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verb

actuar

act

Realizar una acción o comportamiento con un propósito o intención, especialmente al representar un papel en una obra o película.

Definition & meaning

The verb actuar has several related meanings depending on the context:

  1. To act or perform: To perform a role in a play, movie, or television show. It can also refer to the act of behaving or conducting oneself in a certain way.
  2. To take action: To do something or perform an operation to achieve a result, often in response to a situation.
  3. To function or work: In technical or scientific contexts, it refers to the way something operates or exerts an effect (such as a medicine or a chemical).

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

  • Actuar is a regular -ar verb, but it features an orthographic change. The 'u' takes an accent mark (ú) in the singular forms and the third-person plural of the present indicative and subjunctive (e.g., yo actúo, él actúa, ellos actúan).
  • It is a transitive or intransitive verb depending on usage.

Word origin:

  • The word comes from the Latin actuare, derived from actus, which is the past participle of agere (to do, to act).

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

  • Proceder : To proceed or act in a certain manner.
  • Ejecutar : To execute or perform a task.
  • Representar : To perform or act in a theatrical sense.
  • Operar : To function or operate.
  • Comportarse : To behave.

Antonyms:

  • Inactuar : To be inactive.
  • Omitir : To fail to act or to leave something out.
  • Paralizarse : To become paralyzed or stop acting/moving.

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Examples

Ella va a actuar en la obra de teatro escolar.verb

She is going to act in the school play.

Quiero actuar en una película un día.verb

I want to act in a movie one day.

Mi hermano actuó en una obra de teatro.verb

My brother acted in a play.

Actuaré en esta película.verb

I will act in this movie.

Actuaba de forma extraña.verb

He was acting strangely.

Los niños actuaron con mucho miedo.verb

The children acted very fearfully.

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