copar
dominate
Ocupar por completo un lugar o una situación, sin dejar espacio para otros.
"Copar" is a verb in Spanish with several related meanings depending on context. Here's an explanation:
Meaning:
-
To take control or domination
Copar commonly means to take or seize control over a group, space, or organization, often by occupying most of its elements or resources. For example, "El partido copó la mayoría en el congreso" means "The party took over the majority in the congress." -
To fill or saturate
It can also mean to fill up or saturate a place completely. For instance, "copar el mercado" means to dominate or saturate the market. -
(Colloquial, in some regions) To be very successful or win in large quantities
In some slang contexts, copar can mean to win or obtain a lot of something.
Parts:
- Co- is a prefix meaning "with" or "together," but in this verb, it's part of the stem rather than a separable element.
- -par might connect to Latin roots related to number or pairing, but the verb itself comes from older Spanish usage related to occupation or seizing.
Synonyms:
- Occupy (ocupar)
- Take over (tomar el control)
- Dominate (dominar)
- Fill (llenar, saturar)
Antonyms:
- Release (liberar)
- Vacate (desocupar)
- Lose control (perder el control)
Examples:
-
"Los manifestantes coparon la plaza central."
The protesters took over the central square. -
"La empresa copó el mercado de teléfonos móviles."
The company dominated the mobile phone market.
In summary, copar is about occupying or seizing a majority or all of a given space, power, or resource.
Make “copar” part of your vocabulary.
Build your Spanish vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Varias empresas buscan copar el mercado internacional.verb
Several companies seek to dominate the international market.
Keep exploring Spanish
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad