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toco

TO-ko/ˈtoko/

“toco” means “I touch” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:

I touch

Also: I feel, I handle
VerbA1regular ar
A person's index finger gently touching the petal of a bright red flower.
infinitivetocar
gerundtocando
past Participletocado

📝 In Action

No toco ese botón porque parece peligroso.

A1

I don't touch that button because it looks dangerous.

Siempre toco la tela antes de comprar ropa.

A2

I always feel the fabric before buying clothes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • palpo (I feel/examine (with hands))

Common Collocations

  • toco la pared – I touch the wall
  • toco el tema – I mention the topic

I play

Also: I perform
VerbA1regular ar
A person smiling while strumming a small acoustic guitar.
infinitivetocar
gerundtocando
past Participletocado

📝 In Action

Toco el piano desde que tengo cinco años.

A1

I have played the piano since I was five years old.

Esta noche toco una canción nueva para mis amigos.

A2

Tonight I am playing a new song for my friends.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • toco la batería – I play the drums
  • toco un instrumento – I play an instrument

I knock, I ring

Also: I sound
VerbA2regular ar
A fist raised, making contact with a simple brown wooden door.
infinitivetocar
gerundtocando
past Participletocado

📝 In Action

Toco el timbre, pero nadie sale a abrir.

A2

I ring the doorbell, but no one comes out to open it.

Si toco muy fuerte, despierto a mi vecino.

B1

If I knock too hard, I'll wake up my neighbor.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • llamo (I call (at the door))

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedtoca
yotoco
tútocas
ellos/ellas/ustedestocan
nosotrostocamos
vosotrostocáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedtocaba
yotocaba
tútocabas
ellos/ellas/ustedestocaban
nosotrostocábamos
vosotrostocabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedtocó
yotoqué
tútocaste
ellos/ellas/ustedestocaron
nosotrostocamos
vosotrostocasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedtoque
yotoque
tútoques
ellos/ellas/ustedestoquen
nosotrostoquemos
vosotrostoquéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedtocara/tocase
yotocara/tocase
tútocaras/tocases
ellos/ellas/ustedestocaran/tocasen
nosotrostocáramos/tocásemos
vosotrostocarais/tocaseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: toco

Question 1 of 2

Which English translation is NOT correct for 'Toco la campana'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tocar(to touch, to play) — Verb
el toque(the touch, the knock, the style) — Noun
el tocamiento(the touching (act)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Vulgar Latin *toccare, which likely came from an onomatopoeic sound (like 'toc!'). Its original meaning was simply 'to strike' or 'to tap,' which explains why it is used for touching, knocking, and striking the strings of an instrument.

First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish.

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: toccareFrench: toucher

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if 'toco' means 'touch' or 'play'?

You must look at the context. If the sentence mentions an instrument (piano, guitarra), it means 'play.' If it mentions a surface or object (mesa, puerta), it usually means 'touch' or 'knock.' The meaning often becomes clear immediately.