dominar

Dominar is a verb present in both Spanish and Portuguese with several related meanings. It commonly denotes having mastery or command over a skill, subject, language, or area, as in mastering a technique or excelling in a field. It can also mean exercising control or influence over people, territories, or situations, and in stronger senses to conquer or subdue an opponent. The sense can be neutral (skill mastery) or evaluative (dominating a market, a rival, or a crowd).

Etymology and related terms: Dominar derives from Latin dominare, from dominus meaning master or lord. In both languages, it is connected to nouns such as dominio (domain, control) and dominación or dominação (domination), as well as adjectives like dominante (dominant).

Usage and conjugation: In Spanish, present tense forms are: yo domino, tú dominas, él/ella/usted domina, nosotros/nosotras dominamos, vosotros/vosotras domináis, ellos/ellas/ustedes dominan. In Portuguese, present tense forms are commonly given as: eu domino, tu dominas, ele/ela domina, nós dominamos, vocês dominam (with regional variation using tu and você). In both languages, dominar is a regular -ar verb and follows standard conjugation patterns for the present tense.

Notes: Dominar is often contrasted with sin by connotations of gradual skill development versus overt force. Its cognates appear across Romance languages, and its noun forms—domínio in Portuguese and dominio in Spanish—refer to control, realm, or authority.