loguear

loguear is a verb of Spanish origin that has become widely used in the context of information technology to denote the action of logging in or creating a log entry in a computer system. The term is a borrowing of the English word log, which in computing is used to record events, transactions, or user actions. In Spanish, the standard verb for this action is iniciar sesión, but loguear has gained popularity especially in internet and software communities due to its brevity and informal tone.

Etymologically, loguear is a recent formation derived from the noun log, combined with the Spanish verbal suffix –ear, which forms verbs that indicate the performing of an action. As such, loguear literally means “to log”. The suffix is common in Spanish for forming verbs from foreign nouns, as seen in terms like connextear (to connect) or noodlear (to noodle).

In practice, loguear appears in user interfaces, documentation, and everyday conversation among professionals and enthusiasts. For example, a login screen might display “¡loguea aquí!” meaning “log in here!”. The term can also refer to the act of storing information in a log file, for instance “el programa loguea cada error” (“the program logs each error”).

Despite its widespread use, loguear is considered non-orthodox because it is a blend of English and Spanish. Traditional Spanish dictionaries often list it as a colloquial or informal term, whereas formal registers may prefer the verb entrar (to enter) or acceder (to access). Nevertheless, loguear remains a standard part of contemporary technical Spanish, reflecting the global influence of English on digital vocabulary.