incitar
“incitar” means “to incite” in Spanish (provoking an action or emotion).
to incite, to urge
Also: to spark, to egg on
📝 In Action
Sus palabras incitaron a la multitud a pedir justicia.
B2His words incited the crowd to demand justice.
El profesor busca incitar la curiosidad de los estudiantes.
B1The teacher seeks to spark the students' curiosity.
No debemos incitar al odio en las redes sociales.
C1We must not incite hatred on social media.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: incitar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses 'incitar' with a connecting word?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'incitare', which means 'to put into rapid motion', 'to urge', or 'to hasten'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'incitar' always bad?
Not necessarily. While it's often used for things like violence or hatred, it's also used positively for stimulating curiosity, debate, or reflection.
How is 'incitar' different from 'animar'?
'Animar' is more like 'to cheer on' or 'to encourage' in a friendly way. 'Incitar' is more intense and implies provoking a specific reaction or behavior.
Is 'incitar' a common word in daily conversation?
It's slightly more formal. In casual talk, people might use 'picar' (to poke/tease) or 'animar', but you'll hear 'incitar' frequently on the news or in literature.