The Spanish verb 'mudar' comes directly from the Latin verb 'mutare', meaning 'to change'. The evolution from Latin to Spanish shows a common sound change where the Latin 't' became 'd' between vowels, a process called lenition that occurred in many Spanish words derived from Latin. The meaning has remained remarkably stable, with 'mudar' maintaining the core sense of 'to change' while also extending to include 'to move' in Spanish.

Several common Spanish words share this Latin root, including 'mudo' (mute, silent), which originally referred to a change or lack in speaking ability, and 'mudanza' (move, removal), which refers to the process of changing locations. The prefix 'mu-' in these words often signals a concept related to change or transformation.

English speakers might recognize this Latin root in words like 'mutate', 'mutation', and 'mutual', all of which come from the same Latin 'mutare'. 'Mutate' directly preserves the original meaning of change or transformation, while 'mutual' developed from the idea of change or exchange between two parties. The word 'moult' (or 'molt' in American English), referring to an animal's periodic shedding of feathers, hair, or skin, also comes from this Latin root, representing a type of change or transformation.