desarrollar
/desaroˈʝaɾ/
The English phrase 'develop' is translated into Spanish as desarrollar.
Meaning: to create (verb)
Which one should you use?
Use the transitive form desarrollar when an agent is actively developing a specific object, such as a project, a skill or a product. In contrast, if you are describing how a situation or a story unfolds or develops naturally, you should use the reflexive form desarrollarse (it develops or it unfolds).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the verb crear is sometimes used to convey the idea of developing or coming up with something.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing a situation or a story unfolding or developing naturally, use the reflexive form se desarrolla (it develops/unfolds).
How do you pronounce it?
/desaroˈʝaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use desarrollar when you mean to develop photographic film. In Spanish, the specific verb for this is revelar.
Did you know?
- While desarrollar means to develop, the verb arrollar means to run over or flatten something with a vehicle. These two words are opposites in a physical sense: one unfolds and the other crushes.
- The word desarrollar literally means to unroll, coming from the Latin 'rotulus' for a roll of paper. It imagines development as the act of unfolding a scroll to reveal its contents.
- Spanish distinguishes between the development of a person's growth (desarrollo) and the development of a photo (revelado), which shares a root with the word for 'revelation' or 'revealing a secret'.
Examples in context
- Falta desarrollar más las energías renovables.There is a need to develop more renewable energy sources.This sentence shows how to express the need to develop renewable energy sources using desarrollar.Tatoeba #6637130 by arh, translation #12827202 by Yepthatscool
- La educación pretende desarrollar habilidades en potencia.Education aims to develop potential abilities.This sentence illustrates using desarrollar in the context of developing abilities.Tatoeba #7790496 by Eremon, translation #19115 by CK
- Tom está esperando para ver cómo se desarrollarán las cosas.Tom is waiting to see how things will develop.This sentence demonstrates how to describe how things will develop or unfold using the verb desarrollar.Tatoeba #1338162 by hayastan, translation #1024751 by CK
- El país está desarrollando nuevas políticasThe country is developing new policies
- El equipo está elaborando una estrategia de marketingThe team is developing a marketing strategy
- Quiero hacer crecer mi negocioI want to develop/grow my business
- Estamos trabajando en un nuevo proyectoWe are developing a new project
- Estoy mejorando mis habilidades en españolI am developing/improving my Spanish skills
- Necesitamos crear nuevas solucionesWe need to develop/create new solutions
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are discussing a new project for work.
- DanielNecesitamos desarrollar un plan para el proyecto.We need to develop a plan for the project.
- ElenaEstoy de acuerdo, Daniel.I agree, Daniel.
- Daniel¿Puedes desarrollar más tu idea inicial?Can you develop your initial idea further?
- ElenaSí, Elena lo escribirá mañana.Yes, Elena will write it tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “develop” translations and entries desarrollar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries desarrollar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
