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SPANISH VERB

utilizar

to use

  • #120 most used
  • Regular -ar verb
  • Gerund: utilizando
  • Past participle: utilizado

Conjugation

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

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

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

Imperfect

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

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Past subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

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

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

How to use utilizar

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

  1. Present

    Utilizo el teléfono para pagar casi todo.

    I use my phone to pay for almost everything.

  2. Past

    Utilicé un mapa de papel porque no había señal.

    I used a paper map because there was no signal.

  3. Imperfect

    Antes utilizábamos monedas para el autobús.

    We used to use coins for the bus.

  4. Future

    Para la fiesta utilizaremos platos de cartón.

    For the party we'll use paper plates.

  5. Conditional

    Yo utilizaría aceite de oliva en lugar de mantequilla.

    I'd use olive oil instead of butter.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Es mejor que utilices el ascensor con la maleta.

    It's better that you use the elevator with the suitcase.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Nos pidieron que utilizáramos la entrada lateral.

    They asked us to use the side entrance.

  8. Imperative

    ¡Utilice guantes para tocar la comida, por favor!

    Use gloves to touch the food, please!

Good to know

  • "Usar" is the everyday word; "utilizar" sounds a little more formal, as in instructions and signs.

Verbs like this one

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