efectuar
Lemma Details
Translation: to carry out; to perform; to execute; to effect; to accomplish; to conduct
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'effectus', the past participle of 'efficere' meaning 'to accomplish, to bring about'. The Latin 'efficere' comes from 'ex' (out) + 'facere' (to do, make). This shares the same Latin root as the English words 'effect', 'effective', and 'efficacy'. The connection to 'facere' also links it to many English words related to making or doing, such as 'factory', 'manufacture', and 'fact'.
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El banco efectuó la transferencia ayer.
The bank carried out the transfer yesterday.
Necesitamos efectuar cambios en el sistema.
We need to make changes to the system.
La empresa efectuó un estudio de mercado.
The company conducted a market study.
Se efectuará una reunión mañana.
A meeting will be held tomorrow.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'effect' in English - when you 'efectuar' something, you bring it into effect.
- The 'fect' part comes from Latin 'facere' (to do) - so efectuar is about 'doing' something to completion.
- Visualize an 'effective' person carrying out tasks efficiently - that's what 'efectuar' is about.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
Commonly used in formal and business contexts, especially in banking, administrative procedures, and official communications. In Spanish-speaking countries, you'll often see this verb in signs or instructions related to financial transactions or official procedures.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'efectuar' means 'to carry out' or 'to perform', 'afectar' means 'to affect' or 'to impact'. They share similar etymology but have distinct meanings.
This word:
El banco efectuó el pago automáticamente.
The bank carried out the payment automatically.
Confused word:
La crisis económica afectó a muchas familias.
The economic crisis affected many families.
Notes: Both verbs are regular -ar verbs, but their meanings in context are quite different. 'Efectuar' is about performing actions, while 'afectar' is about causing changes or impacts.
Mnemonic: 'Efectuar' has 'effect' (result) - you make something happen; 'afectar' has 'affect' (influence) - something influences or impacts something else.
Explanation: Both mean 'to execute' or 'to carry out', but 'ejecutar' often has more specific connotations related to implementing, enforcing, or performing (especially in music or computing), while 'efectuar' is more general.
Confused word:
El pianista ejecutó la pieza perfectamente.
The pianist performed the piece perfectly.
Notes: 'Ejecutar' can also mean 'to execute' in the sense of capital punishment, which 'efectuar' never does.
Mnemonic: Think of 'ejecutar' as more related to 'execution' of specific tasks or performances, while 'efectuar' is about bringing general changes or actions into effect.