Compiten

Compiten is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Spanish verb competir, meaning to compete. It is used with subjects such as ellos, ellas, or ustedes, and translates as “they compete” or “you all compete” in regions where ustedes is the standard second-person plural. It is not a standalone noun, but a grammatical form found in everyday Spanish.

Etymology and background: competir derives from the Latin competere, combining com- (together) and petere (to seek). The verb entered Spanish with the sense of striving or contending with others, and compiten reflects the regular present tense conjugation patterns of -ir verbs with stem changes in some forms.

Usage and examples: Compiten appears in many contexts, including sports, economics, politics, and academic discussions. Examples: “Los equipos compiten por el campeonato” (The teams compete for the championship). “Las empresas compiten en precios y calidad” (Companies compete on price and quality). “Los candidatos compiten en el debate” (The candidates compete in the debate). In questions or reports, you may also see “¿Quién compite?” (Who competes?) or “Ellos compiten entre sí” (They compete with each other).

Conjugation and related forms: The present tense forms of competir include compito, compites, compite, competimos, competís, compiten. Compiten specifically marks the third-person plural present indicative. Related nouns and terms include competencia (competition) and competencia desleal (unfair competition).

See also: Competir, Competencia, Competición, Linguistic conjugation of -ir verbs.