controlar (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

Controlar is a verb.

Phonetic Transcription

/kon.tɾoˈlaɾ/

Translation Options into English

• Control
• Manage
• Supervise
• Regulate

Meaning and Usage

Controlar commonly means to exercise authority or influence over something, to manage, supervise, or regulate situations, objects, or groups. It is widely used across various contexts, including general, economics, law, medicine, and military domains.

In Spanish, controlar can refer to the act of managing activities, ensuring rules are followed, or maintaining standards. It is a regularly used term, with frequency of use being balanced between oral and written contexts.

Example Sentences

1. Es importante controlar los gastos para no tener problemas financieros.

2. It is important to control expenses to avoid financial problems.

3. Él tiene que controlar el proyecto para que todo esté dentro del presupuesto.

4. He has to manage the project to ensure everything stays within budget.

5. La policía debe controlar el tráfico durante el festival.

6. The police must supervise traffic during the festival.

Idiomatic Expressions

The verb controlar is integral to various idiomatic expressions in Spanish:

1. Controlar los daños
2. Meaning: To assess and limit the negative effects.

3. Example: Después del accidente, la empresa tuvo que controlar los daños.

   • After the accident, the company had to manage the damages.

4. Controlar el tiempo

5. Meaning: To manage time effectively.

6. Example: Ella siempre sabe cómo controlar el tiempo en sus presentaciones.

   • She always knows how to manage her time during presentations.

7. Controlar la situación

8. Meaning: To have a handle on a situation.

9. Example: Aunque hubo un problema, el director logró controlar la situación.

   • Although there was a problem, the director managed to control the situation.

10. No controlar los impulsos

11. Meaning: To not be able to control one's impulses.
12. Example: A veces, no podemos controlar los impulsos y actuamos sin pensar.
    • Sometimes, we cannot control our impulses and act without thinking.

Etymology

The word controlar comes from the Latin contrarotulare, which means to check or verify by using a counter-roll, originating from the combination of contra (against) and rotulus (a roll, scroll).

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Regular - Supervisar (to supervise) - Manejar (to manage) - Dominar (to dominate)

Antonyms: - Liberar (to free) - Descontrolar (to lose control) - Abandonar (to abandon)

This comprehensive examination of the verb controlar highlights its importance and versatility in the Spanish language.