10 Meanings of the Spanish Verb ‘Marcar’
Have you ever thought that you knew the meaning of a Spanish verb, only to see it used in a completely different context from the one you would have expected?
It happens all the time when you’re learning a new language!
The Spanish verb marcar is no exception, but the good news is that I’m here to help you master the 10 most used meanings of this multifaceted verb.
On your mark, get set, go!
Table of Contents:
- The Multiple Meanings of Marcar in Spanish
- Marcar Conjugation Set
- 10 Meanings of the Verb Marcar
- Practice with the Verb Marcar and Improve Your Spanish
The Multiple Meanings of Marcar in Spanish
Every language has them. You may not notice them in your native language because they’ve always been there and felt natural to use. I’m talking about words and verbs with multiple meanings, like the Spanish verb marcar.
Marcar seems like a straightforward verb with an easy translation to English: “to mark.”
Usually, Spanish learners get that meaning and stick with it. However, native Spanish speakers use it in a variety of ways, and if you want to take your Spanish to the next level, you should learn those other meanings, too.
Marcar Conjugation Set
First, let’s start learning some conjugation chart Spanish of the verb marcar with the tenses you’re likely to need at this stage.
Present Tense
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
| yo | marco |
| tú | marcas |
| él/ella | marca |
| nosotros | marcamos |
| ustedes | marcan |
| ellos/ellas | marcan |
Past Tense
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
| yo | marqué |
| tú | marcaste |
| él/ella | marcó |
| nosotros | marcamos |
| ustedes | marcaron |
| ellos/ellas | marcaron |
Future Tense
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
| yo | marcaré |
| tú | marcarás |
| él/ella | marcará |
| nosotros | marcaremos |
| ustedes | marcarán |
| ellos/ellas | marcarán |
10 Meanings of the Verb Marcar
Without further ado, here you have the 10 most common meanings of the Spanish verb marcar.
1. To Mark
The first meaning of marcar and its most common translation is “to mark,” which according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary means “to make or leave a mark on.” Other verbs in Spanish with this meaning are señalar and rotular.
Example Sentences in Spanish
Marqué el árbol con una “X” para que lo pueda encontrar después.
I mark the tree with an “X” so I can find it later.
Tengo que marcar la pelota con tu nombre para que nadie la tome.
I have to mark the ball with your name so no one takes it.
2. To Score
In English, “to score” means “to gain (as points or runs in a game)” or “to obtain (as a goal).” Other verbs in Spanish with this meaning are calificar, conseguir, and marcar un gol.
Example Sentences in Spanish
Ronaldo marcó el gol de la victoria en el último minuto.
Ronaldo scored the winning goal at the last minute.
Los jueces marcaron su actuación con un 10 perfecto.
The judges scored her performance with a perfect 10.
3. To Cover
Keeping with sports vocabulary, in this case marcar means to cover someone in a football, basketball, or soccer game. As in “to pay continued close attention to (something or someone) for a particular purpose.”
Example Sentences in Spanish
El defensa marcó de cerca a Messi durante todo el partido.
The defender closely covered Messi during the whole game.
El receptor estaba bien marcado y por eso no puedo atrapar el pase de Tom Brady.
The receiver was well-covered and that’s why he couldn’t catch Tom Brady’s pass.
4. To Dial
In some Latin American countries, marcar also means “to dial” or “to make a (phone) call.” Another verb with this meaning in Spanish is llamar.
Example Sentences in Spanish
Te marqué a tu casa pero nadie me contestó.
I called your house but nobody answered the phone.
Dame un momento, estoy marcando al banco para reportar mi tarjeta de crédito.
Give me a moment, I’m dialing to my bank to report my credit card.
5. To Set
“To set” is a verb with multiple meanings in English, but the one that translates as marcar is “to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of.” Other Spanish verbs with the same meaning include establecer and fijar.
Example Sentences in Spanish
Es hora de marcar los límites en esta casa.
It’s time to set some limits in this house.
Vamos a marcar las reglas del salón para que no haya confusión.
Let’s set the rules of the classroom to avoid confusion.
6. To Brand
According to Merriam-Webster “to brand” means “to produce a vivid impression of.” However a more modern and marketing-related meaning would be to “assign a brand name to.” Both meanings apply with marcar. Other Spanish verbs with this meaning include tildar de, estigmatizar, and poner marca de fábrica en.
Example Sentences in Spanish
Sus palabras se quedaron marcadas en mi memoria.
Her words were branded in my memory.
¿Ya marcaste tus productos?
Have you branded your new products?
7. To Scar
Marcar can also mean “to scar” as in “to mark with a scar” or “to become scarred.”
Example Sentences in Spanish
El granjero marcó a todas sus vacas con sus iniciales.
The farmer branded all of his cows with his initials.
Esa experiencia traumática me marcó de por vida.
That traumatic experience left me scarred for life.
8. To Register
In this case, marcar means “to make or secure official entry in a register.” Other verbs in Spanish with this meaning include registrar and matricular.
Example Sentences in Spanish
¿Marcaste tu entrada en el libro de registro?
Did you register your entrance in the register book?
Este día quedará marcado en la historia del país.
This day will be registered in the history of the country.
9. To Tally
Marcar also works when you want “to record on or as if on a tally” or “to register (a score) in a contest.” Alternatively, use enumerar or cuadrar.
Example Sentences in Spanish
El árbitro asistente marcó el gol en la hoja oficial.
The assistant referee registered the goal on the official sheet.
El prisionero marcó todos los días que estuvo preso en la pared de su celda.
The prisoner tallied every day he was in jail on the wall of his cell.
10. To Indicate
Finally, marcar also means “to indicate” as in “to point out or point to” or “to be a sign, symptom, or index of.” Other Spanish verbs with this meaning include indicar and mostrar.
Example Sentences in Spanish
Te marqué un error en tu artículo.
I indicated a mistake in your article.
Esta línea marca el inicio de nuestra propiedad.
This line indicates the beginning of our property.
Practice with the Verb Marcar and Improve Your Spanish
Knowing how to use marcar in Spanish is a useful skill, as it applies in a wide range of situations, as shown above. The only way to master the multiple meanings of this verb is by practicing at home and, more importantly, with native Spanish speakers.
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