toca
“toca” means “touches” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
touches, is touching
Also: feels (with hands), knocks
📝 In Action
Ella nunca toca la pared porque está recién pintada.
A1She never touches the wall because it's freshly painted.
¿Quién toca la puerta?
A2Who is knocking on the door?
Usted toca el tema con demasiada sensibilidad.
B1You (formal) approach the subject too sensitively.
plays
Also: performs
📝 In Action
Mi hermano toca la guitarra muy bien.
A1My brother plays the guitar very well.
El DJ toca música en la fiesta.
A2The DJ plays music at the party.
it's the turn of
Also: it's necessary, concerns
📝 In Action
Me toca pagar la cena esta noche.
B1It's my turn to pay for dinner tonight. (Literally: It touches me to pay)
A él no le toca decidir eso.
B2It's not up to him to decide that.
Esa canción no toca los temas que me interesan.
C1That song doesn't deal with the topics that interest me.
coif, wimple
Also: cap
📝 In Action
Las enfermeras usaban una toca blanca durante la operación.
B2The nurses wore a white cap during the operation.
La toca de la monja cubría su rostro casi por completo.
C1The nun's wimple covered her face almost completely.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "toca" in Spanish:
cap→coif→concerns→is touching→it's necessary→knocks→performs→plays→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: toca
Question 1 of 2
Which English word best captures the meaning of 'A quién le toca limpiar hoy'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Vulgar Latin *toccare, which possibly has an imitative origin (sounding like the action of hitting or tapping). It replaced the classical Latin verb tangere (to touch).
First recorded: 13th century (in similar forms)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
If 'toca' means 'touches' and 'plays,' how do I know which one is being used?
Context is key! If you see 'toca' followed by an instrument ('la guitarra,' 'el piano'), it means 'plays.' If it's followed by a physical object ('la mesa,' 'el botón'), it means 'touches' or 'presses.' If it’s used with 'le/me/te' (like 'me toca'), it means 'it’s my turn.'
Is the noun 'toca' (head covering) related to the verb 'tocar' (to touch)?
While the spellings are identical, the noun 'toca' often comes from a slightly different origin related to 'cap' or 'hood.' However, sometimes Spanish words with related actions (like 'touching' or 'covering') evolve to share a root, though the noun meaning is quite specialized today.