The Spanish verb 'mandar' (to command) comes from the Latin verb 'mandare', meaning 'to entrust' or 'to command'. The Latin word 'mandare' itself is a combination of two Latin words: 'manus' meaning 'hand' and 'dare' meaning 'to give'. When these elements combined, the literal meaning was something like 'to give into someone's hands' or 'to entrust', which evolved to mean 'to command' or 'to order' as the act of entrusting authority or giving orders came to be associated with the gesture of handling something over.

Several common Spanish words share roots with 'mandar'. The word 'mano' (hand) comes from the same Latin root 'manus'. You can also find this root in words like 'manual' (manual, by hand) and 'manipular' (to manipulate). The connection between hands and command/control is preserved in these related words.

Many English words share ancestry with 'mandar' through the Latin roots. The word 'mandate' is directly related, coming from the same Latin 'mandare'. We also have words like 'command', 'demand', and 'recommend' which all contain this root. The 'man-' element from 'manus' (hand) appears in English words like 'manual', 'manage', and 'manipulate'. Understanding this connection between hands and control/command can help remember these related terms.