How to Say "to lecture" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to lecture” is “predicar” — B1 level.
Examples
El sacerdote suele predicar sobre la bondad cada domingo.
The priest usually preaches about kindness every Sunday.
No puedes predicar la paz mientras buscas conflictos.
You cannot advocate for peace while seeking conflicts.
Es fácil predicar, pero lo difícil es dar el ejemplo.
It is easy to lecture, but the hard part is setting the example.
Spelling Change in the Past
When talking about yourself in the past (the 'yo' form), the 'c' changes to 'qu' to keep the hard 'K' sound. Instead of 'predicé', it is 'prediqué'.
Spelling Change in Wishes and Commands
In the special verb forms used for wishes or negative commands (subjunctive), the 'c' always becomes 'qu' (e.g., 'no prediques').
The 'Preach To' Trap
Mistake: “No puedes predicar a la gente.”
Correction: Puedes predicar a la gente, but often in Spanish we just say 'predicar' or 'predicar algo a alguien'. To say 'preach at someone' in a nagging way, we often use 'dar un sermón'.
Related Translations
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