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determinar

to determine

verb deh-tehr-mee-NAHR Less Common
Mind & Emotions Mental States

Also means

to establish

Usage Note

Determinar is a regular -ar verb. It can mean to determine a fact (determinar la causa) or to decide/resolve to do something, especially in formal or legal writing (el juez determinó que…). The adjective determinado is a false friend risk: it means 'specific' or 'determined' depending on context, not always 'determined' in the English willpower sense.

Examples

"Los expertos determinaron la causa del accidente."

Natural Translation

The experts determined the cause of the accident.

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