On our agenda today, following a directive from above, is another pair of similar-looking Spanish words with different meanings and uses: directiva and directivo.
Taking an executive decision, let’s start with directiva (feminine), whose pronunciation you can listen to here:
In a company, la directiva is the people at the top who decide the overall strategy and make the key decisions – the board (of directors):
El equipo comenzó a sufrir problemas económicos debido a la mala administración por parte de su directiva.
The team began to have financial problems because of mismanagement by its board of directors.
La directiva of a council or political institution is a similar body of decision-makers, but in this case in English we’d probably call it the executive committee or the leadership:
por orden de la directiva del partido
by order of the party’s executive committee or the party leadership
Una directiva can also be an instruction from on high that must be followed – a directive:
No había más remedio que obedecer las directivas del partido.
There was no alternative but to obey the party directives.
Unas directivas can also be authoritative instructions about how something should be done – guidelines:
La nueva red social sigue las directivas generales de la empresa, por lo que no se puede publicar nada que tenga que ver con desnudos y pornografía.
The new social network follows the company’s guidelines, meaning nothing involving nudity or pornography can be published on it.
Una directiva is a woman who has a management role in an organization. She may be a manager, or if she’s more senior, an executive:
También llegó a ser directiva del centro cultural.
She also became a manager at the cultural centre or joined the management team at the cultural centre.
Actualmente es directiva en una firma de arquitectura.
She’s currently a manager or part of the management team at a firm of architects.
Turning to directivo (masculine), you can listen to its pronunciation here:
The male counterpart of una directiva is un directivo, a man who has a management role in an organization – a manager or an executive:
Está previsto que testifiquen también altos directivos de la compañía.
Senior managers from the company are also expected to testify.
Sin embargo, los directivos del ferrocarril decidieron prudentemente enviar un segundo tren.
However, the railway management wisely decided to send a second train.
Los directivos del club decidieron renovarle su contrato.
The club executives decided to renew his contract.
Having taken on board the main noun uses of directivo/directiva, let’s move on to how it works as an adjective (whose ending naturally varies to agree in gender and number with the noun it describes).
Directivo is used to describe things to do with running a business or other organization – management or managerial:
Ocupó puestos directivos en distintas empresas.
She held management or managerial positions in various companies.
Adquieren habilidades directivas e incrementan su empleabilidad.
They acquire management or managerial skills and improve their employability.
Defiende la igualdad de oportunidades y apoya a otras mujeres directivas.
She stands up for equal opportunities and supports other women in managerial or management roles.
La asociación está dirigida por una junta directiva con un presidente.
The association is managed by a board of directors with a president.
To read guidelines on the differences in usage between some more similar-looking Spanish words, join us again next week.
