Approves in Spanish | Exact Verbs And Real Usage

Most of the time, you’ll say “aprueba,” the “he/she approves” form of aprobar, and swap verbs when “approve” means “like,” “authorize,” or “pass.”

You’ve got a sentence in English. It says “approves.” You want the Spanish that sounds like a native wrote it, not a word-by-word swap. That’s the whole trick here: English “approve” covers a few different ideas, and Spanish picks a different verb or phrase depending on what’s being approved and why.

This article gives you the clean choices, the exact conjugations, and the usage that fits real writing: emails, school contexts, office documents, and everyday speech. You’ll also see the spots where “approve” is notaprobar.

What “Approves” Means In English Before You Translate It

English uses “approve” in a few common ways. Spanish splits those meanings up. If you lock onto the meaning first, the Spanish version falls into place.

Approval As A Decision Or Official Sign-Off

This is the classic “approve a plan, budget, request, policy, permit” sense. Spanish usually uses aprobar here. The dictionary entry from the Real Academia Española backs that core meaning: to judge something as acceptable or sufficient. Use RAE “aprobar” when you want the standard definition.

Approval As Personal Opinion

English also uses “approve of” to mean “like” or “think it’s fine.” Spanish often goes with estar de acuerdo, ver bien, or parecer bien rather than aprobar. You can still use aprobar in some opinion contexts, but it can feel formal or judgmental in casual talk.

Approval In School: Passing A Class Or Exam

In many places, aprobar means “to pass” a subject or exam. That creates a neat pair with suspender (“to fail”). If you’ve ever wondered whether Spanish treats “fail an exam” as something you do or something done to you, Fundéu explains the everyday usage clearly in Fundéu on “suspender” vs “ser suspendido”.

Approves in Spanish

When “approves” means “he/she approves” in the present tense, the most direct Spanish form is aprueba.

Use “Aprueba” When The Subject Is He/She/It Or A Singular Noun

Think: “My manager approves the request.” In Spanish: Mi jefe aprueba la solicitud.

Same shape with “the committee,” “the school,” “the bank,” “the app,” or any singular thing acting as the subject: El comité aprueba…

Watch The Double Meaning: Statement vs Command

Aprueba can also be an informal command to “you” (tú): “Approve it.” Context keeps it clear in real writing, but it’s worth knowing when you see it standing alone.

Quick Present-Tense Forms You’ll Use Most

• yo apruebo — I approve / I pass
• tú apruebas — you approve / you pass (informal)
• él/ella/usted aprueba — he/she approves, you approve (formal)
• nosotros aprobamos — we approve / we pass
• ellos/ellas/ustedes aprueban — they approve, you all approve

How To Choose The Right Spanish Verb For “Approve” In Real Sentences

Here’s the part that saves you from stiff, translated-sounding Spanish. Start with the object (what’s being approved), then pick the verb that matches the situation.

When Someone Signs Off On A Document

Use aprobar when the act is a decision, a formal acceptance, or a step in a process.

• La dirección aprueba el presupuesto.
• El supervisor aprueba la solicitud.
• El ayuntamiento aprueba la norma.

If you want a more spoken, everyday tone, Spanish also leans on phrases like dar el visto bueno or dar luz verde. These can feel friendlier in messages while still being clear.

When “Approve Of” Means “Like” Or “Agree With”

English: “I don’t approve of that.” Spanish often sounds more natural with:

• No estoy de acuerdo con eso.
• No me parece bien.
• No lo veo bien.

These don’t sound like a moral verdict. They sound like a human reacting.

When “Approve” Means “Authorize” Or “Permit”

Many times, aprobar still works. Other times, Spanish prefers autorizar when the meaning is strictly permission.

• El médico autoriza el regreso al trabajo.
• La entidad aprueba el préstamo.

Pick autorizar when permission is the whole point, and there’s a sense of granting leave.

When “Approve” Means “Pass” In School

In academic settings, aprobar is the standard verb for passing a subject or exam. For the flip side, you’ll often see suspender, with usage notes spelled out in RAE DPD entry on “suspender”.

• Aprueba Matemáticas.
• Aprueba el examen.
• Suspende Física.

Up to here, you’ve got the main choices. Next comes the practical map: which Spanish option fits which English sentence, with notes that stop common mistakes.

English “approve(s)” use	Best Spanish choice	When it fits
He approves the budget.	Aprueba	Formal decision or acceptance in a process.
She approves the request.	Aprueba / da el visto bueno	Aprueba for official tone; phrase for a more natural message.
The bank approves the loan.	Aprueba	Standard in finance and admin writing.
I approve of your decision.	Estoy de acuerdo / me parece bien	Opinion, agreement, or personal stance.
I don’t approve of that behavior.	No lo veo bien	Everyday disapproval without sounding like a judge.
The doctor approves the return to work.	Autoriza	Permission-focused meaning.
He approves (passes) the exam.	Aprueba	Academic meaning: passing a test or subject.
She approves (likes) the plan.	Le gusta / le parece bien	Preference, not an official sign-off.

Common Mistakes That Make Spanish Sound Translated

These are the slip-ups that pop up a lot when someone maps English grammar straight onto Spanish. Fixing them makes your sentence read clean.

Using “Aprobar” For Every “Approve Of” Sentence

Aprobar can carry a sense of judging or evaluating. In daily speech, it can sound heavier than you intend. If the line is about personal opinion, me parece bien or estoy de acuerdo often fits better.

Mixing Up “Aprueba” And “Apruebe”

Aprueba is present indicative (a statement) or an informal command. Apruebe is the formal command (usted) and also a present subjunctive form. If your sentence is a plain statement like “He approves the plan,” stick with aprueba.

Forgetting That Spanish Often Drops The Subject

English needs “he/she.” Spanish often doesn’t. Both lines work:

• El director aprueba el informe.
• Aprueba el informe.

In formal writing, naming the subject can add clarity. In chatty writing, leaving it out can feel smoother.

Overusing “Autorizar” When It’s Not Permission

Autorizar is strong and specific: permission granted. If someone is reviewing and accepting a request, aprobar often matches better.

“Approves” In Emails, Messages, And Workplace Spanish

If you write for work, tone matters as much as grammar. These patterns are widely used and don’t feel stiff.

Short Approval Lines That Sound Natural

• Queda aprobado. (It’s approved.)
• Ya está aprobado. (It’s already approved.)
• Te lo apruebo. (I’ll approve it for you.)
• Te doy el visto bueno. (I’m giving it the go-ahead.)

Clear, Polite Requests For Approval

Spanish often prefers direct phrasing with a soft ending.

• Cuando puedas, aprueba la solicitud.
• ¿Puedes revisar y aprobar el documento?
• Avísame cuando lo apruebes.

When A Committee Or System Is The Subject

With “the system approves,” Spanish stays straightforward:

• El sistema aprueba la operación.
• La comisión aprueba la propuesta.

Conjugation Cheat Sheet For The Forms People Search Most

You don’t need every tense to translate “approves,” but knowing the nearby forms helps you write with confidence. This table keeps it tight.

Subject	Present (approve/approves)	Preterite (approved)
yo	apruebo	aprobé
tú	apruebas	aprobaste
él/ella/usted	aprueba	aprobó
nosotros/nosotras	aprobamos	aprobamos
ellos/ellas/ustedes	aprueban	aprobaron

Mini Checks Before You Hit Publish Or Send

Use this fast checklist when you’re writing Spanish for an email, a report, a caption, or a message. It helps you pick the right option without second-guessing.

Ask One Question: Is This A Decision Or A Feeling?

• If it’s a decision, process step, or sign-off: aprobar → aprueba.
• If it’s agreement or opinion: estoy de acuerdo, me parece bien, lo veo bien.
• If it’s permission granted: autorizar.
• If it’s school passing: aprobar (and the opposite is often suspender).

Check The Subject So The Verb Form Matches

“Approves” is third-person singular in English. In Spanish, that usually points to aprueba. If your subject is “I,” “you,” or “they,” swap the verb form to match.

Choose The Tone You Want

Aprueba reads neutral and standard. Da el visto bueno reads friendly and human. Both can be correct. Pick the one that fits your audience.

Quick Practice Lines You Can Reuse

Copy the structure, then change the noun. These patterns work across lots of situations.

• Aprueba la solicitud hoy.
• El gerente aprueba el cambio.
• Si te parece bien, lo dejamos así.
• El médico autoriza el alta.
• Aprueba el examen y pasa de curso.

Once you connect “approve” to the right Spanish meaning, the translation stops feeling like a puzzle. You’re not hunting a single magic word. You’re picking the verb that matches what’s happening in the sentence.