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toque

TOH-keh/ˈto.ke/

touch, tap

Also: feel, jolt
NounmA1
Two human index fingers lightly touching tips, symbolizing physical contact.

📝 In Action

Sentí un toque en mi hombro y me giré.

A1

I felt a touch on my shoulder and turned around.

Solo dale un toque suave al botón para encenderlo.

A2

Just give the button a gentle tap to turn it on.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • dar un toque – to give a tap/to call (colloquial)
  • un toque eléctrico – a small electric shock

hint, flair

Also: touch, dash
NounmB1
A chef's hand sprinkling a tiny pinch of bright red spice into a large cooking pot, representing a small amount of flavor.

📝 In Action

La salsa necesita un toque de limón para equilibrar el sabor.

B1

The sauce needs a hint of lemon to balance the flavor.

Su apartamento tiene un toque moderno muy elegante.

B2

Her apartment has a very elegant modern touch.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • un toque personal – a personal touch
  • un toque de color – a splash of color

chime, signal

Also: ringing, style of playing
NounmB1
A large, golden cartoon bell hanging, with visible sound waves radiating outwards to indicate a chime.

📝 In Action

A las doce sonó el toque de campanas que anunciaba la misa.

B1

At twelve, the chime of the bells rang out announcing the mass.

El toque de trompeta indicó el fin del desfile.

B2

The trumpet signal indicated the end of the parade.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • toque de diana – reveille (morning signal)
  • toque de oración – call to prayer

curfew

NounmB2formal
Latin America
A sturdy wooden gate is firmly closed across a winding path at night, symbolizing a curfew or restriction on movement.

📝 In Action

El gobierno impuso un toque de queda desde medianoche.

B2

The government imposed a curfew starting at midnight.

Debido a las protestas, tuvimos que respetar el toque de queda.

C1

Due to the protests, we had to respect the curfew.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • restricción (restriction)
  • prohibición (prohibition)

Common Collocations

  • imponer un toque de queda – to impose a curfew
  • levantar el toque de queda – to lift the curfew

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "toque" in Spanish:

felt→knocked→performed→played→touched→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: toque

Question 1 of 3

Which meaning of 'toque' is used in the phrase 'El chef le dio un toque de canela'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tocar(to touch, to play (instrument)) — Verb
tocador(dressing table; player (audio)) — Noun
intocable(untouchable) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
enfoquecoloque
📚 Etymology▼

The noun 'toque' is derived directly from the Spanish verb 'tocar,' which itself comes from the Vulgar Latin word *toccare* (meaning 'to strike' or 'to knock'). The core idea is always related to making brief contact, whether physical, auditory (like a bell being struck), or sensory.

First recorded: 13th century (in forms related to 'tocar')

Cognates (Related words)

French: toucherItalian: toccare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'toque' the same as 'tocar'?

No. 'Tocar' is the verb (the action itself: 'to touch'), and 'toque' is the noun (the result or instance of that action: 'a touch').

How do I know if 'toque' means 'touch' or 'hint'?

Look at the words around it. If it's followed by 'de' and a substance (like 'sal,' 'limón,' 'color'), it means 'a hint' or 'a dash.' If it's used with a body part, it means a physical 'touch.'