C2 · 50 words
Power and influence in Spanish
Who really decides, and how you can tell.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Power and influence are two different things, and Spanish keeps them apart. La potestad is the formal right to decide something; el ascendiente is the weight a person's word carries with nothing written down to explain why. This list gathers both sides — the offices and competences on one, the quiet routes on the other — and the words for what goes wrong in between. Near the end sits one that English cannot say in a word. El ninguneo is built out of ninguno, nobody: it is the practice of treating a person as though they were not there — not answering, not consulting, not looking up when they speak, leaving a name off a list. English has to describe it: « being sidelined », « frozen out », « passed over », « treated as a nobody ». Spanish made a noun of it, which means it can be named out loud in a meeting, and a thing that can be named is harder to keep doing.
The words
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Phrase (44)
el crédito personal ante los demásthe personal standing with othersPhraseC2
El crédito personal ante los demás se pierde con un solo gesto.Personal standing with others is lost with a single gesture.
el poder fácticothe power as it actually isPhraseC2
El poder fáctico está donde se decide el presupuesto.The power as it actually is sits where the budget is decided.
la capacidad de vetothe veto in practicePhraseC2
Sin cargo alguno tenía capacidad de veto.With no post at all they had a veto in practice.
el margen de maniobrathe room for manoeuvrePhraseC2
El margen de maniobra se estrechó tras la auditoría.The room for manoeuvre narrowed after the audit.
la correa de transmisiónthe drive beltPhraseC2
El comité era la correa de transmisión de la dirección.The committee was the drive belt of the board.
el interlocutor válidothe person actually worth talking toPhraseC2
Nadie sabía quién era el interlocutor válido.Nobody knew who the person actually worth talking to was.
la persona de confianzathe trusted personPhraseC2
La persona de confianza cambia con cada dirección.The trusted person changes with every new management.
el círculo estrechothe narrow circlePhraseC2
La decisión salió del círculo estrecho.The decision came out of the narrow circle.
la puerta giratoriathe revolving doorPhraseC2
La puerta giratoria está regulada por ley.The revolving door is regulated by law.
el grupo de presiónthe pressure groupPhraseC2
El grupo de presión presentó su informe al comité.The pressure group put its report to the committee.
la agenda ocultathe hidden purposePhraseC2
Sospechaban una agenda oculta detrás de la propuesta.They suspected a hidden purpose behind the proposal.
el favor devueltothe favour returnedPhraseC2
El nombramiento parecía un favor devuelto.The appointment looked like a favour returned.
la connivencia con el supervisadothe cosiness with the supervisedPhraseC2
La connivencia con el supervisado es difícil de probar.Cosiness with the supervised is hard to prove.
el conflicto de lealtadesthe clash of loyaltiesPhraseC2
El conflicto de lealtades acabó en dimisión.The clash of loyalties ended in a resignation.
la vía jerárquicathe proper channelsPhraseC2
La vía jerárquica se saltó dos escalones.The proper channels were jumped by two levels.
el poder delegadothe delegated powerPhraseC2
El poder delegado sigue siendo responsabilidad de quien delega.Delegated power remains the responsibility of whoever delegated it.
la firma mancomunadathe joint signaturePhraseC2
La firma mancomunada obliga a que sean dos.A joint signature requires two people.
el contrapeso institucionalthe institutional counterweightPhraseC2
El contrapeso institucional impidió la reforma.The institutional counterweight stopped the reform.
la obligación de explicarsethe duty to account for oneselfPhraseC2
La obligación de explicarse es anual y pública.The duty to account for oneself is annual and public.
la vigilancia desde dentrothe watch kept from insidePhraseC2
La vigilancia desde dentro detectó el desvío a tiempo.The watch kept from inside caught the diversion in time.
la concentración de funcionesthe piling up of roles in one personPhraseC2
La concentración de funciones en una persona es el riesgo.The piling up of roles in one person is the risk.
el reparto de firmasthe splitting of signing rightsPhraseC2
El reparto de firmas evita que uno lo apruebe todo.The splitting of signing rights stops one person approving everything.
el poder de convocatoriathe power to draw a crowdPhraseC2
Su poder de convocatoria llenó la sala.Their power to draw a crowd filled the hall.
la capacidad de fijar la agendathe power to set the agendaPhraseC2
La capacidad de fijar la agenda decide más que el voto.The power to set the agenda decides more than the vote.
el silencio estratégicothe tactical silencePhraseC2
El silencio estratégico dejó que otros se equivocaran.The tactical silence let the others make the mistake.
la maniobra dilatoriathe delaying manoeuvrePhraseC2
La maniobra dilatoria ganó seis meses.The delaying manoeuvre bought six months.
el hecho consumadothe accomplished factPhraseC2
Actuó y presentó un hecho consumado.They acted and presented an accomplished fact.
la coalición de circunstanciasthe alliance of conveniencePhraseC2
Fue una coalición de circunstancias, no de ideas.It was an alliance of convenience, not of ideas.
el apoyo tácitothe tacit supportPhraseC2
Contaba con el apoyo tácito de la mitad de la junta.They had the tacit support of half the board.
la abstención calculadathe calculated abstentionPhraseC2
La abstención calculada dejó pasar la propuesta.The calculated abstention let the proposal through.
el desgaste del cargothe wear of holding officePhraseC2
El desgaste del cargo se nota a los tres años.The wear of holding office shows after three years.
la sucesión ordenadathe orderly successionPhraseC2
La sucesión ordenada estaba prevista por escrito.The orderly succession had been set out in writing.
el cambio de generación al mandothe change of generation at the topPhraseC2
El cambio de generación al mando se aplazó otra vez.The change of generation at the top was put off again.
la caída en desgraciathe fall from favourPhraseC2
La caída en desgracia fue rápida y sin explicación.The fall from favour was quick and unexplained.
el cargo simbólicothe post that is only a titlePhraseC2
Le dieron un cargo simbólico sin competencias.They were given a post that is only a title, with no powers.
la promoción horizontalthe promotion that adds no powerPhraseC2
La promoción horizontal fue un modo de apartarlo.The promotion that adds no power was a way of moving them aside.
la legitimidad de origenthe legitimacy of how one got therePhraseC2
La legitimidad de origen no basta sin resultados.The legitimacy of how one got there is not enough without results.
la legitimidad de ejerciciothe legitimacy of how one governsPhraseC2
La legitimidad de ejercicio se gana cada día.The legitimacy of how one governs is earned every day.
el liderazgo sin cargothe leadership without officePhraseC2
El liderazgo sin cargo es el más difícil de sostener.Leadership without office is the hardest to keep up.
la influencia indirectathe influence at one removePhraseC2
La influencia indirecta actúa sobre quien decide.Influence at one remove works on the person who decides.
la presión ambientalthe pressure from all aroundPhraseC2
La presión ambiental hizo más que cualquier orden.The pressure from all around did more than any order.
el poder de la informaciónthe power of knowing firstPhraseC2
El poder de la información no se comparte por gusto.The power of knowing first is not shared for pleasure.
el acceso privilegiadothe privileged accessPhraseC2
El acceso privilegiado a los datos daba ventaja.Privileged access to the data gave an advantage.
la autoridad delegada al expertothe authority handed to the expertPhraseC2
La autoridad delegada al experto acabó decidiendo el proyecto.The authority handed to the expert ended up deciding the project.
Noun (f) (1)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
la potestadthe formal power to decideNoun (f)C2
La potestad para firmar está delegada.The formal power to decide has been delegated.
Noun (m) (5)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
el ascendientethe personal weight somebody carriesNoun (m)C2
Su ascendiente sobre el equipo no figura en ningún organigrama.The personal weight they carry appears on no organisation chart.
el pasillothe corridor conversationNoun (m)C2
Lo importante se acordó en el pasillo.The important part was settled in a corridor conversation.
el clientelismothe handing out of posts for loyaltyNoun (m)C2
El clientelismo se combate con concursos públicos.The handing out of posts for loyalty is fought with open competition.
el nepotismothe favouring of relativesNoun (m)C2
El nepotismo tiene un coste que no se ve en el balance.The favouring of relatives has a cost that shows on no balance sheet.
el ninguneothe treating of somebody as a nobodyNoun (m)C2
El ninguneo en las reuniones fue la señal.The treating of somebody as a nobody in meetings was the sign.
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This list belongs to Society, politics and media — 23 lists and 1 150 words that can also be practised as a whole.