provocar
“provocar” means “to cause” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to cause, to bring about
Also: to trigger
📝 In Action
La lluvia fuerte puede provocar inundaciones.
B1Heavy rain can cause flooding.
Sus palabras provocaron una gran discusión.
B1His words triggered a big argument.
to provoke
Also: to taunt
📝 In Action
No le hagas caso, solo intenta provocarte.
B2Don't pay attention to him, he's just trying to provoke you.
to feel like
Also: to crave
📝 In Action
Me provoca un helado de chocolate.
C1I feel like a chocolate ice cream.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: provocar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'provocar' to mean 'to cause'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'provocare', which means 'to call forth' or 'to summon out'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'provocar' always a bad thing?
Not necessarily! While it often refers to causing problems or arguments, it can also be used for neutral or positive things, like 'provocar una reacción' (to cause a reaction) or 'provocar curiosidad' (to cause curiosity).
Can I use 'provocar' to say I'm hungry?
In countries like Colombia or Venezuela, yes! You can say 'Me provoca una pizza' to mean 'I'm craving a pizza.' In Spain, however, people would usually use 'Me apetece' instead.