consultar

Consultar is a verb used in Spanish and Portuguese with similar core senses: to seek information, to check or verify something in a source, to seek advice, or to confer with another person. It also covers the act of querying a database, file, or system in a technical or informational context. The related noun consulta refers to a consultation, a query, or the act of consulting.

Etymology and cognates: The word derives from Latin consultare, a frequentative of consulere, meaning to deliberate or seek advice. The term has direct descendants in several Romance languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, and appears in English in the form consult or consultation through related roots.

Conjugation and grammar: In both Spanish and Portuguese, consultar is a regular -ar verb in its respective conjugation classes. In Spanish present indicative forms include: yo consulto, tú consultas, él/ella consulta, nosotros consultamos, vosotros consultáis, ellos consultan. In Portuguese present indicative forms include: eu consulto, tu consultas, ele consulta, nós consultamos, vocês consultam. Subjunctive and other tenses follow regular patterns for -ar verbs in each language.

Usage examples: In everyday language, one can consultar un libro or la web to look up information, or consultar a un profesional for advice (consultar al médico, consultar con un abogado). In technology, a database query is referred to as a consulta. The noun consulta is common in medical, legal, and computing contexts.

See also: related verbs and nouns such as revisar, buscar, chequear, and the noun consulta, which commonly denotes an interrogation, appointment, or information request.