devenir

A literary/formal verb meaning to become or turn into, favored in philosophical, academic, and elevated writing over the everyday convertirse or llegar a ser: la crisis devino en catástrofe. As a noun, el devenir (becoming/flux) is a core term in Western philosophy, especially associated with Heraclitus.

• La protesta pacífica devino en enfrentamiento violento. — The peaceful protest turned into a violent confrontation.
• Con los años, aquel proyecto devino en una empresa consolidada. — Over the years, that project became an established company.
• Para Heráclito, todo deviene y nada permanece igual. — For Heraclitus, everything becomes and nothing stays the same.

Using devenir in casual speech where convertirse en or llegar a ser would sound natural — devenir carries a formal, literary register; it can sound stilted in everyday conversation.

Often confused with convertir.

• quote La doctrina del devenir (Heráclito) — Heraclitus's philosophy — often summarized as "todo fluye" ("panta rhei", everything flows) — is standardly called in Spanish-language philosophy "la doctrina del devenir," contrasted with Parmenides's philosophy of "el ser" (being); it's a foundational concept taught in Spanish-language philosophy courses.