probar
Spanish, verb/pɾoˈbaɾ/
probar is spelled P-R-O-B-A-R (6 letters) and appears 44 times per million words in written Spanish, the 1,983rd most frequent Spanish word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). Probar is a Spanish verb meaning “to prove” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario) defines it as “Estudiar el funcionamiento o las cualidades de algo”.
What does probar mean in English?
verb
- 1
to prove
No puedes probarlo.
- 2
to test, to demonstrate
- 3
to taste, to try
Prueba a ver si está bueno.
- 4
to try, to try out, to sample, to test out, to give a go, to have a go
Lo probó todo sin éxito.
- 5
to check out, to probe
- 6
to suit
Vivir en Madrid no le prueba.
- 7
to try out (for a team)
- 8
to try on, see if it fits
María se probó el vestido.
Source: English Wiktionary, Spanish section, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
How Spanish dictionaries define it
verb: 1. Estudiar el funcionamiento o las cualidades de algo. 2. Ingerir una pequeña cantidad de comida o bebida para conocer su sabor, olor, textura y otras cualidades organolépticas. 3. Hablando de la ropa, ponérsela para ver sus medidas, comodidad y aspecto. 4. Someter a examen o ejercicios a una persona, para ver sus reacciones y respuestas.
verb: 1. Hacer una acción tentativamente. 2. Ser conveniente, agradable o adecuado.
The definition in the Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario), in Spanish.
Source: Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario), dump of September 1, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org.
Forms of probar
- pruebo first-person present singular
- probé first-person preterite singular
- probado participle past
- o-ue alternation
- probando gerund
- probada feminine participle past
- probados masculine participle past
- probadas feminine participle past
- pruebas indicative informal present
- probás indicative informal present
- prueba indicative present singular
- probamos first-person indicative plural
- probáis indicative plural present
- prueban indicative plural present
- probaba first-person imperfect indicative
- probabas imperfect indicative second-person
- probábamos first-person imperfect indicative
- probabais imperfect indicative plural
Source: English Wiktionary and Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026).
How do you pronounce probar?
- /pɾoˈbaɾ/
- [pɾoˈβ̞aɾ]
Sources: English Wiktionary, Spanish Wiktionary (Wikcionario) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026); recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
English words that translate to probar
Source: the translation tables of the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026.
How common is probar in Spanish?
probar appears 44 times per million words in written Spanish.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).