verb

mandar

send

Dar una orden o pedir a alguien que haga algo.

Definition & meaning

Mandar is a regular Spanish verb with several related meanings:

To send something or someone from one place to another.
- Mandar una carta — to send a letter
- Me mandó un mensaje — He/she sent me a message.
To order or command someone to do something.
- El jefe mandó cerrar la puerta — The boss ordered the door to be closed.
- No me mandes — Don’t order me around.
To be in charge, rule, or have authority.
- Aquí mando yo — I am in charge here.
- Ella manda en la empresa — She runs the company.
To instruct or tell someone to go somewhere, often in the expression mandar a alguien a...
- Lo mandaron a casa — They sent him home.
- Me mandó al médico — He/she sent me to the doctor.

Grammar & Word origin

Mandar is a regular -ar verb.

Present tense:

yo mando — I send / command
tú mandas — you send / command
él/ella manda — he/she sends / commands
nosotros mandamos — we send / command
ellos mandan — they send / command

The past participle is mandado — sent, ordered, or commanded. The gerund is mandando — sending or commanding.

It comes from the Latin verb mandāre, meaning “to entrust,” “to order,” or “to command.” It is related to the Spanish noun mando , meaning authority or command.

Synonyms & antonyms

The synonym depends on the meaning:

To send: enviar is the most direct and neutral synonym. Mandar is very common in everyday speech, while enviar can sound more formal or precise.
To order: ordenar emphasizes giving an instruction or command. Disponer is more formal and often refers to making an official arrangement.
To be in charge: gobernar , dirigir , and controlar can be synonyms, but they usually emphasize ruling, managing, or controlling rather than simply having authority.

Possible antonyms include:

obedecer — to obey; the opposite of commanding or giving orders.
desobedecer — to disobey; the opposite of following a command.
recibir — to receive; in the sense of sending something, it describes the opposite side of the action.

Common phrases & collocations

mandar un mensaje — to send a message
mandar una carta — to send a letter
mandar una orden — to give an order
mandar hacer algo — to have something made or done
mandar a alguien a casa — to send someone home
mandar en una empresa — to run or be in charge of a company
Aquí mando yo — I am in charge here
mandar a paseo — to tell someone to get lost; literally, “to send someone for a walk”