Manipulan

Manipulan is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Spanish verb manipular. It corresponds to they manipulate or you all manipulate (ustedes/ellos/ellas) in contexts where the subject is plural. The infinitive is manipular, and other tenses follow the standard -ar verb conjugation patterns.

Etymology and sense: Manipular comes from Latin manip ulare, related to manus (hand). The sense developed from physically handling objects with the hands and broadened to include influencing, controlling, or handling information, people, or systems. In modern Spanish, manipular can refer to both tangible manipulation of objects and figurative manipulation of data, opinions, or situations.

Usage and nuance: In everyday language, manipular can mean to operate or handle devices or equipment (manipular herramientas, manipular la máquina). It can also denote influencing or controlling others or information (manipular a alguien, manipular la información). The term often carries a negative connotation when referring to deceit or coercion, as in manipulating someone or resources for an advantage. Passive constructions such as se manipula or se manipulan are common to describe actions where information or outcomes are influenced by others.

Related forms: manipulador (person who manipulates), manipulación (manipulation), manipulable (capable of being manipulated), manipulativo/manipulativa (adj., describing tendencies or methods). Synonyms include controlar, manejar, influir, and false friends can arise with context, such as using manipular for both physical handling and strategic influence.

See also: Manipulación, Manipulador, Manipulación de datos, Ética de la manipulación.