Utiliza

Utiliza is a conjugated form of the verb utilizar in Spanish and Portuguese, meaning to use or to employ. It primarily functions as the third-person singular present indicative form (he/she/you formal uses) in both languages. In Spanish, utiliza can also appear as the affirmative tú (informal you) imperative meaning “use,” depending on the sentence structure. In Portuguese, utiliza typically appears as the third-person singular present indicative (ele/ela/você utiliza) and is not used as a standard tú imperative form in that language.

Etymology and meaning: the verb utilizar comes from the Latin utilis, meaning useful, and entered the Romance languages with the sense of making use of something. Over time, utilizar broadened to cover practical application, employment, or deployment of resources, methods, or tools. Utiliza reflects this general sense of applying something for a purpose.

Usage and style: utilizo and utilizas are related forms in both languages, but the choice of form depends on the subject and the dialect. In everyday Spanish, usar is often preferred for casual speech, while utilizar tends to appear in formal, technical, or academic contexts. In Portuguese, utilizar is common in formal or technical writing, with utiliza serving the standard third-person present form.

Examples:

- Spanish: Esta app utiliza inteligencia artificial para analizar datos. Ella utiliza herramientas digitales en su trabajo.

- Portuguese: Ela utiliza um software de gestão para acompanhar os recursos da empresa.

See also: utilizar, usar, empleo, aplicação, uso.