suplicar

Definition & meaning

Suplicar is a Spanish verb meaning to beg, plead, or implore someone earnestly for something. It usually expresses strong emotion, desperation, humility, or urgency.

It can be used in two main ways:

1. To beg someone for something

   • Suplicó ayuda. — “He begged for help.”
   • Le suplicó que no se fuera. — “She pleaded with him not to leave.”

2. To make an earnest appeal or petition

   • Suplicamos su comprensión. — “We earnestly ask for your understanding.”

The word is stronger and more emotional than simply asking.

Grammar & Word origin

Suplicar is a regular -ar verb. Its common forms include:

• yo suplico — “I beg”
• él/ella suplica — “he/she begs”
• ellos suplican — “they beg”
• supliqué — “I begged”
• suplique — “beg” or “may he/she beg,” in certain subjunctive or formal imperative contexts

In forms where the ending begins with e, the spelling changes from c to qu to preserve the hard /k/ sound: suplicar → supliqué, suplique.

The verb comes from Latin supplicāre, meaning “to appeal humbly” or “to plead.” Related Spanish words include súplica [?](vocabuo://word/súplica) (“plea”), suplicante [?](vocabuo://word/suplicante) (“supplicant”), and suplicado [?](vocabuo://word/suplicado) (“begged-for” or “petitioned,” depending on context).

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

• rogar [?](vocabuo://word/rogar) — “to beg” or “to ask earnestly”; often slightly less dramatic than suplicar.
• implorar [?](vocabuo://word/implorar) — “to implore”; very close in meaning and often equally emotional.
• pedir encarecidamente [?](vocabuo://word/pedir%20encarecidamente) — “to earnestly request”; more formal and less emotionally desperate.
• clamar [?](vocabuo://word/clamar) — “to cry out” or “to plead publicly or loudly”; emphasizes the manner or intensity of the appeal.

Antonyms

There is no single exact antonym for suplicar. Depending on the context, possible opposites include:

• exigir [?](vocabuo://word/exigir) — “to demand,” asking with authority rather than humility.
• ordenar [?](vocabuo://word/ordenar) — “to order” or “to command,” replacing a plea with an instruction.
• rechazar [?](vocabuo://word/rechazar) — “to reject,” especially the opposite response to someone’s plea.
• negarse [?](vocabuo://word/negarse) — “to refuse,” particularly to refuse to comply with a request.

Common phrases & collocations

• suplicar perdón [?](vocabuo://word/suplicar%20perdón) — to beg forgiveness
• suplicar ayuda [?](vocabuo://word/suplicar%20ayuda) — to beg for help
• suplicar clemencia [?](vocabuo://word/suplicar%20clemencia) — to plead for mercy
• suplicar que alguien haga algo [?](vocabuo://word/suplicar%20que%20alguien%20haga%20algo) — to beg someone to do something
• suplicar de rodillas [?](vocabuo://word/suplicar%20de%20rodillas) — to beg on one’s knees
• suplicar por su vida [?](vocabuo://word/suplicar%20por%20su%20vida) — to beg for one’s life