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invocar

een-boh-KAHR/imboˈkaɾ/

“invocar” means “to invoke” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to invoke, to call upon

Also: to summon
VerbB1regular (with spelling change) ar
A person kneeling under a starry sky with their hands reached out toward a glowing beam of light descending from the clouds.
gerundinvocando
past Participleinvocado
infinitiveinvocar

📝 In Action

En la película, los magos invocan a un dragón antiguo.

B1

In the movie, the wizards invoke an ancient dragon.

Mucha gente invoca a los santos para pedir ayuda.

B1

Many people call upon the saints to ask for help.

El chamán comenzó a invocar a los espíritus del bosque.

B2

The shaman began to summon the spirits of the forest.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • invocar un espíritu – to summon a spirit
  • invocar la ayuda de – to call upon the help of

to cite, to appeal to

Also: to invoke
VerbC1regular (with spelling change) arformal
A person in a formal suit pointing toward a thick, heavy book resting on a wooden podium.
gerundinvocando
past Participleinvocado
infinitiveinvocar

📝 In Action

El acusado decidió invocar su derecho a guardar silencio.

C1

The defendant decided to invoke his right to remain silent.

No puedes invocar esa ley porque ya no está vigente.

C1

You cannot cite that law because it is no longer in effect.

Invocaron razones humanitarias para permitir la entrada del barco.

C2

They appealed to humanitarian reasons to allow the ship to enter.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • invocar un derecho – to invoke a right
  • invocar el artículo – to cite the article (of a law)
  • invocar un tratado – to invoke a treaty

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesinvocaran
yoinvocara
túinvocaras
vosotrosinvocarais
nosotrosinvocáramos
él/ella/ustedinvocara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesinvoquen
yoinvoque
túinvoques
vosotrosinvoquéis
nosotrosinvoquemos
él/ella/ustedinvoque

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesinvocaron
yoinvoqué
túinvocaste
vosotrosinvocasteis
nosotrosinvocamos
él/ella/ustedinvocó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesinvocaban
yoinvocaba
túinvocabas
vosotrosinvocabais
nosotrosinvocábamos
él/ella/ustedinvocaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesinvocan
yoinvoco
túinvocas
vosotrosinvocáis
nosotrosinvocamos
él/ella/ustedinvoca
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "invocar" in Spanish:

to cite→to invoke→to summon→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: invocar

Question 1 of 3

Which form of 'invocar' is correct for 'I invoked' (past)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
invocación(invocation) — Noun
invocador(summoner/invoker) — Noun
invocado(the person/thing called upon) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'invocare', which combines 'in' (towards) and 'vocare' (to call). Essentially, it means 'to call into' or 'to call for help'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: invokeFrench: invoquerItalian: invocare

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'invocar' and 'evocar'?

'Invocar' is used when you are asking for help or calling something into action (like a law or a spirit). 'Evocar' is used when something brings a memory or a feeling to your mind.

Is 'invocar' a common word in daily Spanish?

Not for everyday chores. You won't 'invocar' your mom to dinner. It is reserved for formal, legal, religious, or fantasy contexts.

Does 'invocar' always need the letter 'a'?

Only when you are calling upon a person or a personified entity (like a god or spirit). If you are citing a law or a reason, you don't use 'a'.