"Control" is to have direct power over something; "manage" is to administer or to succeed at something despite difficulty.
To have authority, dominance, or direct regulation over something. Implies power.
The thermostat controls the temperature in the building.
El termostato controla la temperatura en el edificio.
She struggled to control her anger during the argument.
Ella lucho por controlar su enojo durante la discusion.
The military controls the border region.
El ejercito controla la region fronteriza.
To administer resources, people, or situations. Also: to succeed at something with effort or difficulty.
She manages a team of fifteen people at the company.
Ella administra un equipo de quince personas en la empresa.
I do not know how he manages to do so much in one day.
No se como el logra hacer tanto en un solo dia.
We managed to finish the project on time despite the setbacks.
Logramos terminar el proyecto a tiempo a pesar de los contratiempos.
Common mistake
Using "control" when talking about managing people or resources: "He controls fifteen people" sounds dominant and negative (like a dictator). "He manages fifteen people" is the neutral and correct professional term. "Manage" is the professional word for leading teams, resources, and projects. "Control" implies direct power, sometimes with a negative connotation.
Trick to remember it
Connotation: "control" = direct power (can sound authoritarian). "Manage" = administer with responsibility (sounds professional). In work contexts, always "manage": "manage a team", "manage a budget", "manage a project". In contexts of handling a situation: both work, but "manage" with the meaning of "succeed" is different: "I managed to fix it."
Quick rule
Control = have direct power over something. Manage = administer (people/resources) or succeed at something despite difficulty.
Did you know?
"Manager" is one of the most globally used English words — borrowed directly into many languages. However, its base verb "manage" has a very specific colloquial use in English: "Can you manage?" means "Are you able to handle it / cope?" — without an explicit object, it is a question about someone's ability to deal with a situation.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She _____ a department of twenty engineers at a major tech firm.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The pilot barely _____ to land the plane safely in the crosswinds.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Control = have direct power over something. Manage = administer (people/resources) or succeed at something despite difficulty.
Using "control" when talking about managing people or resources: "He controls fifteen people" sounds dominant and negative (like a dictator). "He manages fifteen people" is the neutral and correct professional term. "Manage" is the professional word for leading teams, resources, and projects. "Control" implies direct power, sometimes with a negative connotation.
Connotation: "control" = direct power (can sound authoritarian). "Manage" = administer with responsibility (sounds professional). In work contexts, always "manage": "manage a team", "manage a budget", "manage a project". In contexts of handling a situation: both work, but "manage" with the meaning of "succeed" is different: "I managed to fix it."
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy