How to Say "to run" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to run” is “correr” — use this verb for the physical act of moving rapidly on foot, like in sports or exercise.
correr
koh-REHRkoˈrer
Examples
Ella corre todos los días en el parque para mantenerse en forma.
She runs every day in the park to stay in shape.
Tuvimos que correr para no perder el autobús.
We had to run so we wouldn't miss the bus.
¿Podemos correr más rápido?
Can we run faster?
Correr vs. Funcionar
Use 'correr' only for movement or liquids. If a machine or system is 'running' (working), use 'funcionar'.
funcionar
foon-syoh-NARfunθjoˈnaɾ
Examples
¿Funciona el aire acondicionado?
Does the air conditioning work?
Mi teléfono dejó de funcionar ayer.
My phone stopped working yesterday.
La nueva aplicación funciona muy rápido.
The new app operates very quickly.
Always Regular
Unlike some verbs, 'funcionar' is easy! It follows the standard pattern for '-ar' verbs in every tense, so you never need to worry about tricky stem changes.
Using 'trabajar' for things
Mistake: “El ordenador no trabaja.”
Correction: El ordenador no funciona. (Only people 'trabajan' (work); things 'funcionan' (operate).)
trabajar
tra-ba-HARtɾa.βaˈxaɾ
Examples
El aire acondicionado no trabaja.
The air conditioning doesn't work.
¿Sabes por qué la impresora no trabaja?
Do you know why the printer isn't working?
Este plan no va a trabajar.
This plan isn't going to work.
operar
oh-peh-RAHRopeˈɾaɾ
Examples
El nuevo sistema operativo opera mucho más rápido.
The new operating system functions much faster.
Esta empresa opera en varios países de Latinoamérica.
This company operates in several Latin American countries.
Context is Key
When referring to a machine or system, 'operar' means 'to work/function.' When referring to a person, it means 'to perform surgery.' The subject tells you the meaning.
dirigir
dee-ree-HEERdi.ɾiˈxiɾ
Examples
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.
rodar
roh-darroˈðaɾ
Examples
La pelota rodó por la colina hasta el río.
The ball rolled down the hill to the river.
El coche nuevo rueda muy suavemente.
The new car runs very smoothly (meaning: the wheels turn smoothly).
Tuvimos que rodar la caja pesada, no podíamos levantarla.
We had to roll the heavy box; we couldn't lift it.
Rodar vs. Rodarse
You use 'rodar' when you make something else roll ('Yo rodo el barril'). You use the reflexive form 'rodarse' when the object rolls by itself ('El barril se rodó').
administrar
ad-mee-nees-TRARadminisˈtɾaɾ
Examples
Ella administra una empresa de tecnología.
She manages a technology company.
Es difícil administrar un restaurante con poco personal.
It is difficult to run a restaurant with few staff.
El director administra los recursos de la escuela.
The principal manages the school's resources.
It's a regular -ar verb
This word follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar, so once you know the basics, you can conjugate it easily in all time frames.
Using the 'special' form
When you want someone else to manage something, like saying 'I want you to manage this,' use the subjunctive form: 'Quiero que administres esto.'
Using 'manejar' for business
Mistake: “Yo manejo el negocio familiar.”
Correction: Yo administro el negocio familiar. While 'manejar' is used for driving or handling objects, 'administrar' is better for professional management.
ejecutar
eh-heh-koo-TARexeˈku.taɾ
Examples
Haz doble clic para ejecutar el archivo.
Double-click to run the file.
fluir
floo-EERfluˈir
Examples
El agua fluye suavemente por el arroyo.
The water flows gently through the stream.
La sangre fluye por las venas hacia el corazón.
Blood flows through the veins toward the heart.
El tráfico comenzó a fluir después del accidente.
Traffic began to flow after the accident.
The 'Y' spelling change
For verbs ending in -uir, Spanish adds a 'y' when the 'u' is followed by another vowel (except 'i'). This helps keep the sounds distinct, so 'fluo' becomes 'fluyo'.
Accent marks in the past
In the 'yo' form of the past tense (fluí), the accent on the 'i' is vital to show that you emphasize the end of the word.
Spelling it with 'i'
Mistake: “Él flué.”
Correction: Él fluyó. Because 'u' and 'e' are together, Spanish switches to a 'y' to bridge the gap.
gestionar
hes-tyo-NARxes.tjo.ˈnaɾ
Examples
Ella gestiona un equipo de veinte personas con mucho éxito.
She manages a team of twenty people very successfully.
Es difícil gestionar una empresa durante una crisis.
It is difficult to manage a company during a crisis.
Aprendimos a gestionar los recursos de forma eficiente.
We learned to manage resources efficiently.
A Regular Friend
This verb follows the standard 'ar' pattern perfectly. If you can conjugate 'hablar,' you can conjugate 'gestionar'!
Who are you managing?
If you are managing a person or a group of people, remember to use the 'personal a' (e.g., 'Gestiono a mis empleados').
Managing to vs. Managing
Mistake: “Gestioné terminar mi tarea.”
Correction: Logré terminar mi tarea.
gobernar
go-ber-NARɡoβerˈnaɾ
Examples
El presidente gobierna el país con mucha calma.
The president governs the country with a lot of calm.
Es difícil gobernar una empresa tan grande.
It is difficult to run such a large company.
Ella gobierna su casa con mano de hierro.
She rules her house with an iron fist.
The 'Boot' Change
This is a stem-changing verb. The 'e' in the middle changes to 'ie' in all forms EXCEPT 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' (the ones outside the 'boot' shape on a conjugation chart).
Using the 'Special' Form
When you say 'it is important that they govern,' you must use the special subjunctive form: 'Es importante que gobiernen'.
Forgetting the 'i'
Mistake: “Yo goberno el grupo.”
Correction: Yo gobierno el grupo. Because it is a stem-changer, the 'e' needs to expand into 'ie' when you stress that syllable.
irse
EER-sehˈiɾse
Examples
Se está yendo el gas del globo.
The gas is leaking from the balloon.
Cuidado, la sopa se va por el borde de la olla.
Careful, the soup is spilling over the edge of the pot.
Talking About Accidents
This use of 'irse' is often part of a structure that describes an accident without placing blame. For example, 'Se me fue la leche' is like saying 'The milk got away from me' instead of 'I spilled the milk'.
discurrir
dees-koo-reerdiskuˈrir
Examples
El agua discurre mansamente por el arroyo.
The water flows gently through the stream.
Las horas discurrieron sin que nos diéramos cuenta.
The hours passed by without us noticing.
La vida discurre tranquila en este pueblo.
Life passes by quietly in this town.
A Regular -IR Verb
Even though it looks fancy, 'discurrir' follows the standard patterns for verbs ending in -ir like 'vivir'.
Use with Time
When talking about time passing, 'discurrir' is more poetic and formal than simply using 'pasar'.
Spelling confusion
Mistake: “discurir”
Correction: discurrir (with a double 'rr' to maintain the strong 'r' sound between vowels).
Physical Running vs. Operating
Related Translations
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