Alter vs Change vs Modify vs Revise vs Transform

Cuándo usar cada una en inglés, con significado, registro y ejemplos.

Alter

Más de 10 000 (menos común) B2 verb

Change

Top 1000 (muy común) A1 verb

Modify

Top 2000 (común) B2 verb

Revise

Top 1000 (muy común) B1 verb

Transform

Top 1000 (muy común) B2 verb

	Alter	Change	Modify	Revise	Transform
Pronunciación	🇬🇧 //ˈɔːltə// 🇺🇸 //ˈɔltɚ//	🇬🇧 /["/tʃeɪndʒ/","/ˈtʃeɪndʒɪz/","/tʃeɪndʒd/","/ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/tʃeɪndʒ/","/ˈtʃeɪndʒɪz/","/tʃeɪndʒd/","/ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈmɒdɪfaɪ/","/ˈmɒdɪfaɪz/","/ˈmɒdɪfaɪd/","/ˈmɒdɪfaɪɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈmɑːdɪfaɪ/","/ˈmɑːdɪfaɪz/","/ˈmɑːdɪfaɪd/","/ˈmɑːdɪfaɪɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 //rɪˈvaɪz// 🇺🇸 //rɪˈvaɪz//	🇬🇧 /["/trænsˈfɔːm/","/trænsˈfɔːmz/","/trænsˈfɔːmd/","/trænsˈfɔːmɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/trænsˈfɔːrm/","/trænsˈfɔːrmz/","/trænsˈfɔːrmd/","/trænsˈfɔːrmɪŋ/"]/
Significado	Cambiar algo. To change something.	hacer algo diferente to make something different	Cambiar algo para mejorarlo o hacerlo diferente. Change something to make it better or different.	Estudiar o cambiar algo para mejorarlo. To study or change something to improve it.	cambiar algo por completo to change something completely
Ejemplo	The dress was altered to fit better.	I decided to change my hairstyle for the summer.	You can modify the document by adding new sections.	I need to revise my notes before the exam.	The new technology will transform the way we communicate.
Registro	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
Qué tan común	Más de 10 000 (menos común)	Top 1000 (muy común)	Top 2000 (común)	Top 1000 (muy común)	Top 1000 (muy común)
Nivel CEFR	B2	A1	B2	B1	B2
Categoría gramatical	verb	verb	verb	verb	verb
Colocaciones	alter the course, alter the agreement, alter the design, alter behavior, alter personality	considerably, dramatically, drastically, from, into, to, change out of all recognition, considerably, dramatically, drastically, from, into, to, change out of all recognition, considerably, dramatically, drastically, from, into, to, change out of all recognition	considerably, drastically, extensively, have to, need to, for, highly modified, in a modified form, modified to fit something	revise for an exam, revise a document, revise a proposal, revise your work, revise a plan	considerably, dramatically, fundamentally, help (to), be used to, from, into, the ability to transform somebody/​something, the power to transform somebody/​something, considerably, dramatically, fundamentally, help (to), be used to, from, into, the ability to transform somebody/​something, the power to transform somebody/​something
Antónimos	preserve, maintain, retain	remain, stay	maintain, preserve, keep	ignore, neglect, overlook	maintain, preserve
Errores comunes	Confusing with 'change' - 'alter' usually implies a more significant adjustment., Using 'alter' without an object - it should always follow an object., Incorrectly using 'altered' as a noun.	Confused with 'exchange' which means to swap something., Using 'change' without an object, e.g., saying 'I change' instead of 'I change my clothes'., 'Changed' and 'change' misused in verb forms.	Confusing with 'modification', which is the noun form., Using 'modify' without an object, which is incorrect., Overusing 'modify' instead of synonyms like 'change' or 'adjust' in casual speech.	Confused with 'review'; 'revise' implies making changes, while 'review' means to look over., Using 'revise' without an object; it should always be 'revise something'., Using 'revise' in contexts that require 'edit'; be sure to consider the difference.	Confused with 'transpose' when referring to changing order., Using 'transform' without a clear object., Overusing in informal contexts.
Notas de uso	Usa 'alterar' cuando quieras indicar un cambio o modificación. Es más formal que 'cambiar'. Evita usarlo para ajustes muy menores o triviales. Use 'alter' when you want to indicate a change or modification. It is more formal than 'change'. Avoid using it for very minor or trivial adjustments.	Usa 'cambio' cuando hables de hacer modificaciones o alteraciones. Es apropiado tanto en inglés hablado como escrito, en contextos casuales o formales. Evita usarlo en situaciones que requieran un término más específico, como 'transformar' o 'alterar'. Use 'change' when talking about making modifications or alterations. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, in casual or formal contexts. Avoid using it in a situation that requires a more specific term, like 'transform' or 'alter'.	Usa 'modificar' cuando hables de cambios en planes, documentos u objetos. Es neutral, así que es apropiado en la mayoría de los contextos, como en entornos académicos o de negocios. Use 'modify' when discussing changes to plans, documents, or objects. It's neutral, so it's appropriate in most contexts, such as academic or business settings.	Usa 'revisar' cuando hables de repasar materiales o hacer mejoras. Es común en contextos académicos, pero también puede aplicarse a proyectos laborales. Evita usarlo en conversaciones informales. Use 'revise' when talking about reviewing materials or making improvements. It's common in academic contexts but can also apply to work projects. Avoid using it in casual conversations.	Usa 'transformar' en contextos como ciencia, cambio personal o artes. Evita usarlo en situaciones demasiado informales. Use 'transform' in contexts like science, personal change, or arts. Avoid using in overly casual situations.

Míralo en clips reales

Top Gear › S1 E1

which means they're going to change the bumpers and the bonnet

- Unimportant? Oh, here, you try it. - No, nobody wants to change.

Succession › S1 E1

And you never lawyered the trust change.

Top Gear › S1 E1

which means they're going to change the bumpers and the bonnet

- Unimportant? Oh, here, you try it. - No, nobody wants to change.

Change

Preguntas frecuentes: Alter vs Change vs Modify vs Revise vs Transform

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre Alter, Change, Modify, Revise y Transform?

Alter: To change something. Change: to make something different Modify: Change something to make it better or different. Revise: To study or change something to improve it. Transform: to change something completely

¿Alter, Change, Modify, Revise y Transform tienen el mismo nivel CEFR?

Alter: B2, Change: A1, Modify: B2, Revise: B1, Transform: B2 en la escala CEFR.

¿Qué categoría gramatical son Alter, Change, Modify, Revise y Transform?

Alter: verb, Change: verb, Modify: verb, Revise: verb, Transform: verb.

¿Puedes mostrar un ejemplo de cada una?

Alter: The dress was altered to fit better. Change: I decided to change my hairstyle for the summer. Modify: You can modify the document by adding new sections. Revise: I need to revise my notes before the exam. Transform: The new technology will transform the way we communicate.

¿Puedo usar Alter, Change, Modify, Revise y Transform indistintamente?

No siempre. Alter, Change, Modify, Revise y Transform están relacionadas y a veces se solapan, pero difieren en registro, frecuencia y uso, así que cambiar una por otra puede alterar el significado o el tono. Revisa las diferencias de arriba antes de sustituir.