Inklingo

How to Say "to incite" in Spanish

English → Spanish

incitar

/een-see-TAR//insiˈtaɾ/

verbB2general
Use 'incitar' when you mean to provoke or urge someone to take a specific action or feel a strong emotion, often with a negative outcome.
A small bird chirping loudly at a group of sleepy owls to wake them up.

Examples

Sus palabras incitaron a la multitud a pedir justicia.

His words incited the crowd to demand justice.

El profesor busca incitar la curiosidad de los estudiantes.

The teacher seeks to spark the students' curiosity.

No debemos incitar al odio en las redes sociales.

We must not incite hatred on social media.

The 'A' Bridge

When 'incitar' leads to an action, you must use the word 'a' before the next verb or noun. For example: 'Me incitó a comer'.

Regular Pattern

This verb follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar, making it easy to conjugate once you know the basics.

Missing the Preposition

Mistake: “Me incitó correr.”

Correction: Me incitó a correr. In Spanish, we need that 'a' to connect the push to the action.

agitar

/ah-hee-tar//axiˈtaɾ/

verbB2general
Use 'agitar' to describe the act of stirring up a crowd, group, or even emotions, causing unrest or commotion.
A small cartoon bird with wide eyes and ruffled feathers looking flustered and nervous.

Examples

La mala noticia agitó a toda la familia.

The bad news agitated the whole family.

El discurso agitó a las masas.

The speech stirred up the masses.

No te agites por cosas tan pequeñas.

Don't get yourself worked up over such small things.

Reflexive Use for Emotions

When someone 'gets worked up' or 'becomes agitated' themselves, use the form 'agitarse'. This adds 'se' to show the action is happening to the person doing it.

Don't forget the 'se'

Mistake: “Él agita mucho cuando habla de política.”

Correction: Él se agita mucho cuando habla de política. (He gets worked up...). Without 'se', it sounds like he is physically shaking an object.

fomentar

/fo-men-tar//fomenˈtaɾ/

verbC1general
Use 'fomentar' when you mean to promote, encourage, or foster something negative like violence, hatred, or discord over time.
A small hand poking a sleeping bear with a stick.

Examples

Sus palabras solo sirven para fomentar el odio.

His words only serve to foster hatred.

Acusaron al líder de fomentar la violencia en las calles.

They accused the leader of inciting violence in the streets.

Negative Connotations

While 'fomentar' is often positive, when paired with words like 'violence' or 'hatred,' it means providing the conditions for those bad things to grow.

Incitar vs. Fomentar

Learners often confuse 'incitar' and 'fomentar'. Remember that 'incitar' usually refers to provoking an immediate action or strong emotion, while 'fomentar' implies a slower, more sustained process of encouraging something negative.

Related Translations

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