Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Develop in Spanish: Desarrollar
Desarrollar · verb · deh-sah-roh-YAHR
Desarrollar is the Spanish verb meaning to develop, used for creating projects, building skills, or advancing ideas.
deh-sah-roh-YAHR
Queremos desarrollar una nueva aplicación para el negocio.
We want to develop a new app for the business.
Develop in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for develop, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| desarrollar | develop | deh-sah-roh-YAHR | Default, widely understood |
| elaborar | develop | to develop a plan or product | |
| revelar | develop | to develop photographs |
How Native Speakers Use Desarrollar
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Professional growth
Es importante desarrollar nuevas habilidades en tu carrera.
It's important to develop new skills in your career.
Giving career advice to a colleague.
Software project
El equipo va a desarrollar el sistema en tres meses.
The team is going to develop the system in three months.
Discussing a project timeline at work.
Child development
Los niños desarrollan el lenguaje rápidamente entre los dos y los cuatro años.
Children develop language quickly between ages two and four.
Talking about childhood milestones.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Desarrollar
Using developar as a false cognate
Incorrect: Necesitamos developar un plan nuevo.
Correct: Necesitamos desarrollar un plan nuevo.
Developar does not exist in Spanish — the correct verb is desarrollar, which comes from des- (un-) + arrollar (to roll up).
Confusing desarrollar with revelar
Incorrect: Vamos a desarrollar las fotos del viaje.
Correct: Vamos a revelar las fotos del viaje.
For developing photographs specifically, revelar is the correct verb — desarrollar is used for projects, skills, and growth.
Lock in Develop Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Desarrollar used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using desarrollar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Queremos desarrollar una nueva aplicación para el negocio. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Develop in Spanish
- How do you say 'develop' in Spanish?
- The primary translation is desarrollar, which covers most meanings of develop including creating, growing, and building.
- What is the noun form of desarrollar?
- The noun is desarrollo, meaning development — for example, el desarrollo económico means economic development.
- Can desarrollar be used reflexively?
- The reflexive form desarrollarse means to develop oneself or to unfold naturally, as in La historia se desarrolla en Madrid (The story takes place in Madrid).