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SPANISH VERB

recetar

to prescribe

  • Regular -ar verb
  • Gerund: recetando
  • Past participle: recetado

Conjugation

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

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

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

Imperfect

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

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Past subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

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

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

How to use recetar

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

  1. Present

    Este doctor receta antibióticos para todo.

    This doctor prescribes antibiotics for everything.

  2. Past

    Me recetaron reposo y mucha agua por tres días.

    They prescribed me rest and lots of water for three days.

  3. Imperfect

    Mi abuela nos recetaba té de manzanilla para todo.

    My grandma used to prescribe us chamomile tea for everything.

  4. Future

    ¿Me recetará algo para el mareo, doctora?

    Will you prescribe me something for the dizziness, doctor?

  5. Conditional

    Yo no me recetaría nada sin ir al médico.

    I wouldn't prescribe myself anything without seeing a doctor.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Espero que no me receten otra inyección.

    I hope they don't prescribe me another shot.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Le pedí que me recetara algo más barato.

    I asked her to prescribe me something cheaper.

  8. Imperative

    ¡Recéteme algo fuerte, doctor, ya no aguanto el dolor!

    Prescribe me something strong, doctor, I can't stand the pain anymore!

Good to know

  • A doctor "receta"; the paper is "la receta", which is also a recipe for cooking.

Where you hear recetar

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

Spanish · Intermediate Level 2

  • Casi nunca receto antibióticos. I almost never prescribe antibiotics.
  • Le receté unas pastillas nuevas. I prescribed him some new pills.
  • Le voy a recetar algo para el dolor. I'm going to prescribe you something for the pain.
17
The Emergency Room

Intermediate Level 2 · recetar

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Verbs like this one

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