picar

Catalan

Etymology

From Old Catalan picar, from Vulgar Latin *pīccāre, itself a derivative of Latin pīcus or of onomatopoetic origin.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /piˈka/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /piˈkaɾ/
• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

picar (first-person singular present pico, past participle picat)

1. (of an animal or insect) to bite, sting
2. to peck (strike with the beak or bill)
3. to prick, pierce
4. to sting, burn; to be spicy or sour
5. to mince, chop
6. to strike

   picar a la porta ― to knock on the door

   picar de mans ― to clap hands

7. to push (a button)

   han picat al timbre ― someone rang the bell

Conjugation

Conjugation of picar (first conjugation)

infinitive			picar
present participle			picant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		picat		picada
		plural		picats		picades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	pico	piques	pica	piquem	piqueu	piquen
	imperfect	picava	picaves	picava	picàvem	picàveu	picaven
	future	picaré	picaràs	picarà	picarem	picareu	picaran
	preterite	piquí	picares	picà	picàrem	picàreu	picaren
	conditional	picaria	picaries	picaria	picaríem	picaríeu	picarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	piqui	piquis	piqui	piquem	piqueu	piquin
	imperfect	piqués	piquessis	piqués	piquéssim	piquéssiu	piquessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
		—	pica	piqui	piquem	piqueu	piquin

Derived terms

• pic
• picada
• picant
• picapedrell
• picapedrer
• picar pedra
• picardona
• picarol
• picassa
• picor
• repicar

 

References

• “picar” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “picar” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Galician

Alternative forms

• pichar

Etymology

From pico (“beak”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piˈkaɾ/

Verb

picar (first-person singular present pico, first-person singular preterite piquei, past participle picado)

1. to mince

   Synonym: pitar

2. to chop

   Hai que picar esa leña. ― Somebody [probably you] should chop that firewood.

3. to bite
4. to sting

   Synonym: aguillar

5. (of milk, wine) to sour, embitter
6. (of the sea) to become choppy
7. to itch
8. (of food) to be hot, spicy
9. to hammer (a blade, for sharpening it)

   Synonym: carabuñar

10. to nibble

Conjugation

• Note: pic- are changed to piqu- before front vowels (e).

Conjugation of picar

	singular			plural
person	first	second	third	first	second	third
Infinitive	eu	ti	el/ela/Vde.	nós	vós	eles/elas/Vdes.
impersonal	picar
personal	picar	picares	picar	picarmos	picardes	picaren
Gerund
	picando
Past participle	singular			plural
masculine	picado			picados
feminine	picada			picadas
Indicative	eu	ti	el/ela/Vde.	nós	vós	eles/elas/Vdes.
present	pico	picas	pica	picamos	picades	pican
imperfect	picaba	picabas	picaba	picabamos	picabades	picaban
preterite	piquei	picaches	picou	picamos	picastes	picaron
pluperfect	picara	picaras	picara	picaramos	picarades	picaran
future	picarei	picarás	picará	picaremos	picaredes	picarán
conditional	picaría	picarías	picaría	picariamos	picariades	picarían
Subjunctive	eu	ti	el/ela/Vde.	nós	vós	eles/elas/Vdes.
present	pique	piques	pique	piquemos	piquedes	piquen
preterite	picase	picases	picase	picásemos	picásedes	picasen
future	picar	picares	picar	picarmos	picardes	picaren
Imperative	–	ti	el/ela/Vde.	nós	vós	eles/elas/Vdes.
affirmative	–	pica	pique	piquemos	picade	piquen
negative	–	piques	pique	piquemos	piquedes	piquen

Related terms

• picada
• picadela
• pico
• repicar

References

• “picar” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006–2022.
• “picar” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006–2018.
• “picar” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
• “picar” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
• “picar” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.

Occitan

Etymology

From Old Occitan, from Vulgar Latin *pīccāre, itself a derivative of Latin pīcus or of onomatopoetic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piˈka/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

picar

1. to hit; to strike
2. (of an insect or the like) to sting

   Synonym: fissar

Conjugation

    Lengadocian (Central Occitan)

		simple			compound
infinitive		picar			aver picat
gerund		picant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		picat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	piqui	picas	pica	picam	picatz	pican
	imperfect	picavi	picavas	picava	picàvem	picàvetz	picavan
	preterite	piquèri	piquères	piquèt	piquèrem	piquèretz	piquèron
	future	picarai	picaràs	picarà	picarem	picaretz	picaràn
	conditional	picariái	picariás	picariá	picariam	picariatz	picarián
	conditional 2nd form1	piquèra	piquèras	piquèra	piqueram	piqueratz	piquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	pique	piques	pique	piquem	piquetz	piquen
	imperfect	piquèssi	piquèsses	piquèsse	piquèssem	piquèssetz	piquèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			pica		piquem	picatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Auvernhàs

		simple			compound
infinitive		picar			aver picat
gerund		picant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		picat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	pique	piques	pica	picam	picatz	picon
	imperfect	picave	picaves	picava	picaviam	picaviatz	picavon
	preterite	piquere	piqueres	piquet	piquem	piquetz	piqueron
	future	picarai	picaràs	picará	picarem	picaretz	picarán
	conditional	picariá	picariás	picariá	picariam	picariatz	picarián
	conditional 2nd form1	piquèra	piquèras	piquèra	piqueram	piqueratz	piquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	pique	piques	pique	picassiam	picassiatz	picon
	imperfect	piquesse	piquesses	piquesse	piquessiam	piquessiatz	piquesson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			pica		picassiam	picatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Gascon

		simple			compound
infinitive		picar			aver picat
gerund		picant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		picat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	piqui	picas	pica	picam	picatz	pican
	imperfect	picavi	picavas	picava	picàvam	picàvatz	picavan
	preterite	piquèi	piquès	piquè	piquèm	piquètz	piquèn
	future	picarèi	picaràs	picarà	picaram	picaratz	picaràn
	conditional	picarí	picarés	picaré	picarem	picaretz	picarén
	conditional 2nd form1	piquèra	piquèras	piquèra	piqueram	piqueratz	piquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	piqui	piques	pique	piquem	piquetz	piquen
	imperfect	piquèssi	piquèsses	piquèsse	piquèssem	piquèssetz	piquèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			pica		piquem	picatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Lemosin

		simple			compound
infinitive		picar			aver picat
gerund		picant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		picat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	pique	picas	pica	picam	picatz	pican
	imperfect	picava	picavas	picava	picàvam	picàvatz	picavan
	preterite	piquei	piqueras	piquet	piquèram	piquèratz	piqueran
	future	picarai	picaràs	picará	picarem	picaretz	picarán
	conditional	picariá	picariàs	picariá	picariam	picariatz	picarián
	conditional 2nd form1	piquèra	piquèras	piquèra	piqueram	piqueratz	piquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	pique	piques	pique	piquem	piquetz	piquen
	imperfect	piquèsse	piquèsses	piquèsse	piquèssem	piquèssetz	piquèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			pica		piquem	picatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Provençau

		simple			compound
infinitive		picar			aver picat
gerund		picant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		picat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	pique	piques	pica	picam	picatz	pican
	imperfect	picavi	picavas	picava	picàvem	picàvetz	picavan
	preterite	piquère	piquères	piquèt	piqueriam	piqueriatz	piquèron
	future	picarai	picaràs	picarà	picarem	picaretz	picaràn
	conditional	picariáu	picariás	picariá	picariam	picariatz	picarián
	conditional 2nd form1	piquèra	piquèras	piquèra	piqueram	piqueratz	piquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	pique	piques	pique	piquem	piquetz	pican
	imperfect	piquèsse	piquèsses	piquèsse	piquessiam	piquessiatz	piquèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			pica		piquem	picatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

Portuguese

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *pīccāre (“to puncture”), itself from *pīccus (“woodpecker”), variant of Latin pīcus, or of onomatopoeic origin.

Pronunciation

 

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

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

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /piˈkaɾ/

• Hyphenation: pi‧car

Verb

picar (first-person singular present pico, first-person singular preterite piquei, past participle picado)

1. to sting (pierce with a small, sharp point)
2. to punch (to make holes)

   picar o bilhete ― to punch the ticket

3. to mince; to shred (chop into small pieces)

   picar a carne ― to mince the meat

4. (informal) to provoke

Conjugation

    Conjugation of picar (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	picar
Personal	picar	picares	picar	picarmos	picardes	picarem
Gerund
	picando
Past participle
Masculine	picado			picados
Feminine	picada			picadas
Indicative
Present	pico	picas	pica	picamos	picais	picam
Imperfect	picava	picavas	picava	picávamos	picáveis	picavam
Preterite	piquei	picaste	picou	picamos1, picámos2	picastes	picaram
Pluperfect	picara	picaras	picara	picáramos	picáreis	picaram
Future	picarei	picarás	picará	picaremos	picareis	picarão
Conditional
	picaria	picarias	picaria	picaríamos	picaríeis	picariam
Subjunctive
Present	pique	piques	pique	piquemos	piqueis	piquem
Imperfect	picasse	picasses	picasse	picássemos	picásseis	picassem
Future	picar	picares	picar	picarmos	picardes	picarem
Imperative
Affirmative		pica	pique	piquemos	picai	piquem
Negative (não)		não piques	não pique	não piquemos	não piqueis	não piquem

¹Brazil.
²Portugal.

Spanish

Etymology

From pico (“beak, point”), or maybe from Latin pīcus (“woodpecker”), through a Vulgar Latin *pīccāre (“to sting, strike”). Compare English pique, French piquer, and Portuguese picar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piˈkaɾ/ [piˈkaɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: pi‧car

Verb

picar (first-person singular present pico, first-person singular preterite piqué, past participle picado)

1. (intransitive) to itch (to feel itchy; to feel a need to be scratched)

   una tela que pica ― an itchy fabric

2. to sting
3. to chop
4. to bite
5. (cooking) to mince, to dice
6. to stab; to wound
7. (colloquial) to snack; to nibble; to have a bite

   me apetece picar algo ― I fancy a bite to eat

8. to rot; to decay; to eat away; to rust
9. to pique

   Synonym: despertar

10. to crush (ice)
11. (intransitive) to sting or be pungent to the lips or tongue, be spicy or, of a candy, very sour

    Este chile pica mucho. ― This chili is very hot.

12. (slang, Mexico) to sexually penetrate, fuck
13. (reflexive) to get angry, get annoyed, take offence
14. (reflexive) to turn sour
15. (reflexive, Mexico, with con) to get addicted, fascinated, enraptured
16. (intransitive) to bounce

Conjugation

    Conjugation of picar (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			picar
gerund			picando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		picado		picada
		plural		picados		picadas
		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	pico	picastú picásvos	pica	picamos	picáis	pican
	imperfect	picaba	picabas	picaba	picábamos	picabais	picaban
	preterite	piqué	picaste	picó	picamos	picasteis	picaron
	future	picaré	picarás	picará	picaremos	picaréis	picarán
	conditional	picaría	picarías	picaría	picaríamos	picaríais	picarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	pique	piquestú piquésvos2	pique	piquemos	piquéis	piquen
	imperfect (ra)	picara	picaras	picara	picáramos	picarais	picaran
	imperfect (se)	picase	picases	picase	picásemos	picaseis	picasen
	future1	picare	picares	picare	picáremos	picareis	picaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		picatú picávos	pique	piquemos	picad	piquen
	negative		no piques	no pique	no piquemos	no piquéis	no piquen

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of picar (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 picar
	dative	picarme	picarte	picarle, picarse	picarnos	picaros	picarles, picarse
	accusative	picarme	picarte	picarlo, picarla, picarse	picarnos	picaros	picarlos, picarlas, picarse
with gerund picando
	dative	picándome	picándote	picándole, picándose	picándonos	picándoos	picándoles, picándose
	accusative	picándome	picándote	picándolo, picándola, picándose	picándonos	picándoos	picándolos, picándolas, picándose
with informal second-person singular tú imperative pica
	dative	pícame	pícate	pícale	pícanos	not used	pícales
	accusative	pícame	pícate	pícalo, pícala	pícanos	not used	pícalos, pícalas
with informal second-person singular vos imperative picá
	dative	picame	picate	picale	picanos	not used	picales
	accusative	picame	picate	picalo, picala	picanos	not used	picalos, picalas
with formal second-person singular imperative pique
	dative	píqueme	not used	píquele, píquese	píquenos	not used	píqueles
	accusative	píqueme	not used	píquelo, píquela, píquese	píquenos	not used	píquelos, píquelas
with first-person plural imperative piquemos
	dative	not used	piquémoste	piquémosle	piquémonos	piquémoos	piquémosles
	accusative	not used	piquémoste	piquémoslo, piquémosla	piquémonos	piquémoos	piquémoslos, piquémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative picad
	dative	picadme	not used	picadle	picadnos	picaos	picadles
	accusative	picadme	not used	picadlo, picadla	picadnos	picaos	picadlos, picadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative piquen
	dative	píquenme	not used	píquenle	píquennos	not used	píquenles, píquense
	accusative	píquenme	not used	píquenlo, píquenla	píquennos	not used	píquenlos, píquenlas, píquense

    Conjugation of picarse (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			picarse
gerund			picándose
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		picado		picada
		plural		picados		picadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
personal non-finite		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	infinitive	picarme	picarte	picarse	picarnos	picaros	picarse
	gerund	picándome	picándote	picándose	picándonos	picándoos	picándose
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me pico	te picastú te picásvos	se pica	nos picamos	os picáis	se pican
	imperfect	me picaba	te picabas	se picaba	nos picábamos	os picabais	se picaban
	preterite	me piqué	te picaste	se picó	nos picamos	os picasteis	se picaron
	future	me picaré	te picarás	se picará	nos picaremos	os picaréis	se picarán
	conditional	me picaría	te picarías	se picaría	nos picaríamos	os picaríais	se picarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me pique	te piquestú te piquésvos2	se pique	nos piquemos	os piquéis	se piquen
	imperfect (ra)	me picara	te picaras	se picara	nos picáramos	os picarais	se picaran
	imperfect (se)	me picase	te picases	se picase	nos picásemos	os picaseis	se picasen
	future1	me picare	te picares	se picare	nos picáremos	os picareis	se picaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		pícatetú picatevos	píquese	piquémonos	picaos	píquense
	negative		no te piques	no se pique	no nos piquemos	no os piquéis	no se piquen

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

Derived terms

• como si te la pica un pollo
• despicar
• el que se pica, ajos come (“if the shoe/cap fits, wear it”)
• huevos picados
• picabayas
• picamaderos
• picapinos
• picapleitos
• picar piedra
• picatroncos
• qué mosca te ha picado
• salpicar
• sarna con gusto no pica

 

Related terms

• peca
• pica
• picado
• picador
• picadura
• picante
• picazón
• pico
• sacar pica

 

Descendants

• → Belizean Creole: pik

Further reading

• “picar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Venetian

Etymology

Compare Italian impiccare.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /piˈkar/

Verb

picar

1. (transitive, intransitive) to hang, dangle

Conjugation

• Venetian conjugation varies from one region to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.

Conjugation of picar (first conjugation)

infinitive	picar
auxiliary verb		aver	gerund		picando
past participle		picà
person	singular			plural
	first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	mi	ti	eło / eła	noialtri / noialtre	voialtri / voialtre	łuri / łore
present	pico	(te) pichi	(el/ła) pica	pichémo, picòn	piché	(i/łe) pica
imperfect	picava	(te) picavi	(el/ła) picava	picàvimo	picavi	(i/łe) picava
future	picarò	(te) picarè	(el/ła) picarà	picarémo	picarè	(i/łe) picarà
conditional	mi	ti	eło / eła	noialtri / noialtre	voialtri / voialtre	łuri / łore
present	picarìa	(te) picarisi	(el/ła) picarìa	picarìsimo	picarisi	(i/łe) picarìa
subjunctive	che mi	che ti	che eło / eła	che noialtri / noialtre	che voialtri / voialtre	che łuri / łore
present	piche, pica	(te) pichi	(el/ła) piche, (el/ła) pica	pichémo, picone	piché	(i/łe) piche, (i/łe) pica
imperfect	picase	(te) picasi	(el/ła) picase	picàsimo	picasi	(i/łe) picase
imperative	—	ti	eło / eła	noialtri / noialtre	voialtri / voialtre	łuri / łore
	—	(te) pica	(el/ła) pica, (el/ła) piche	pichémo	piché	(i/łe) pica, (i/łe) piche