How to Say "to compel" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to compel” is “forzar” — use 'forzar' when you want to express obligating someone through general pressure, persuasion, or coercion, without necessarily invoking a formal rule or law..
forzar
/for-SAR//foɾˈθaɾ/
Examples
No puedes forzar a nadie a quererte.
You cannot force anyone to love you.
La crisis forzó al gobierno a tomar medidas.
The crisis forced the government to take measures.
The 'O' to 'UE' Change
In many present-tense forms, the 'o' in the middle of forzar changes to 'ue' when you stress it (like 'fuerzo').
Spelling Change (Z to C)
When a form ends in 'e' (like 'forcé'), the 'z' changes to 'c' to keep the soft 's/th' sound.
Don't forget the 'A'
Mistake: “Forzar él a venir.”
Correction: Forzarlo a venir. When you force someone to do an action, always use 'a' before the next verb.
obligar
/oh-blee-gar//o.βliˈɣaɾ/
Examples
Mis padres me obligan a limpiar mi habitación todos los sábados.
My parents force me to clean my room every Saturday.
La lluvia nos obligó a quedarnos en casa.
The rain forced us to stay at home.
El contrato te obliga a trabajar cuarenta horas por semana.
The contract requires you to work forty hours per week.
The 'A' Bridge
In Spanish, 'obligar' almost always needs the word 'a' before you say the next action. It follows the pattern: Obligar + Person + A + Action.
Spelling Shift
To keep the hard 'G' sound (like in 'gold'), the letter 'g' changes to 'gu' whenever the next letter is 'e'. For example, 'I forced' is 'obligué' (not 'obligé').
The Missing 'A'
Mistake: “Me obligaron ir al médico.”
Correction: Me obligaron A ir al médico. Spanish requires the 'a' to connect 'force' to the next action.
Forzar vs. Obligar
Related Translations
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