How to Say "triggers" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “triggers” is “provoca” — use 'provoca' when something causes a general reaction or state, like an emotion or a physical sensation..
provoca
/pro-BOH-kah//pɾoˈβoka/
Examples
El café me provoca dolor de cabeza.
Coffee gives me a headache.
El exceso de sal provoca sed.
Too much salt causes thirst.
Su actitud provoca muchos problemas en la oficina.
His attitude causes a lot of problems in the office.
Which 'Provoca' is it?
This word has two main jobs: it can mean 'he, she, or it causes,' or it can be a command telling someone 'Provoke!' or 'Cause!'
Don't only think 'Anger'
Mistake: “Using 'provoca' only when someone is being annoying.”
Correction: In Spanish, 'provoca' is much more common for simply saying something 'results in' or 'causes' something else, like a medicine causing sleepiness.
dispara
/dees-PAH-rah//disˈpaɾa/
Examples
El movimiento detectado dispara las luces.
The detected movement triggers the lights.
La caída de tensión dispara la alarma de seguridad.
The voltage drop triggers the security alarm.
Ese recuerdo le dispara una gran tristeza.
That memory triggers deep sadness in him.
El sensor dispara la cámara cuando detecta movimiento.
The sensor activates the camera when it detects movement.
Mechanism Use
In this context, the subject is often an inanimate object (like 'sensor' or 'memory') that initiates an action automatically.
General Reactions vs. Specific Mechanisms
Related Translations
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