Aclararse Present Tense in Spanish
aclararse means "to clear up" in English, and the present tense is the form you use when you talk about what happens regularly, what is generally true, and what is happening now. This page gives you the full present-tense table for aclararse, explains how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it, contrasts it with the closest tense, and finishes with examples, the mistakes learners actually make, a quiz and answers to the most common questions. A natural example is: Cada día, yo me aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia. — "Every day, I clear up the sky after the rain." Once you can say that sentence confidently, try changing the person and the complement using the table below.
The present tense of aclararse: full table
Every person of aclararse in the present tense. The gerund is aclarándose and the past participle is aclarado.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | me aclaro |
| tú | te aclaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | se aclara |
| nosotros/as | nos aclaramos |
| vosotros/as | os aclaráis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se aclaran |
The gerund of aclararse is aclarándose and the past participle is aclarado. The gerund is used for the progressive (estoy aclarándose), and the participle is used with haber in all perfect tenses (me he aclarado). Because aclararse is reflexive, every present-tense form carries its pronoun in front of it: me, te, se, nos, os, se.
How the present tense of aclararse is formed
The present tense of aclararse is built from the stem aclar- plus the regular -ar endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an. Take the infinitive, remove the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person: yo me aclaro, tú te aclaras, él se aclara, nosotros nos aclaramos, vosotros os aclaráis and ellos se aclaran. Once you know the pattern for one regular -ar verb, you can apply it to hundreds of others.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | me aclaro |
| tú | -as | te aclaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | se aclara |
| nosotros/as | -amos | nos aclaramos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | os aclaráis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | se aclaran |
aclararse is completely regular in the present tense: the stem never changes and every ending is the standard -ar ending. The only thing to watch is the accent on the vosotros form aclaráis.
aclararse is a reflexive verb, so every form carries a reflexive pronoun in front of it: me, te, se, nos, os, se. The pronoun always goes before the conjugated verb in the present tense. The gerund is aclarándose, with the pronoun attached to the end, and the past participle is aclarado.
Two more forms belong with this tense. The gerund is aclarándose, used for the progressive with estar: estoy aclarándose. The past participle is aclarado, used with haber in all perfect tenses: me he aclarado. Both forms appear constantly, so they are worth memorising on their own.
When to use the present tense with aclararse
1. Routines and habits
The present tense describes what happens regularly. For example: Cada día, yo me aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia. — "Every day, I clear up the sky after the rain." The complement in this sentence is about the sky after the rain, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear aclararse in the present tense.
2. Things happening now
The present tense describes what is happening at this moment. For example: Ahora, tú te aclaras la duda con el ejemplo. — "Now, you clear up the doubt with the example." The complement in this sentence is about the doubt with the example, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear aclararse in the present tense.
3. General truths
The present tense states facts that are generally true, not tied to one moment. For example: Normalmente, él se aclara la voz después de toser. — "Normally, he/she clears up his voice after coughing." The complement in this sentence is about his voice after coughing, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear aclararse in the present tense.
4. Plans and the near future
The present tense is also used for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression. Spanish speakers often say the present where English would use a future: the plan is so certain that it feels like a fact. For example: Mañana, nosotros nos aclaramos el agua del río en verano. — "Tomorrow, we clear up the river water in summer." The complement in this sentence is about the river water in summer, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear aclararse in the present tense.
5. Frequent actions
With words such as siempre, a menudo and todos los días, the present tense shows how often something happens. For example: Siempre, ellos se aclaran el cielo después de la lluvia. — "Always, they clear up the sky after the rain." The complement in this sentence is about the sky after the rain, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear aclararse in the present tense.
Present vs preterite: aclararse
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, routines and general truths, while the preterite describes one action that started and finished in the past. The three pairs below show the difference with aclararse.
Pair 1
- Present (habit): Cada día, yo me aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia. — "Every day, I clear up the sky after the rain."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, yo me aclaré el cielo después de la lluvia. — "Yesterday, I cleared up the sky after the rain."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 2
- Present (habit): Cada día, tú te aclaras la duda con el ejemplo. — "Every day, you clear up the doubt with the example."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, tú te aclaraste la duda con el ejemplo. — "Yesterday, you cleared up the doubt with the example."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 3
- Present (habit): Cada día, él se aclara la voz después de toser. — "Every day, he/she clears up his voice after coughing."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, él se aclaró la voz después de toser. — "Yesterday, he/she cleared up his voice after coughing."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Examples: aclararse in the present tense
These eight sentences show aclararse in the present tense with a different person each time. Read them aloud, then try changing the person and the complement to make your own versions.
- Yo me aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia. — "I clear up the sky after the rain."
- Tú te aclaras la duda con el ejemplo. — "you clear up the doubt with the example."
- Él se aclara la voz después de toser. — "he/she clears up his voice after coughing."
- Nosotros nos aclaramos el agua del río en verano. — "we clear up the river water in summer."
- Vosotros os aclaráis el cielo después de la lluvia. — "you (plural) clear up the sky after the rain."
- Ellos se aclaran la duda con el ejemplo. — "they clear up the doubt with the example."
- Yo me aclaro la voz después de toser. — "I clear up his voice after coughing."
- Tú te aclaras el agua del río en verano. — "you clear up the river water in summer."
Common mistakes with aclararse in the present tense
Mistake 1: Forgetting the reflexive pronoun
- Wrong: Yo aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia.
- Right: Yo me aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia.
- Why: aclararse is reflexive, so the pronoun is part of the verb: Yo me aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia.. Without me the sentence is incomplete.
Mistake 2: Dropping the accent on the vosotros form
- Wrong: Vosotros os aclarais el cielo después de la lluvia.
- Right: Vosotros os aclaráis el cielo después de la lluvia.
- Why: The vosotros form aclaráis carries a written accent. Without it the word is misspelled.
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo me aclaro la duda con el ejemplo.
- Right: Ayer, yo me aclaré la duda con el ejemplo.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite: Ayer, yo me aclaré la duda con el ejemplo. — "Yesterday, I cleared up the doubt with the example." The present tense is for habits and routines, not for yesterday.
Mistake 4: Using the present tense for a past habit
- Wrong: Antes, yo me aclaro la voz después de toser.
- Right: Antes, yo me aclaraba la voz después de toser.
- Why: Antes means before, in the past, so a past habit needs the imperfect: Antes, yo me aclaraba la voz después de toser. — "In the past, I used to clear up his voice after coughing." The present tense describes what happens now, not what used to happen.
Mistake 5: Using the él form for nosotros
- Wrong: Nosotros nos aclara el cielo después de la lluvia.
- Right: Nosotros nos aclaramos el cielo después de la lluvia.
- Why: The person and the ending must match: nosotros takes aclaramos, while aclara belongs to él and ella. Check the person first, then choose the form.
Quiz: the present tense of aclararse
Test yourself with eight questions on the present tense of aclararse. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of aclararse in the present tense?
- (a) aclara
- (b) aclaramos
- (c) aclaro
- (d) aclaras
Answer: (c) aclaro. The yo form is aclaro. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
2. What is the tú form of aclararse in the present tense?
- (a) aclaramos
- (b) aclaras
- (c) aclaro
- (d) aclara
Answer: (b) aclaras. The tú form is aclaras. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
3. What is the él/ella form of aclararse in the present tense?
- (a) aclara
- (b) aclaro
- (c) aclaras
- (d) aclaramos
Answer: (a) aclara. The él/ella form is aclara. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
4. What is the nosotros form of aclararse in the present tense?
- (a) aclaro
- (b) aclaras
- (c) aclara
- (d) aclaramos
Answer: (d) aclaramos. The nosotros form is aclaramos. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
5. What is the ellos/ellas form of aclararse in the present tense?
- (a) aclaras
- (b) aclara
- (c) aclaran
- (d) aclaro
Answer: (c) aclaran. The ellos/ellas form is aclaran. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
6. Complete the sentence: Cada día, yo ___ el cielo después de la lluvia.
- (a) aclaramos
- (b) aclaro
- (c) aclaras
- (d) aclara
Answer: (b) aclaro. The sentence needs the yo form aclaro (Every day, I clear up the sky after the rain.)
7. What is the gerund of aclararse?
- (a) aclararse
- (b) aclarando
- (c) aclarado
- (d) aclaro
Answer: (b) aclarando. The gerund is aclarando, used for the progressive: me estoy aclarando.
8. Which sentence describes a habit, something you do regularly?
- (a) Cada día, yo me aclaro la duda con el ejemplo.
- (b) Antes, yo me aclaraba la duda con el ejemplo.
- (c) Ayer, yo me aclaré la duda con el ejemplo.
- (d) Mañana, yo me aclararé la duda con el ejemplo.
Answer: (a) Cada día, yo me aclaro la duda con el ejemplo.. Cada día, yo me aclaro la duda con el ejemplo. (Every day, I clear up the doubt with the example.) describes a habit, so it uses the present tense. Ayer, yo me aclaré la duda con el ejemplo. is a single completed action, and Mañana, yo me aclararé la duda con el ejemplo. is in the future.
Frequently asked questions about the present tense of aclararse
Is aclararse regular in the present tense?
Yes. aclararse is a regular -ar verb: aclaro, aclaras, aclara, aclaramos. There are no spelling changes and no stem changes in the present tense, so the endings do all the work.
How do you say 'clear up' in a sentence?
Use the present tense with a complement: Cada día, yo me aclaro el cielo después de la lluvia. — "Every day, I clear up the sky after the rain." Change the person using the table above, and change the complement to talk about your own life.
When do I use the present tense instead of the preterite with aclararse?
Use the present for habits and routines: Cada día, yo me aclaro la duda con el ejemplo. — "Every day, I clear up the doubt with the example." Use the preterite for one finished action: Ayer, yo me aclaré la duda con el ejemplo. — "Yesterday, I cleared up the doubt with the example." If the action happens regularly, choose the present; if it happened once and is finished, choose the preterite.
Can I use the present tense for the future with aclararse?
Yes, when the plan is already fixed. Mañana, nosotros nos aclaramos el agua del río en verano. — "Tomorrow, we clear up the river water in summer." Spanish often uses the present for a plan that feels certain, where English would use the future. Add a time word such as mañana so the listener knows you mean the future.