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SPANISH VERB

picar

to be spicy

  • #331 most used
  • Regular -ar verb
  • Gerund: picando
  • Past participle: picado

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. yo I am spicy
  2. tú you are spicy
  3. usted, él, ella he/she is spicy
  4. nosotros we are spicy
  5. vosotros Spain you all are spicy
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they are spicy

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

  1. yo I was spicy
  2. tú you were spicy
  3. usted, él, ella he/she was spicy
  4. nosotros we were spicy
  5. vosotros Spain you all were spicy
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they were spicy

Imperfect

Pretérito imperfecto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. yo I used to be spicy
  2. tú you used to be spicy
  3. usted, él, ella he/she used to be spicy
  4. nosotros we used to be spicy
  5. vosotros Spain you all used to be spicy
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they used to be spicy

Future

Futuro · plans and promises; in speech, “voy a hablar” is just as common

  1. yo I will be spicy
  2. tú you will be spicy
  3. usted, él, ella he/she will be spicy
  4. nosotros we will be spicy
  5. vosotros Spain you all will be spicy
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they will be spicy

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

  1. yo I would be spicy
  2. tú you would be spicy
  3. usted, él, ella he/she would be spicy
  4. nosotros we would be spicy
  5. vosotros Spain you all would be spicy
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they would be spicy

Present subjunctive

Presente de subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. yo (that) I be spicy
  2. tú (that) you be spicy
  3. usted, él, ella (that) he/she be spicy
  4. nosotros (that) we be spicy
  5. vosotros Spain (that) you all be spicy
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas (that) they be spicy

Past subjunctive

Imperfecto de subjuntivo · “if I were”, “si …”

  1. yo (if) I were spicy
  2. tú (if) you were spicy
  3. usted, él, ella (if) he/she were spicy
  4. nosotros (if) we were spicy
  5. vosotros Spain (if) you all were spicy
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas (if) they were spicy

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders; a negative one uses the subjunctive (no hables)

  1. tú be spicy!
  2. usted be spicy! (formal)
  3. nosotros be spicy! (let’s)
  4. vosotros Spain be spicy! (all of you)
  5. ustedes be spicy! (all of you)

How to use picar

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    ¡Esta salsa verde pica muchísimo, cuidado!

    This green salsa is really spicy, careful!

  2. Past

    El chile no picó nada, ¿verdad?

    The chili wasn't spicy at all, right?

  3. Imperfect

    La comida de mi abuela siempre picaba.

    My grandmother's food was always spicy.

  4. Future

    No te preocupes, el guacamole no picará.

    Don't worry, the guacamole won't be spicy.

  5. Conditional

    Sin tanto chile, el caldo no picaría.

    Without so much chili, the soup wouldn't be spicy.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Prefiero una salsa que no pique tanto.

    I prefer a salsa that isn't so spicy.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Pedí tacos que no picaran, para los niños.

    I ordered tacos that weren't spicy, for the kids.

  8. Imperative

    Pica la cebolla bien finita, por favor.

    Chop the onion very finely, please.

Good to know

  • Picar also means to chop (picar la cebolla) and to sting or itch (me pica).

Where you hear picar

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Spanish · Beginner Level 1

  • Esta salsa pica mucho. This salsa is very spicy.
  • La salsa de ayer picó mucho. Yesterday's salsa was very spicy.
  • Esta salsa no va a picar. This salsa isn't going to be spicy.

Spanish · Beginner Level 2

  • ¡Este chile pica mucho! This chilli is very spicy!
  • La salsa de Sara picó mucho. Sarah's salsa was very spicy.
  • Con un chile, no va a picar mucho. With one chilli, it won't be very spicy.
5
Two Tacos, Please

Beginner Level 1 · ¿Pica? · Pica un poco. · No pica.

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A Table for Three

Beginner Level 1 · pican

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First, Cut the Onion

Beginner Level 2 · pica

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It's My Treat

Beginner Level 3 · ¿Pica?

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Could You Recommend Something?

Beginner Level 3 · me picaron · me picó

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Mom and Dad

Intermediate Level 2 · ¿No pica?

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What Can I Get You?

Advanced Level 1 · para picar

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -ar verb.