This reflective article addresses four themes: the human sciences, democracy, education andsocial transformation, in order to reflect on the role assumed by the word, as a human act andas a pedagogical and democratic mechanism, in individual and social processes. collectives ofsocial transformation. This call for reflection-action was born in a space that the authorscalled days of reflection, held at the Universidad del Valle, Palmira and San Fernando (Cali),within the framework of the national student strike for higher education in the secondsemester of the 2018. It is argued in the text that the word is the basis for the construction ofthe human condition and of the Other as an equal and similar. From this perspective, we findthat the word is indispensable in the democratic project because, thanks to its empowerment,the autonomy of the subject is achieved and equality with the Other is materialized.Therefore, it is affirmed that democratic education should invite educators and students tothink critically, for themselves, in a humane, free, diverse and dignified environment. It isconcluded that, given the importance of the word, it is necessary to consider it as apedagogical and democratic mechanism, through which processes of social transformationthat invite a change of attitude in social actors can be managed.