Spanish word

testificar

Pronunciation

IPA/testifiˈkaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbtestify

Example

¿Puedes testificar en el juicio?

Can you testify at the trial?

Illustration for testificar (testify)

More examples

La testigo decidió testificar a favor del acusado.

The witness decided to testify in favor of the defendant.

Core concept

Formally declaring under oath to a judicial or official body.

Similar words

declarar: Officially state facts or a position in a legal or administrative proceeding.
relatar: Narrate events in detail and in order, emphasizing chronology and specific happenings.
contar: Relate an event or story to someone in ordinary speech, without legal formality.

Definition in Spanish

Afirmar ante un tribunal u otra autoridad lo que se conoce o se ha presenciado, con carácter formal y con frecuencia bajo juramento.

Word origin

Derived from Latin testificāre (testis "witness" + -ficāre "to make"), conveying the act of giving official testimony.

Usage tips

  • When specifying the forum, Spanish commonly uses the preposition ante (for example, testificar ante un tribunal) rather than a direct literal translation from English.

Other meanings

  • give a statementverb
  • make a declarationverb

Opposites

  • callarbe silentverb
  • guardar silenciokeep silentverb

Word lists with this word