operar
“operar” means “to perform surgery” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to perform surgery, to operate on
Also: to do surgery
📝 In Action
El cirujano operó al paciente del apéndice.
B1The surgeon operated on the patient for appendicitis.
¿Cuándo te van a operar de la rodilla?
B1When are they going to operate on your knee?
to function, to work
Also: to run
📝 In Action
El nuevo sistema operativo opera mucho más rápido.
B1The new operating system functions much faster.
Esta empresa opera en varios países de Latinoamérica.
A2This company operates in several Latin American countries.
to trade, to deal
Also: to conduct transactions
📝 In Action
Los inversores operaron con cautela en el mercado volátil.
C1The investors traded cautiously in the volatile market.
La compañía decidió operar solo con proveedores locales.
B2The company decided to deal only with local suppliers.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: operar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'operar' in the sense of 'to function' or 'to work'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin verb *operari*, meaning 'to work, toil, be busy, or perform.' It shares its root with the English word 'operate,' which explains the similarity in all its modern meanings.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'operar' always related to surgery?
No. While it is very common in medical contexts (to perform surgery), it is also used frequently to mean 'to work,' 'to function,' or 'to conduct business,' especially when talking about companies, systems, or financial markets.
How do I say 'I need an operation'?
You would use the related noun: 'Necesito una operación.' The verb 'operar' means 'to perform the operation,' not 'the operation itself.'