The verb "invocar" means to call upon a deity, a spirit, or a law in a formal manner. It is commonly used in both legal contexts and informal usage. In general Spanish language, it can refer to calling upon someone or something in order to bring about a certain effect or outcome.
Frequency of Use: "Invocar" is relatively frequent in both oral and written contexts, particularly in legal documents, religious texts, and philosophical discussions. However, it can also be heard in everyday conversation when discussing matters that involve calling upon someone for assistance or bringing something into discussion.
El abogado decidió invocar el artículo 25 de la Constitución para defender su caso.
(The lawyer decided to invoke Article 25 of the Constitution to defend his case.)
Los testigos invocaron a la justicia al narrar lo que habían visto.
(The witnesses invoked justice by recounting what they had seen.)
The word "invocar" is often a component of various idiomatic expressions in Spanish. Here are several examples:
Antes de empezar la ceremonia, necesitamos invocar el espíritu de nuestros antepasados.
(Before starting the ceremony, we need to invoke the spirit of our ancestors.)
Invocar la justicia: This expression is used when someone calls upon justice to take its course or when discussing moral righteousness.
Siempre es importante invocar la justicia cuando se dan casos de corrupción.
(It is always important to invoke justice when cases of corruption arise.)
Invocar un derecho: This phrase is commonly used in legal contexts to indicate the act of claiming a right or appealing to a law.
The word "invocar" has its roots in Latin, derived from invocare, where in- means "upon" and vocare means "to call." This etymology reflects the dual essence of invoking a call or appeal for assistance or authority.
Synonyms: - Llamar (to call) - Solicitar (to solicit) - Apelar (to appeal)
Antonyms: - Rechazar (to reject) - Ignorar (to ignore) - Desestimar (to dismiss)