ocupan

Ocupan is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Spanish verb ocupar, meaning to occupy, take up space, or hold a position. It is used when the subject (they) performs the action of occupying something or taking up time, space, or responsibility. The verb can pair with direct objects and various complements, including physical spaces, roles, tasks, or periods of time.

Conjugation and usage notes: the full present tense paradigm for ocupar is: yo ocupo, tú ocupas, él/ella/usted ocupa, nosotros ocupamos, vosotros ocupáis, ellos/ellas/ustedes ocupan. Ocupan frequently appears with nouns such as lugar, sitio, habitación, cargo, tarea, or tiempo (occupy a place, a position, a task, or time). It can be used literally or figuratively, as in ocupar la atención or ocupar dos horas.

Common examples: Ocupan la primera fila del teatro. They occupy the front row of the theater. Su equipo ocupa mucho espacio en el almacén. Their team occupies a lot of space in the warehouse. La empresa ocupa un puesto destacado en el mercado. The company occupies a prominent position in the market. No ocupan nada de su tiempo libre. They do not take any of their free time.

Etymology and related forms: ocupar derives from Latin occupare, meaning to seize or take possession. Related terms include ocupación (occupation), ocupante (occupant), and ocupado (occupied). Distinctions exist between literal occupancy and figurative uses, as well as related verbs like vencer or tomar in certain contexts.

See also: ocupar, ocupación, ocupante, ocupado.