obrar
“obrar” means “to act” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to act
Also: to behave, to proceed
📝 In Action
Siempre intenta obrar de buena fe.
B1He always tries to act in good faith.
Obraste correctamente al decir la verdad.
B1You acted correctly by telling the truth.
Debemos obrar con mucha cautela en este asunto.
B2We must proceed with great caution in this matter.
to work
Also: to take effect
📝 In Action
La medicina tardará una hora en obrar.
B2The medicine will take an hour to work.
Sus palabras obraron un cambio en mi actitud.
C1Her words worked a change in my attitude.
to have a bowel movement
Also: to defecate
📝 In Action
El paciente no ha obrado en tres días.
B2The patient has not had a bowel movement in three days.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: obrar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses 'obrar' to mean acting in good faith?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'operari', which means 'to work' or 'to perform an action'. It shares the same root as the English words 'operate' and 'opera'.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'obrar' the same as 'trabajar'?
Not usually. 'Trabajar' refers to having a job or physical labor. 'Obrar' refers to the way you act (behavior) or a force taking effect (like medicine or a miracle).
Is 'obrar' a common word?
It is moderately common in formal writing, legal documents, and medical settings, but in casual daily conversation, people usually prefer 'hacer' or 'actuar'.
Is 'obrar' regular or irregular?
It is a perfectly regular -ar verb, meaning it follows the standard conjugation patterns for verbs like 'hablar'.