operar
/oh-peh-RAHR/
to perform surgery
Operar can mean 'to perform surgery' in a medical context.
operar(verb)
to perform surgery
?medical procedure
,to operate on
?medical procedure
to do surgery
?less formal
📝 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?
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'De' with Surgery
When talking about what part of the body is being fixed, Spanish often uses the preposition 'de' (of/from): 'Operar de la vesícula' (to operate on the gallbladder).
⭐ Usage Tips
Active vs. Passive
In medical contexts, it's very common to use 'ser operado/a' (to be operated on) to describe the patient's experience.
When a system or machine is working correctly, it is said to operar, or 'to function'.
operar(verb)
to function
?system/machine
,to work
?process/business
to run
?a business or service
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Context is Key
When referring to a machine or system, 'operar' means 'to work/function.' When referring to a person, it means 'to perform surgery.' The subject tells you the meaning.
In finance, operar is used to mean 'to trade' stocks or commodities.
operar(verb)
to trade
?finance/stocks
,to deal
?business transactions
to conduct transactions
?formal finance
📝 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
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: operar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'operar' in the sense of 'to function' or 'to work'?
📚 More Resources
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.'