actuar
verbCEFR B1
What does “actuar” mean in English?
to perform, to appear on stage or in a show — intransitive in this sense; contrasts with interpretar
to perform, to appear on stage or in a show — intransitive in this sense; contrasts with interpretar (to play a specific role); noun: la actuación (the performance)
Example sentences
La banda actuó ante más de diez mil personas y el público no paró de cantar durante todo el concierto, desde la primera nota hasta la última.
The band performed in front of more than ten thousand people and the audience did not stop singing throughout the entire concert, from the first note to the last.
Es la primera vez que actúa en este teatro, aunque ya ha actuado en escenarios mucho más grandes en otras ciudades de Europa.
It is the first time she has performed in this theatre, although she has already performed on much bigger stages in other European cities.
La policía actuó con rapidez cuando descubrió que el organizador había vendido más entradas de las que el aforo permitía.
The police acted quickly when they discovered that the organiser had sold more tickets than the venue capacity allowed.
How to use it
Actuar means 'to perform' or 'to act' in a public or professional context. It is intransitive when referring to performance: el grupo actuó ante miles de personas (the group performed before thousands). With a role, it becomes interpretar a un personaje (to play a character) — actuar alone does not specify which role. Actuar also has a second B1 sense: 'to act' in the sense of behaving or responding: actuó con mucha profesionalidad (he acted very professionally). Key collocations: actuar en un teatro, actuar ante un público, actuar en vivo, actuar de telonero (to perform as support act). The agent noun is el/la actor/actriz (male/female actor).
Common mistake
Actuar in the behave sense (actuar con profesionalidad) vs actuar in the perform sense (actuar en el escenario) is an important polysemy. When specifying a role played, use interpretar: interpretó el papel de Hamlet. Actuar alone does not specify the role. The noun from actuar in the perform sense is la actuación (the performance); el actor/la actriz is the person.