The Spanish verb 'rogar' comes from the Latin verb 'rogare', which meant 'to ask' or 'to beg', with the literal meaning of 'extending one's hand' in a pleading gesture. The word maintained its meaning of begging or pleading as it evolved from Latin to Spanish, with only minor changes to its form - dropping the final '-e' as was common in the development of Spanish infinitives from Latin.

Some related Spanish words include 'rogativa' (prayer or supplication), 'rogatorio' (relating to a request or petition), and 'ruego' (request or plea). All these words share the core meaning of asking or requesting something, often in a formal or earnest way.

While English doesn't have many common direct descendants from Latin 'rogare', we do see it in words like 'interrogate' (which combines 'inter-' meaning 'between' with 'rogare', thus 'to ask between' or 'to question'), 'abrogate' (to formally cancel, originally meaning 'to ask away'), and 'prerogative' (an exclusive right, from the idea of being asked first before others).