torcer

Torcer is a verb with usage in Spanish and Portuguese that centers on the idea of turning, bending, or twisting. In both languages, it can refer to the physical action of twisting an object—torcer una cuerda (Spanish) or torcer o cabo (Portuguese). It also has reflexive uses, such as torcerse, to indicate that parts of the body are twisted or that someone sustains an injury, for example, torcerse el tobillo in Spanish or torcer-se o tornozelo in Portuguese. Beyond the literal sense, torcer can denote distortion or alteration of a thing, as in torcer la verdad (to twist the truth) or torcer os fatos in Portuguese.

In addition to its physical and metaphorical senses, torcer is used in common idioms. Spanish speakers may say torcer el cuello or torcer el brazo to convey forcing someone to do something (the latter more literally means to twist the arm). In Portuguese, torcer por alguém or torcer pela seleção means to root for someone or for a team.

Etymology and cognates: torcer comes from Latin torquere, meaning to twist or bend. It is related to words in other Romance languages and to the English noun torque.

Conjugation overview: torcer is irregular and undergoes stem changes in many tenses. In Spanish present indicative forms include tuerzo, tuerces, tuerce, torcemos, torcéis, tuercen. The preterite is torcí, torciste, torció, torcimos, torcisteis, torcieron. In Portuguese, the present tense is eu torço, tu torces, ele torce, nós torcemos, vós torceis, eles torcem; the preterite forms are torci, torceste, torceu, torcemos, torcestes, torceram.

See also: Spanish and Portuguese verbs derived from torcer, common idioms, and related actions of twisting and turning in each language.