How to Say "to prompt" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to prompt” is “instar” — use 'instar' when you mean to strongly encourage or urge someone to do something, often a formal or official recommendation..
instar
/een-STAR//insˈtaɾ/
Examples
El jefe insta a su equipo a completar el proyecto a tiempo.
The boss urges his team to complete the project on time.
El gobierno insta a los ciudadanos a reciclar más.
The government urges citizens to recycle more.
Mi jefe me instó a terminar el informe hoy mismo.
My boss pressed me to finish the report this very day.
Las autoridades instan a la calma tras el incidente.
The authorities urge for calm following the incident.
Using the 'A' Bridge
In Spanish, when you urge someone to do something, you always use the word 'a' before the person AND before the action. For example: 'Insto a María a estudiar' (I urge Maria to study).
Triggering the Special Verb Form
When you use 'instar que' to urge that someone else does something, the second verb must use the subjunctive (the special form for wishes and commands), like 'Insto a que vengas' (I urge you to come).
Forgetting the 'A'
Mistake: “Insto los alumnos estudiar.”
Correction: Insto a los alumnos a estudiar. You need 'a' before the person you are urging and 'a' before the following action.
soplar
/so-PLAR//soˈplaɾ/
Examples
El actor olvidó su diálogo, pero su colega se lo sopló discretamente.
The actor forgot his lines, but his colleague whispered them to him discreetly.
Mi mejor amigo me sopló la respuesta del número cinco.
My best friend whispered the answer to number five to me.
No vale que te soplen durante el examen.
It's not allowed for people to give you the answers during the exam.
Le soplé el guion porque se había olvidado de su frase.
I prompted him with the script because he had forgotten his line.
Using 'me' and 'te' with this meaning
When someone whispers an answer to you, you use words like 'me' or 'le' to show who is receiving the secret information. Example: 'Él me sopló' (He whispered it to me).
Encouraging vs. Whispering
Related Translations
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