The part of the DAELE that has been developed can be consulted online. The verbs can be continually updated thanks to the subsidy from the Fundación Comillas.

Research into lexicography represents relating a) concrete and practical issues that necessitate the resources known as dictionaries with b) linguistic theory focused on issues of lexical units, as well as with c) the description of any languages that are the subject of dictionaries. The project was undertaken in three areas. The general objective of the plan submitted in the 2006 call for proposals was to develop the conceptual and methodological nucleus of a dictionary for learning Spanish as a foreign language, principally in the lexical categories of verb and adverb. The decision to start the project was based on the level of development of lexicography in Spain. It seemed reasonable to plan research geared towards improving these lexicographical products that would have concrete lexicographical results.

Stages in the project’s development and its results:

1. Updating of fundamental studies of the verb in general linguistics
2. Establishment of the list of verbs and their organisation into relationship groups
3. Compilation of errors in verb use
4. Establishment of the verbs file in the database
5. Selection of the type of definition: natural definition
6. Format for presenting the information on screen or screens
7. Stage of development of the draft on 31 December 2009:
   • Development of the draft in verb groups on the basis of semantic relationship: disminuir/aumentar (to decrease/to increase), abrir/cerrar (to open/to close), llenar/vaciar (to fill/to empty), sentir (to feel), decir/hablar (to say/to speak), levantar/bajar (to raise/to lower), romper (to break)
   • Study of verbs for organising written academic discourse: existir (to exist), aparecer (to appear), ocurrir (to occur), suceder (to happen), resultar (to result), distinguir (to distinguish), diferenciar (to differentiate), causar (to cause), concluir (to conclude), comparar (to compare), contrastar (to contrast), destacar (to highight), mostrar (to show)
   • Thorough examination of the most-used verbs: hacer (to do/make), dar (to give), tener (to have) and poner (to put)
   • Study and contrasting of verbs pertaining to knowledge: saber (to know), conocer (to know), entender (to understand)
   • Study of verbs categorised as cataphoric particles: oye (listen), mira (look), venga (come) and their flexive morphological series

The most significant successes of the project include:

a) Treatment of verb definition made from a semantic subspecification perspective, in line with Pustejovsky 1995, in transposition to conventional lexicography.

b) The collection of the combinatorial analysis associated with frequently used verbs on the basis of argument structure and alternations.

c) The characterisation of the verbs that structure formal written discourse, applicable to the teaching of Spanish for specific purposes.