Definition and Meaning
The verb lead means to guide or direct a person or group, or to be in charge or command. It can also mean to result in a particular outcome or to be ahead in a race or competition. The past tense of lead is led, which is an irregular form.
Present and Past Tense
Lead is pronounced /liːd/ in the present tense and means to guide or be in front, while led is pronounced /lɛd/ and is used as the past tense and past participle. Because lead and led differ in spelling and pronunciation, it is important to remember the distinction when speaking and writing.
Usage Examples
Using lead in the present tense: "I will lead the team to victory."
Using led in the past tense: "She led the group through the forest."
Conjugations
| English Pronoun | English Conjugation | Spanish Conjugation | English Example | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | lead | lidero | I lead the meeting every week. | Yo lidero la reunión cada semana. |
| You | lead | lideras | You lead the project well. | Tú lideras bien el proyecto. |
| He/She/It | leads | lidera | He leads the team by example. | Él lidera el equipo con el ejemplo. |
| We | lead | lideramos | We lead the competition. | Nosotros lideramos la competencia. |
| You (plural) | lead | lideráis/lideran | You lead the class. | Vosotros lideráis / Ustedes lideran la clase. |
| They | lead | lideran | They lead the market. | Ellos lideran el mercado. |
| All (past) | led | lideré/lideraste... | She led the team yesterday. | Ella lideró el equipo ayer. |
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is spelling the past tense as lead instead of led. Remember that led is the correct past form, while lead is only present tense. Another is confusing the pronunciation; led rhymes with red, not lead as in to lead.
Related Forms and Phrases
- leader – a person who leads.
- leadership – the act or position of leading.
- to take the lead – to become the leader or be ahead.
- to lead someone on – to deceive or mislead someone.
This verb is frequently used in leadership contexts, instructions, and descriptions of influence or direction.
