Proceder

Proceder is a verb used in Spanish and Portuguese with several related meanings tied to moving forward, originating from a source, or starting an action. Etymologically it comes from the Latin procedere, formed by pro- “forward” and cedere “to go, yield.” In both languages the term appears across formal, legal, and academic contexts, and its sense depends on the construction that follows.

In Spanish, proceder mainly means (1) to proceed or continue with an action, as in Procedo a explicar las medidas; (2) to originate from or come from, as in Este producto procede de España; and (3) in legal or formal contexts, to initiate proceedings or actions against someone, as in la Fiscalía procedió contra el acusado. The verb is commonly used with the prepositions a or de to link actions or origins, and its third-person singular form Procede is often found in impersonal or formal constructions such as Procede recordar los requisitos.

In Portuguese, proceder has senses similar to the Spanish one. It can mean to originate from (Este líquido procede do leite) and to proceed with something (Proceder com as ações previstas). It also appears in formal language to indicate that something should be done according to rules or procedures. The related noun is procedimento, and the adjective procedente or proveniente describes origin or source.

Overview of usage notes: both languages employ procedures, phrases with a + infinitive to indicate starting an action, and de to express origin. The term is common in legal and bureaucratic styles, where it can denote initiating actions or stating formal origins.

See also: procedimento, procedente, proveniente.