acceder

Acceder is a Spanish verb with two broad senses. It can mean to gain access or entry to a place, a system, or information, and it can also mean to agree to or consent to a request, proposal, or condition. In daily language, it is common in contexts ranging from physical entry to digital authentication and formal negotiation.

Etymology and sense development: acceder comes from Latin accēdere, from ad- “toward” + cēdere “to go, yield.” Over time the term acquired both literal meanings of approaching or entering and figurative ones of yielding or consenting. In modern usage, it is typically combined with the preposition a to indicate what is being accessed or to what one consents (acceder a un acuerdo, a una solicitud).

Conjugation overview: acceder is a regular -er verb. Present: yo accedo, tú accedes, él accede, nosotros accedemos, vosotros accedéis, ellos acceden. Other common forms include preterite accedí, imperfect accedía, future accederé; subjunctive present acceda, imperfect accediera; imperative accede (tú), acceda (usted), accedamos, acceded, accedan. The past participle is accedido and the gerund accediendo.

Usage notes: physical access (acceder a una habitación, a un sistema informático) and consent to a request or proposal (acceder a una petición, a un acuerdo) are the main domains. While similar to aceptar, acceder often carries a nuance of formal agreement or permission, rather than mere acceptance. In computing, “acceder” is widely used for logging in or retrieving data.

See also: acceder (computing), consentir, aceptar, permitir.