pertenece

Pertenece is the third-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb pertenecer, meaning to belong or to pertain. It is used to indicate that something or someone belongs to another person, to a group, or to a category. Examples: “Este libro pertenece a María.” “La colección pertenece al museo.”

Etymology and sense: pertenecer comes from Latin pertinere, formed by per- “toward” or “through” plus tenere “to hold.” The sense of belonging or relevance has remained central in modern Spanish, covering ownership, membership, or affiliation as well as relation to a topic or object.

Usage and constructions: comúnmente followed by a, indicating the possessor or group (pertenece a mi familia; pertenece al club). It can express ownership (“¿De quién es este coche que pertenece a la empresa?”) or affiliation with organizations, classes, or categories. In questions, it can ask about origin or association: “¿A quién pertenece este documento?” In negative or hypothetical contexts, the form still conveys belonging or relevance: “No pertenece a esa categoría.”

Conjugation note: pertenecer is an -ecer verb with a regular present tense pattern except for the yo form, which is pertenezco. The present tense forms include: yo pertenezco, tú perteneces, él/ella/usted pertenece, nosotros pertenecemos, vosotros pertenecéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes pertenecen. The form pertenece appears specifically for the third person singular.