publicar
/poo-blee-KAHR/
to post
Publicar can mean to post content on social media or the internet.
publicar(verb)
to post
?on social media or the internet
to share
?digital content or photos
📝 In Action
Ella va a publicar una foto nueva en Instagram.
A1She is going to post a new photo on Instagram.
No debes publicar información personal en internet.
A2You shouldn't post personal information on the internet.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'C' to 'QU' Swap
In the 'I' form of the past (publiqué) and all command forms, the 'c' changes to 'qu' so it keeps the hard 'K' sound. Without it, it would sound like a 'S'!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Posting vs. Advertising
Mistake: "Using 'publicar' to mean 'to advertise'."
Correction: Use 'anunciar' for advertising products. 'Publicar' is for making content or information available.
⭐ Usage Tips
Digital Native
While it literally means 'to publish', young people use this for everything they do on TikTok, Instagram, or X.
Publicar also refers to the act of publishing books, articles, or research.
publicar(verb)
to publish
?books, articles, or research
to release
?official reports or news
📝 In Action
El autor publicó su novela el año pasado.
B1The author published his novel last year.
La revista publica artículos científicos cada mes.
B2The magazine publishes scientific articles every month.
⭐ Usage Tips
Publicar vs. Editar
In English, 'to edit' is what you do before you publish. In Spanish, 'editar' can sometimes mean the whole process of publishing, but 'publicar' is specifically the act of making it available to the public.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: publicar
Question 1 of 1
How do you say 'I published' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'publicar' always involve books?
No! In modern Spanish, it is the most common word for 'posting' anything on social media, like a photo, video, or comment.