emplear

Emplear is a Spanish verb of transitive use with several related senses: to employ someone (to hire), to use or apply something (to utilize a tool or method), and to devote time or resources to a task. It can describe hiring people, allocating funds, or dedicating effort to a purpose. In many contexts, especially in formal or professional language, emplear emphasizes putting something to use or putting someone to work, while synonyms like usar or utilizar may be preferred for more general usage.

Etymology and usage notes: emplear derives from Latin roots related to implicare and entered Spanish via Romance language intermediaries, such as Old French emploier/employer. The verb is regular in its conjugation, though it carries a formal tone and is common in written and official discourse. Reflexive forms appear as emplearse, meaning to devote oneself to work or to be employed in a position, and can express effort or commitment.

Conjugation (selected forms): Emplear is a regular -ar verb. Present indicative: empleo, empleas, emplea, empleamos, empleáis, emplean. Preterite: empleé, empleaste, empleó, empleamos, empleasteis, emplearon. Imperfect: empleaba, empleabas, empleaba, empleábamos, empleabais, empleaban. Subjunctive present: emplee, emplees, emplee, empleemos, empleéis, empleen. Imperative: emplea (tú), emplee (usted), empleemos, emplead, empleen. Gerund: empleando. Past participle: empleado.

Examples: La empresa emplea a 200 personas. Empleó varios recursos para completar el proyecto. Debes emplear tu tiempo de manera más eficiente. Se emplea en proyectos de investigación para analizar datos.