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How to Say "to mark" in Spanish

English → Spanish

marcar

MAR-cah/ˈmaɾka/

verbA2general
Use 'marcar' when you want to indicate the action of making a visible sign, symbol, or indicator on something, often to identify, correct, or draw attention to it.
A close-up of a hand holding a sharp tool, carving a visible, simple line into the side of a wooden fence post.

Examples

Ella marca los errores en el papel.

She marks the errors on the paper.

Tienes que marcar el número antes de hablar.

You have to dial the number before speaking.

El delantero marcó un gol en el último minuto.

The striker scored a goal in the last minute.

The 'Car' Change Rule

Verbs ending in -car (like marcar) must change the 'c' to 'qu' when followed by an 'e'. This happens in the 'yo' form of the past tense (marqué) and in the special verb forms (subjunctive and commands) to keep the hard 'k' sound.

Preterite Error

Mistake: “Yo marcí (instead of marqué)”

Correction: The correct past tense 'I marked' is 'Yo marqué'. If you used 'marcí', it would change the sound, which is incorrect.

notar

/no-TAR//noˈtaɾ/

verbB2formal
Use 'notar' specifically when the action involves writing down or recording information, like making notes or annotations in a document or list.
A hand holding a pencil and writing a small mark on a piece of paper.

Examples

El secretario notó los nombres de los asistentes.

The secretary noted the names of the attendees.

Marcar vs. Notar for 'to mark'

Learners often confuse 'marcar' and 'notar' because both can involve adding information. Remember that 'marcar' is about making a physical mark (like circling or underlining), while 'notar' is specifically about writing down information or making annotations.

Related Translations

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