Using the Verb 'Resultar'

Resultar, which obviously is related to the English word "result," is a handy verb for indicating how something turned out. It is used in a wider variety of situations than you might expect, so while it always carries the same basic meaning — indicating the status of something as the result of some action — you may need to be creative in translating it.

Resultar is usually used in the third person and sometimes is used as an impersonal verb. It usually is used to indicate how something turned out and is followed in such cases by a noun or adjective. The verb ser can be included but is seldom if ever mandatory:

• El plan resultó ser malicioso y autoritario. The plan turned out to be malicious and authoritarian.
• Su idea resultó imposible de cumplir. Her idea was impossible to carry out.
• La verdad resultó una mentira. The truth ended up being a lie.
• El primer día resultó un éxito. The first day was successful.
• Un soldado tejano resultó herido en la tragedia. One Texas soldier was injured in the tragedy.
• La actriz resultó ilesa de un accidente automovilístico. The actress wasn't hurt in an automobile accident.
• Esta fuerza resultaba ser directamente proporcional al producto de sus masas, e inversamente proporcional al cuadrado de la distancia que separa los centros de los cuerpos. This force turned out to be directly proportional to the product of their masses, and inversely proportional to the square of the distance separating the center of the objects.
• Yo resulté embarazada a los 18 años. I ended up being pregnant at 18.

Without a noun or adjective following, resultar can mean that something worked out or turned out fine:

• El concierto resultó. The concert turned out well.
• Espero que te resulte. I hope it works out for you.

Resultar en can usually be translated as "to result in" or "to cause":

• Un error en Facebook resultaba en cientos de grupos hackeados. A Facebook error resulted in hundreds of hacked groups.
• Abolir el estado no resultaría en caos. Abolishing the state would not cause chaos.

In many cases, resultar can indicate an emotional reaction:

• Creo que te resultará interesante. I think you'll find it interesting.
• Para muchos latinoamericanos resultaba sorprendente que tales doctrinas procedieran de la misma nación que tenía el poder de vida y muerte sobre sus economías. For many Latin Americans it was surprising that such beliefs came from the same country that had the power of life and death over their economies.
• El autor me resulta a veces un poco repetitiva en sus temas. The author seems a bit repetitive to me in his subject matter.

Resultar de can be used to indicate the origin of a situation:

• ¿Qué resulta de la reacción de ácido sulfúrico con un compuesto orgánico? What is the outcome of a reaction between sulfuric acid with an organic compound?
• El Land Glider de Nissan es un vehículo que resultó de la combinación de un auto y una motocicleta. The Nissan Land Glider is a vehicle that came out of combining a car and a motorcycle.

As you can see from the above examples, sentences using resultar can frequently be translated in a variety of ways. As usual, you can use context to determine which understanding of the verb is most suitable.