Inklingo

How to Say "to declare" in Spanish

English → Spanish

decretar

/deh-creh-TAR//de.kɾe.ˈtaɾ/

verbB1personal
Use 'decretar' when you are firmly stating a personal intention or a decision you are making for yourself or a group, often with a sense of authority or finality.
A person standing on a mountain peak with their arms open wide looking at a sunrise, representing a positive affirmation.

Examples

Hoy decreto que dejaré de comer dulces.

Today I declare that I will stop eating sweets.

Hoy decreto que será un día lleno de éxitos.

Today I manifest that it will be a day full of success.

Ella siempre decreta abundancia para su familia.

She always affirms abundance for her family.

Si quieres algo, decrétalo al universo.

If you want something, manifest it to the universe.

Direct Object vs. That-Clause

You can 'decretar' a thing (Yo decreto abundancia) or 'decretar' that something will happen (Yo decreto que me irá bien). Both are common in this context.

Don't confuse with 'decir'

Mistake: “Yo decreto que el perro tiene hambre.”

Correction: Yo digo que el perro tiene hambre. 'Decretar' implies you are trying to make the reality happen through your words, not just stating a fact.

proclamar

/pro-kla-MAR//pɾoklaˈmaɾ/

verbB1public, official
Choose 'proclamar' when making something known to the public in an official or formal way, especially for important announcements or declarations.
A royal herald in colorful clothing standing in a town square holding a long decorative scroll.

Examples

El nuevo rey fue proclamado ante la multitud.

The new king was proclaimed before the crowd.

El país decidió proclamar su independencia.

The country decided to proclaim its independence.

Fue proclamado el ganador de la competencia.

He was proclaimed the winner of the competition.

La ONU proclamó el Día Internacional de la Paz.

The UN proclaimed the International Day of Peace.

A Regular -ar Verb

This verb follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar. If you know how to conjugate 'hablar', you can conjugate 'proclamar'!

Using the Passive Style

In news, you'll often see 'fue proclamado' (he was proclaimed). This uses the past form of 'to be' plus the word ending in -ado.

Proclamar vs. Decir

Mistake: “No hace falta proclamar que tienes hambre.”

Correction: No hace falta decir que tienes hambre. Use 'decir' for everyday speech; 'proclamar' is for big, important news.

pronunciar

/pro-noon-syahr//pɾonunˈsjaɾ/

verbB2official, formal
Use 'pronunciar' when referring to the act of formally uttering or delivering a statement, speech, or judgment, often in an official setting.
A person standing behind a wooden podium speaking to an audience.

Examples

El juez pronunció la sentencia después de una larga deliberación.

The judge pronounced the sentence after a long deliberation.

El director pronunció un discurso muy emotivo.

The director delivered a very emotional speech.

El juez pronunciará la sentencia el próximo lunes.

The judge will hand down the sentence next Monday.

Es el momento de que el gobierno se pronuncie sobre la crisis.

It is time for the government to take a stand on the crisis.

Pronunciar vs. Dar

While English says 'give a speech,' Spanish uses 'pronunciar un discurso' for a more formal and correct tone.

The Reflexive Use

When someone says 'pronunciarse sobre algo,' they aren't talking about how to say a word; they mean 'to make their opinion known' or 'to take a side'.

Wrong verb for speeches

Mistake: “Él hizo un discurso.”

Correction: Él pronunció un discurso. Using 'pronunciar' makes you sound much more advanced and natural.

Decretar vs. Proclamar

Learners often confuse 'decretar' and 'proclamar'. Remember that 'decretar' is typically for personal, firm decisions, while 'proclamar' is for public, official announcements. Avoid using 'decretar' for public declarations.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.