clamar

Clamar is a verb in both Spanish and Portuguese with meanings centered on uttering aloud requests, protests, or calls for attention. In Spanish, clamar typically means to cry out or to demand something strongly, often with the sense of appealing to someone or to a higher authority. It can be used with phrases like clamar a alguien (to call upon someone) or clamar por una causa (to advocate for a cause). In Portuguese, clamar carries a similar core sense—calling upon, invoking, or demanding—frequently with por or a following the object, as in clamar por justiça or clamar a Deus. In both languages, clamar can introduce a strong, formal, or literary tone, and it may appear in religious, legal, or rhetorical contexts.

Etymology and cognates: clamar derives from Latin clamare, meaning to shout or proclaim. Related forms appear in various Romance languages, reflecting a common Latin root for vocal appeal or proclamation. The noun form in Spanish, el clamor, denotes an outcry or loud demand, and in Portuguese, clamôr or clamor likewise conveys a public calling or clamor.

Usage notes: In contemporary Spanish, clamar is relatively formal and less common in everyday speech, where synonyms like exigir, pedir, or gritar are often preferred depending on nuance. In Portuguese, clamar is similarly formal and used in contexts such as appeals to authorities, prayers, or calls for justice. Both languages employ clamar in literary, journalistic, or ceremonial prose to convey urgency or moral emphasis.

See also: clamor (noun), llamar (Spanish-related verb with different uses), invocar, exigir.