Provocar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb provocar means to provoke, to cause, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Provocar means to provoke or to cause, and it covers provoking a person, causing a fire, and causing laughter: provocar un incendio, provocar una risa. It is a spelling-change verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is provoqué and the subjunctive provoque. Like every Spanish verb, provocar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say provoco un incendio en el bosque, and in the preterite you say provoqué a su hermano en el patio. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: provocar
- English: to provoke, to cause
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: provocando
- Past participle: provocado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + provocado)
- Pattern to learn: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for provocar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is provoqué and the subjunctive provoque.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for provocar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | provoco |
| tú | provocas |
| él/ella/Ud. | provoca |
| nosotros/as | provocamos |
| vosotros/as | provocáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provocan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | provoqué |
| tú | provocaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | provocó |
| nosotros/as | provocamos |
| vosotros/as | provocasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provocaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | provocaba |
| tú | provocabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | provocaba |
| nosotros/as | provocábamos |
| vosotros/as | provocabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provocaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | provocaré |
| tú | provocarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | provocará |
| nosotros/as | provocaremos |
| vosotros/as | provocaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provocarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | provocaría |
| tú | provocarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | provocaría |
| nosotros/as | provocaríamos |
| vosotros/as | provocaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provocarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he provocado |
| tú | has provocado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha provocado |
| nosotros/as | hemos provocado |
| vosotros/as | habéis provocado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han provocado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había provocado |
| tú | habías provocado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había provocado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos provocado |
| vosotros/as | habíais provocado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían provocado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré provocado |
| tú | habrás provocado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá provocado |
| nosotros/as | habremos provocado |
| vosotros/as | habréis provocado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán provocado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría provocado |
| tú | habrías provocado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría provocado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos provocado |
| vosotros/as | habríais provocado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían provocado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | provoque |
| tú | provoques |
| él/ella/Ud. | provoque |
| nosotros/as | provoquemos |
| vosotros/as | provoquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provoquen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | provocara |
| tú | provocaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | provocara |
| nosotros/as | provocáramos |
| vosotros/as | provocarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provocaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | provoca |
| él/ella/Ud. | provoque |
| nosotros/as | provoquemos |
| vosotros/as | provocad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provoquen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | provoques |
| él/ella/Ud. | provoque |
| nosotros/as | provoquemos |
| vosotros/as | provoquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | provoquen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | provocando | with estar for the progressive: estoy provocando |
| Past participle | provocado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he provocado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the pattern here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque. For provocar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Provoco un incendio en el bosque. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque. For provocar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, provoqué una risa en clase. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, provocaba a su hermano en el patio. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, provocaré un debate en la reunión. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Provocaría un incendio en el bosque si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he provocado una risa en clase. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había provocado a su hermano en el patio antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré provocado un debate en la reunión. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría provocado un incendio en el bosque con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque. For provocar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él provoque una risa en clase. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For provocar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él provocara a su hermano en el patio, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque. For provocar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Provoca un debate en la reunión! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque. For provocar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No provoques un incendio en el bosque. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with provocar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Provoco un incendio en el bosque. — I provoke a fire in the forest.
- Provoca una risa en clase. — He/she provokes laughter in class.
- Ayer, provoqué a su hermano en el patio. — Yesterday, I provoked his brother in the yard.
- Antes, nosotros provocábamos un debate en la reunión. — Before, we used to provoke a debate in the meeting.
- Mañana, tú provocarás un incendio en el bosque. — Tomorrow, you will provoke a fire in the forest.
- Yo provocaría una risa en clase si tuviera más tiempo. — I would provoke laughter in class if I had more time.
- Él ha provocado a su hermano en el patio. — He has provoked his brother in the yard.
- Espero que él provoque un debate en la reunión. — I hope he provokes a debate in the meeting.
- Yo ya había provocado un incendio en el bosque antes de salir. — I had already provoked a fire in the forest before leaving.
- Ellos provocaban una risa en clase cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to provoke laughter in class when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo provoca un incendio en el bosque. — Right: Yo provoco un incendio en el bosque. — The person matters: provoca is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is provoco. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Espero que yo provoce un incendio en el bosque. — Right: Espero que yo provoque un incendio en el bosque. — Spelling change: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque, so the present subjunctive is provoque, never provoce.
- Wrong: Treating provocar and causar as identical in every context. — Right: Provocar means to provoke, to cause, while causar means to cause. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: provocar fits sentences such as Provoco un incendio en el bosque, while causar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy provocado una risa en clase. — Right: Yo he provocado una risa en clase. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he provocado, has provocado, ha provocado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo provoqué a su hermano en el patio todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo provocaba a su hermano en el patio todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (provocaba), not the preterite. The preterite (provoqué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on provocar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un incendio en el bosque. (present tense) A. provoco B. provocas C. provoca D. provocamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ una risa en clase. (preterite) A. provoqué B. provocaste C. provocamos D. provocó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a su hermano en el patio. (imperfect) A. provocabas B. provoco C. provocábamos D. provocaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ un debate en la reunión. (future) A. provocaremos B. provocarás C. provocaré D. provocará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un incendio en el bosque si pudiera. (conditional) A. provocaría B. provocarías C. provocaríamos D. provoco
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ una risa en clase. (present subjunctive) A. provoques B. provoquemos C. provoco D. provoque
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a su hermano en el patio, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. provocáramos B. provoco C. provocara D. provocaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ un debate en la reunión. (present perfect) A. ha provocado B. hemos provocado C. he provocado D. has provocado
Complete the command: ¡___ un incendio en el bosque! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. provoca B. provoque C. provoquemos D. provocad
Which is the gerund of provocar, used with estar for the progressive? A. provocado B. provoco C. provoqué D. provocando
Answer key
- provoco — The yo present tense of provocar is provoco.
- provocó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of provocar is provocó.
- provocábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of provocar is provocábamos.
- provocarás — The tú future of provocar is provocarás.
- provocaría — The yo conditional of provocar is provocaría.
- provoque — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of provocar is provoque.
- provocara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of provocar is provocara.
- hemos provocado — The nosotros/as present perfect of provocar is hemos provocado.
- provoca — The affirmative tú imperative of provocar is provoca.
- provocando — The gerund of provocar is provocando: estoy provocando. The participle provocado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does provocar mean in English?
Provocar means to provoke, to cause. It is used in everyday situations such as Provoco un incendio en el bosque. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is provocar regular or irregular?
Provocar is a spelling-change verb: it is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is provoqué and the present subjunctive is provoque. The endings are regular, so once you know the pattern you can produce every form on this page, including provoco in the present and provoqué in the preterite.
What is the difference between provocar and causar?
Provocar means to provoke, to cause, while causar means to cause. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use provocar when you mean to provoke, to cause, as in Provoco un incendio en el bosque, and use causar for to cause. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I provoke” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo provoqué una risa en clase. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo provocaba a su hermano en el patio. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he provocado una risa en clase.
How do I practise provocar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the provocar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Provocar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for provocar.
- Provocar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for provocar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Protestar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with provocar.
- Proyectar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with provocar.
- Proporcionar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with provocar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.