How to Say "to invoke" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to invoke” is “invocar” — B1 level.
Examples
En la película, los magos invocan a un dragón antiguo.
In the movie, the wizards invoke an ancient dragon.
Mucha gente invoca a los santos para pedir ayuda.
Many people call upon the saints to ask for help.
El chamán comenzó a invocar a los espíritus del bosque.
The shaman began to summon the spirits of the forest.
The Spelling Swap
When 'yo' does an action in the past (the 'yo' preterite) or when using the special form for wishes (subjunctive), the 'c' changes to 'qu' to keep the sound hard. It's 'invoqué', not 'invocé'.
Using 'a' with Invocar
When you are calling upon a person, a deity, or a specific entity, you need to put the word 'a' after 'invocar'. For example: 'Invocan a los dioses'.
The 'c' vs 'qu' error
Mistake: “Yo invocé a los ancestros.”
Correction: Yo invoqué a los ancestros. In Spanish, 'ce' sounds like 's', so we use 'que' to keep the 'k' sound.
Other Meanings of “invocar”
“invocar” can also mean:
- applying a specific clause or treaty(C1, formal)
Related Translations
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