probar
“probar” means “try” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
try, taste
📝 In Action
¿Quieres probar mi helado de mango?
A1Do you want to try my mango ice cream?
Probamos muchos platos típicos en el mercado.
A2We tasted many traditional dishes at the market.
Nunca pruebo el vino tinto, solo bebo blanco.
A2I never try red wine; I only drink white.
test, try out
📝 In Action
Debemos probar el coche nuevo antes de comprarlo.
A2We must test the new car before buying it.
El director quiere probar una política diferente.
B1The director wants to try out a different policy.
Probamos la conexión a internet varias veces.
A2We tested the internet connection several times.
prove, demonstrate
📝 In Action
Necesitas documentos para probar tu edad.
B1You need documents to prove your age.
El científico no pudo probar su hipótesis con los datos.
B2The scientist could not prove his hypothesis with the data.
Su comportamiento prueba que está equivocado.
B1His behavior proves that he is wrong.
try on
📝 In Action
¿Puedo probarme esta camisa en una talla más grande?
A2Can I try on this shirt in a bigger size?
Me pruebo los zapatos antes de comprarlos.
A2I try on the shoes before buying them.
Ella se probó diez vestidos, pero no le gustó ninguno.
B1She tried on ten dresses, but didn't like any of them.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: probar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the reflexive form of 'probar'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin verb *probare*, which carried the core meaning of 'to test,' 'to examine,' or 'to find to be good/valid.' The different uses in Spanish (testing flavor, testing an object, or testing the truth) all stem from this single root of verification.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre 'probar' y 'intentar'?
Use 'probar' when you are sampling something (food, clothes, a device) or showing evidence (proving a fact). Use 'intentar' (or 'tratar de') when you mean 'to attempt' or 'to try' to carry out a specific action or goal (like 'I tried to call you').
Does 'probar' always have the o > ue stem change?
No, only in the present tense forms where the stress falls on the root, such as *yo pruebo* or *tú pruebas*. The *nosotros* and *vosotros* forms are regular: *probamos* and *probáis*.