prevén

Prevén is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Spanish verb prevenir. In usage, prevén indicates that the subjects foresee, anticipate, or take precautions in relation to a situation. The verb prevenir has two major senses in contemporary Spanish: to prevent (to stop something from happening) and to warn or inform in advance, prompting preventive action. In many contexts, prevén specifically conveys forecasting or anticipating events.

Etymology and forms: Prevén derives from the verb prevenir, which comes from Latin praevenire, formed from prae- “before” and venire “to come.” In Spanish, prevenir is irregular in the present tense: yo prevengo, tú previenes, él/ella/Ud prevé, nosotros prevenimos, vosotros prevenís, ellos/ellas/Uds prevén. The accent on the final syllable in prevén marks the stress pattern for this plural form.

Grammatical usage: Prevén is used when the subject is a plural noun or pronoun (ellos, ellas, ustedes). It can express forecast, expectation, or precautionary actions. It is distinct from prever, which more directly means “to foresee,” though they are related and share similar senses.

Examples:

- Las agencias prevén lluvias para mañana.

- Los analistas prevén un crecimiento moderado del mercado.

- Si no se toman medidas, podrían prevén riesgos mayores, según los expertos (note: mejor forma: prevén).

See also: prever, prevenir, anticipar. The choice between prevenir and prever depends on whether the emphasis is on foreseeing (prever) or on preventing/alerting (prevenir).