trocar

See also: troçar and trócar

English

Etymology

From French trocart, corruption of trois-quart.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɹəʊkɑː(ɹ)/

Noun

trocar (plural trocars)

1. A pointed hollow cylindrical device used to make small incisions and surgically insert cannulas, etc., into body cavities, or to aspirate fluids.
   • 2010, Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Emperor of All Maladies, Fourth Estate (2011), page 313:

     He wheeled his first patient over to the operating room […] and began pulling out the marrow, plunging a steel trocar repeatedly into the hip and drawing out the cells.

Translations

medical instrument

• Czech: trokar m
• French: trocart (fr) m
• German: Trokar m
• Polish: trokar m
• Portuguese: trocarte m
• Spanish: trócar m

Anagrams

• carrot

Galician

Etymology

First used in the 14th century, from Old Galician-Portuguese trocar, from Medieval Latin trocāre; further etymology uncertain (probably Frankish *trokōn). Cognate with Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Occitan trocar, French troquer, English truck.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɾoˈkaɾ/

Verb

trocar (first-person singular present troco, first-person singular preterite troquei, past participle trocado)

1. to barter
   • 1381, M. Lucas Álvarez, P. Lucas Domínguez, editors, El priorato benedictino de San Vicenzo de Pombeiro y su colección diplomática en la Edad Media, Sada: Ediciós do Castro, page 101:

     para vender, dar et donar et anejenar, trocar et canbiar

     for selling, giving and donating and alienating, bartering and exchanging

2. to exchange, interchange

   Synonym: cambiar

Conjugation

    Conjugation of trocar (c-qu alternation)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	trocar
Personal	trocar	trocares	trocar	trocarmos	trocardes	trocaren
Gerund
	trocando
Past participle
Masculine	trocado			trocados
Feminine	trocada			trocadas
Indicative
Present	troco	trocas	troca	trocamos	trocades	trocan
Imperfect	trocaba	trocabas	trocaba	trocabamos	trocabades	trocaban
Preterite	troquei	trocaches	trocou	trocamos	trocastes	trocaron
Pluperfect	trocara	trocaras	trocara	trocaramos	trocarades	trocaran
Future	trocarei	trocarás	trocará	trocaremos	trocaredes	trocarán
Conditional	trocaría	trocarías	trocaría	trocariamos	trocariades	trocarían
Subjunctive
Present	troque	troques	troque	troquemos	troquedes	troquen
Imperfect	trocase	trocases	trocase	trocásemos	trocásedes	trocasen
Future	trocar	trocares	trocar	trocarmos	trocardes	trocaren
Imperative
Affirmative		troca	troque	troquemos	trocade	troquen
Negative (non)		non troques	non troque	non troquemos	non troquedes	non troquen

    Reintegrated conjugation of trocar (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	trocar
Personal	trocar	trocares	trocar	trocarmos	trocardes	trocarem
Gerund
	trocando
Past participle
Masculine	trocado			trocados
Feminine	trocada			trocadas
Indicative
Present	troco	trocas	troca	trocamos	trocades, trocais	trocam
Imperfect	trocava	trocavas	trocava	trocávamos	trocávades, trocáveis, trocávais1	trocavam
Preterite	troquei	trocaste, trocache1	trocou	trocamos	trocastes	trocárom, trocaram
Pluperfect	trocara	trocaras	trocara	trocáramos	trocárades, trocáreis, trocárais1	trocaram
Future	trocarei	trocarás	trocará	trocaremos	trocaredes, trocareis	trocarám, trocarão
Conditional	trocaria	trocarias	trocaria	trocaríamos	trocaríades, trocaríeis, trocaríais1	trocariam
Subjunctive
Present	troque	troques	troque	troquemos	troquedes, troqueis	troquem
Imperfect	trocasse	trocasses	trocasse	trocássemos	trocássedes, trocásseis	trocassem
Future	trocar	trocares	trocar	trocarmos	trocardes	trocarem
Imperative
Affirmative		troca	troque	troquemos	trocade, trocai	troquem
Negative (nom)		nom troques	nom troque	nom troquemos	nom troquedes, nom troqueis	nom troquem

¹Less recommended.

Derived terms

• troco
• troque

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “trocar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• “troq” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006-2016.
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “trocar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “trocar”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “trocar”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Ladino

Alternative forms

• trokar

Etymology

From Old Spanish trocar.

Verb

trocar

1. to change

Portuguese

Etymology

First used in the 14th century, from Old Galician-Portuguese trocar, from Medieval Latin trocāre; further etymology uncertain (probably Frankish *trokōn). Cognate with Spanish, Galician, Catalan, and Occitan trocar, French troquer, English truck.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /tɾoˈka(ʁ)/ [tɾoˈka(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /tɾoˈka(ʁ)/ [tɾoˈka(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /tɾoˈka(ɾ)/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /tɾoˈka(ʁ)/ [tɾoˈka(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /tɾoˈka(ɻ)/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /tɾuˈkaɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /tɾuˈkaɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /tɾuˈka.ɾi/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: tro‧car
• Homophone: trucar (Portugal)

Verb

trocar (first-person singular present troco, first-person singular preterite troquei, past participle trocado)

1. (transitive) to replace, to substitute (to remove something and put a new one in its place) [with direct object ‘someone/something’ and por ‘with someone/something else’]

   Synonym: substituir

   Quero trocar meu carro por um novo.

   I want to replace my car with a new one.

   Precisamos trocar as lâmpadas queimadas.

   We have to replace the burnt-out lightbulbs.

2. (intransitive) to change (to dispose of something one owns or is using and get a new one) [with de ‘something no longer wanted or needed’]

   Synonym: mudar de

   Troque de roupa.

   Change your clothes.

   Quero trocar de carro.

   I want to change cars.

3. (transitive) to trade; to exchange [with direct object ‘something’ and com ‘with someone’ and por ‘for something else’]

   Synonym: cambiar

   Eu e o meu primo trocamos livros.

   My cousin and I traded books.

   O explorador trocou presentes com os nativos.

   The explorer exchanged gifts with the natives.

   Troco um par de sapatos por uma blusa.

   I’ll exchange a pair of shoes for a blouse.

4. (transitive) to swap (to switch the position of two things)

   Synonym: intercambiar

   Trocamos os dois cabos e o motor funcionou.

   We swapped the two cables and the motor started working.

5. (transitive) to exchange (to give and receive simultaneously) [with direct object ‘something’ and com ‘with someone’]

   Todo dia eu trocava umas ideias com o vizinho.

   I used to chat with the neighbor every single day.

   (literally, “Every day I'd exchange some ideas with the neighbor.”)

   Os boxeadores estão trocando socos na cabeça.

   The boxers are exchanging blows to their heads.

6. (reflexive) to change oneself (to replace the clothing one is wearing)

   Troque-se! / Troca-te!

   Change your clothes!

   (literally, “Change yourself!”)

   Chegamos a casa, pois agora troquemo-nos.

   We are home, so now let's change ourselves.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of trocar (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	trocar
Personal	trocar	trocares	trocar	trocarmos	trocardes	trocarem
Gerund
	trocando
Past participle
Masculine	trocado			trocados
Feminine	trocada			trocadas
Indicative
Present	troco	trocas	troca	trocamos	trocais	trocam
Imperfect	trocava	trocavas	trocava	trocávamos	trocáveis	trocavam
Preterite	troquei	trocaste	trocou	trocamos1, trocámos2	trocastes	trocaram
Pluperfect	trocara	trocaras	trocara	trocáramos	trocáreis	trocaram
Future	trocarei	trocarás	trocará	trocaremos	trocareis	trocarão
Conditional	trocaria	trocarias	trocaria	trocaríamos	trocaríeis	trocariam
Subjunctive
Present	troque	troques	troque	troquemos	troqueis	troquem
Imperfect	trocasse	trocasses	trocasse	trocássemos	trocásseis	trocassem
Future	trocar	trocares	trocar	trocarmos	trocardes	trocarem
Imperative
Affirmative		troca	troque	troquemos	trocai	troquem
Negative (não)		não troques	não troque	não troquemos	não troqueis	não troquem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:trocar.

Derived terms

• destrocar
• troca
• troca-tintas
• trocação
• trocado
• troco

Descendants

• → Hunsrik: trocke
• Kabuverdianu: troka
• Papiamentu: troka

Further reading

• “trocar”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “trocar”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), São Paulo: 7Graus, 2009–2026
• “trocar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French trocart.

Noun

trocar n (plural trocare)

1. trocar

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	trocar	trocarul	trocare	trocarele
genitive-dative	trocar	trocarului	trocare	trocarelor
vocative	trocarule		trocarelor

Spanish

Etymology

First used in the 14th century, from Old Spanish trocar, from Medieval Latin trocāre; further etymology uncertain (probably Frankish *trokōn). Cognate with Portuguese, Galician, Catalan, and Occitan trocar, French troquer, English truck.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɾoˈkaɾ/ [t̪ɾoˈkaɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: tro‧car

Verb

trocar (first-person singular present trueco, first-person singular preterite troqué, past participle trocado)

1. to barter
2. (reflexive) to turn into; become (usually for negative changes) [with en ‘something’]

Conjugation

    Conjugation of trocar (o-ue alternation; c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			trocar
gerund			trocando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		trocado		trocada
		plural		trocados		trocadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	trueco	truecastú trocásvos	trueca	trocamos	trocáis	truecan
	imperfect	trocaba	trocabas	trocaba	trocábamos	trocabais	trocaban
	preterite	troqué	trocaste	trocó	trocamos	trocasteis	trocaron
	future	trocaré	trocarás	trocará	trocaremos	trocaréis	trocarán
	conditional	trocaría	trocarías	trocaría	trocaríamos	trocaríais	trocarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	trueque	truequestú troquésvos2	trueque	troquemos	troquéis	truequen
	imperfect (ra)	trocara	trocaras	trocara	trocáramos	trocarais	trocaran
	imperfect (se)	trocase	trocases	trocase	trocásemos	trocaseis	trocasen
	future1	trocare	trocares	trocare	trocáremos	trocareis	trocaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		truecatú trocávos	trueque	troquemos	trocad	truequen
	negative		no trueques	no trueque	no troquemos	no troquéis	no truequen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of trocar (o-ue alternation; c-qu alternation)

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive trocar	dative	trocarme	trocarte	trocarle, trocarse	trocarnos	trocaros	trocarles, trocarse
	accusative	trocarme	trocarte	trocarlo, trocarla, trocarse	trocarnos	trocaros	trocarlos, trocarlas, trocarse
with gerund trocando	dative	trocándome	trocándote	trocándole, trocándose	trocándonos	trocándoos	trocándoles, trocándose
	accusative	trocándome	trocándote	trocándolo, trocándola, trocándose	trocándonos	trocándoos	trocándolos, trocándolas, trocándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative trueca	dative	truécame	truécate	truécale	truécanos	not used	truécales
	accusative	truécame	truécate	truécalo, truécala	truécanos	not used	truécalos, truécalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative trocá	dative	trocame	trocate	trocale	trocanos	not used	trocales
	accusative	trocame	trocate	trocalo, trocala	trocanos	not used	trocalos, trocalas
with formal second-person singular imperative trueque	dative	truéqueme	not used	truéquele, truéquese	truéquenos	not used	truéqueles
	accusative	truéqueme	not used	truéquelo, truéquela, truéquese	truéquenos	not used	truéquelos, truéquelas
with first-person plural imperative troquemos	dative	not used	troquémoste	troquémosle	troquémonos	troquémoos	troquémosles
	accusative	not used	troquémoste	troquémoslo, troquémosla	troquémonos	troquémoos	troquémoslos, troquémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative trocad	dative	trocadme	not used	trocadle	trocadnos	trocaos	trocadles
	accusative	trocadme	not used	trocadlo, trocadla	trocadnos	trocaos	trocadlos, trocadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative truequen	dative	truéquenme	not used	truéquenle	truéquennos	not used	truéquenles, truéquense
	accusative	truéquenme	not used	truéquenlo, truéquenla	truéquennos	not used	truéquenlos, truéquenlas, truéquense

Related terms

• trueque

Further reading

• “trocar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025