convocar
verbCEFR B2
What does “convocar” mean in English?
1.to call, to convene
to call, to convene (convocar una reunión — summoning people to a scheduled meeting or event)
2.to call, to summon
to call, to summon (to officially announce and organise a meeting, election, or strike; convocar huelga / elecciones)
Example sentences
La directora convocó a todo el equipo a una reunión extraordinaria para el lunes a las nueve.
The director called the whole team to an emergency meeting for Monday at nine o'clock.
Se ha convocado una junta de accionistas para el próximo mes con el fin de aprobar los nuevos estatutos.
A shareholders' meeting has been called for next month to approve the new statutes.
Les convoco a la sala de juntas el miércoles a las diez para revisar el estado del proyecto.
I am calling you to the boardroom on Wednesday at ten to review the status of the project.
How to use it
Convocar means 'to call' or 'to convene' a meeting, assembly, or event. Pattern: convocar una reunión / convocar a alguien (a una reunión). The person who convenes is the convocante. In workplace email, the standard formula is Les convoco a una reunión el [día] a las [hora]. Register gradient: convocar is formal-institutional; programar is neutral; agendar is neutral-to-informal (used widely in Latin America). The noun convocatoria (call / announcement) is closely related.
Common mistake
Convocar una reunión ≠ reservar una sala (to book a room). Convocar is about summoning / officially calling people together; it does not inherently include room booking. Also: convocar requires the preposition a for the person summoned — 'convocó al equipo' (with the contracted form al) is standard. Don't say *'convocó el equipo' without the preposition.