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How to Say "to supervise" in Spanish

English → Spanish

supervisar

soo-pehr-bee-SAHRsupeɾβiˈsaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'supervisar' when you mean to oversee, direct, or manage people's work or a project.
A friendly manager in a blue shirt standing and looking at a worker's laptop screen in a bright office, giving a thumbs up.

Examples

Mi jefe supervisa mi trabajo todos los días.

My boss supervises my work every day.

Es importante supervisar a los niños cuando están en la piscina.

It is important to supervise the children when they are in the pool.

Ella fue contratada para supervisar la construcción del nuevo puente.

She was hired to oversee the construction of the new bridge.

The 'People A' Rule

When you supervise a person or a pet, you must use the 'personal a' before them. For example: 'Superviso a los estudiantes'.

Pronunciation Tip

In Spanish, the letter 'v' is pronounced exactly like the 'b' in English. This word sounds like 'soo-pehr-bee-SAHR'.

Confusing with 'Survive'

Mistake: “Thinking 'supervisar' means 'to survive'.”

Correction: Use 'sobrevivir' for surviving. 'Supervisar' is strictly for watching over work or people.

Missing the 'a'

Mistake: “Yo superviso los empleados.”

Correction: Say 'Yo superviso a los empleados' because you are talking about people.

vigilar

vee-hee-LAHRbi.xiˈlaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'vigilar' when you mean to watch over, keep an eye on, or monitor something or someone, often for safety or quality control.
A wise owl sitting on a wooden perch, carefully observing a row of four small, interconnected, spinning gears below it, symbolizing monitoring a process.

Examples

La agencia está vigilando de cerca la calidad del agua.

The agency is closely monitoring the water quality.

El director tiene que vigilar que todos los empleados cumplan las normas.

The director has to supervise that all employees follow the rules.

Using 'Que'

When 'vigilar' refers to making sure something happens, it often uses 'que' followed by the verb that describes the action being checked: 'vigilar que + verb'.

Supervisar vs. Vigilar

The most common mistake is using 'supervisar' when you simply mean to watch or monitor something, like a process or a situation. Remember, 'supervisar' implies a more active role in managing or directing, while 'vigilar' is about observation and watching over.

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