formar

Formar is a verb in Spanish and Portuguese with several related meanings centered on creating, shaping, or assembling. It is also used to denote education or training. Core senses include giving form to physical objects or ideas, establishing groups or institutions, and developing skills or character.

Etymology and range of use: Formar comes from Latin formare, from forma meaning form or shape. In both languages, it can refer to making something concrete, constituting a group or organization, or forming opinions and abilities. The noun forms related to these ideas include formacion/formação (education or training), and formador/formador (trainer).

Spanish usage: In Spanish, formar is a regular -ar verb. It can express forming a group (formar un equipo), forming an opinion (formar una opinión), or becoming educated or trained (formarse en una escuela). Reflexive use, formarse, means to educate oneself or to train. Conjugation examples in the present tense: formo, formas, forma, formamos, formáis, forman.

Portuguese usage: In Portuguese, formar is also regular in the present tense: formo, formas, forma, formamos, formáis, formam (in standard European Portuguese, the second-person forms are typically formas vs formas, depending on regional variation; Brazilian usage often favors você forma). It covers forming a team (formar uma equipe), forming an opinion (formar uma opinião), and, in the reflexive form, formar-se to graduate or to complete one's education (formação and formatura are the related nouns).

See also: formacao/formação (education and training), formador/formador (trainer), con-formar, dar forma.