içar

Içar is a Portuguese verb meaning to hoist, raise, or lift something, typically by pulling on a rope or tackle. It is most commonly used in nautical contexts to describe raising sails, flags, or other equipment on ships or boats. The term can also be used more broadly to denote elevating something physically or metaphorically, such as morale or a banner.

In practice, içar is used with direct objects such as a vela (sail), a bandeira (flag), or a âncora (anchor). Typical usages include içar a vela, içar a bandeira, or içar a âncora. The word is common in both European and Brazilian Portuguese and is especially frequent in maritime, ceremonial, or technical contexts.

Etymology: The verb originates from the Romance-language maritime vocabulary and is cognate with similar forms in other Iberian languages; it shares semantic roots with Spanish izar and French hisser, reflecting a common heritage related to lifting or hoisting.

Conjugation: As a regular -ar verb, içar follows the standard present indicative endings: eu iço, tu iças, ele iça, nós içamos, vós içais, eles içam. Other tenses generally align with typical -ar conjugation patterns, though usage is most often encountered in nautical or ceremonial language.