How to Say "to trigger" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to trigger” is “provocar” — use 'provocar' when 'to trigger' means to cause a physical reaction, an event, or a negative consequence..
provocar
/pro-bo-KAR//pɾoβoˈkaɾ/
Examples
El recorte de personal provocó una huelga en la fábrica.
The staff cuts triggered a strike at the factory.
La lluvia fuerte puede provocar inundaciones.
Heavy rain can cause flooding.
Sus palabras provocaron una gran discusión.
His words triggered a big argument.
The 'C' to 'QU' Swap
When the letter 'c' is followed by an 'e', it changes to 'qu' to keep the hard 'K' sound. You'll see this in the 'yo' form of the past tense (provoqué) and all 'special wish' forms (provoque).
Not just for negative things
Mistake: “Only using provocar for bad situations like accidents.”
Correction: You can use it for positive things too, like 'provocar una sonrisa' (to cause a smile).
despertar
des-per-TAR/des.peɾˈtaɾ/
Examples
El olor a pan recién hecho despertó recuerdos de su infancia.
The smell of fresh bread triggered memories of her childhood.
La música despertó una vieja nostalgia en ella.
The music awoke an old nostalgia in her.
Su discurso despertó gran controversia en la prensa.
His speech sparked great controversy in the press.
Provocar vs. Despertar
Related Translations
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