educar
verbUpper-intermediate
What does “educar” mean in English?
to educate, to raise awareness
to educate, to raise awareness (forming values and civic awareness, not just teaching facts)
Example sentences
La campaña tiene como objetivo educar a la población sobre el consumo responsable del agua.
The campaign aims to educate the population on the responsible use of water.
Los padres tienen la responsabilidad de educar a sus hijos en el respeto a los demás.
Parents have the responsibility to bring up their children in respect for others.
No basta con informar; hay que educar para que los ciudadanos tomen decisiones fundamentadas.
Information alone is not enough; people need to be educated so that citizens can make informed decisions.
How to use it
Educar means 'to educate' or 'to raise awareness' at a societal level, and also 'to bring up' or 'to raise' a child. At B2, the more common usage is institutional or societal: educar a la ciudadanía, educar en valores. It takes indirect object pronouns when the recipient is a person: el programa nos educa. Don't confuse with enseñar (to teach a subject) — educar implies formation of values, habits, and civic awareness, not just transmission of knowledge.
Common mistake
Educar ≠ enseñar. Enseñar a alguien matemáticas is teaching maths; educar a alguien implies instilling values, behaviour, or critical awareness. Similarly, educar ≠ informar — you inform with facts, but you educate to change how people think or act. The reflexive educarse means 'to educate oneself' or 'to become educated'.
Topics
Related Upper-intermediate words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes (Instituto Cervantes), B2 Funciones 4.5.