' after derivar.
Passive uses
It is very common to hear 'ser derivado' (to be referred) when talking about medical treatments.
Missing the 'a'
Mistake: “El médico derivó el paciente.”
Correction: El médico derivó al paciente (because of the 'personal a') o lo derivó al hospital.
desviar
/des-bee-ahr//desˈβjaɾ/
Examples
Tuvieron que desviar el tráfico por el accidente.
They had to divert traffic because of the accident.
El piloto desvió el avión hacia el sur.
The pilot redirected the plane toward the south.
No dejes que nada te desvíe de tus metas.
Don't let anything stray you from your goals.
The 'í' Accent Rule
In the present tense, the 'i' gets an accent mark (desvío, desvías) when it is the part of the word we stress. This keeps the 'i' and 'o/a' as separate sounds rather than blending them together.
Moving 'From' and 'To'
Use 'de' to say what you are moving away from (desviar de la ruta) and 'hacia' or 'a' for the new direction.
Missing the Accent
Mistake: “Yo desvio el tráfico.”
Correction: Yo desvío el tráfico. (The accent is needed on the 'i' to show it is the stressed syllable.)
Derivar vs. Desviar
Related Translations
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