Aducir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb aducir means to adduce, to cite, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Aducir means to adduce or to cite, to put forward a reason, an argument or evidence in a discussion or a trial. It is a formal verb, and it belongs to the -ducir family: the present is aduzco and the preterite uses the stem aduj-. Like every Spanish verb, aducir changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say aduzco razones en su defensa, and in the preterite you say aduje argumentos en el debate. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: aducir
- English: to adduce, to cite
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: aduciendo
- Past participle: aducido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + aducido)
- Spelling change: Spelling change: c becomes zc before e, so the present subjunctive is aduzca and the preterite first person is aduje — the sound stays the same, only the spelling changes.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for aducir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Aducir is a -ducir verb: the first-person present is aduzco, and the preterite is aduje. Never say aduco.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for aducir. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aduzco |
| tú | aduces |
| él/ella/Ud. | aduce |
| nosotros/as | aducimos |
| vosotros/as | aducís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aducen |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aduje |
| tú | adujiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | adujo |
| nosotros/as | adujimos |
| vosotros/as | adujisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adujeron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aducía |
| tú | aducías |
| él/ella/Ud. | aducía |
| nosotros/as | aducíamos |
| vosotros/as | aducíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aducían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aduciré |
| tú | aducirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | aducirá |
| nosotros/as | aduciremos |
| vosotros/as | aduciréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aducirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aduciría |
| tú | aducirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | aduciría |
| nosotros/as | aduciríamos |
| vosotros/as | aduciríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aducirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he aducido |
| tú | has aducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha aducido |
| nosotros/as | hemos aducido |
| vosotros/as | habéis aducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han aducido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había aducido |
| tú | habías aducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había aducido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos aducido |
| vosotros/as | habíais aducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían aducido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré aducido |
| tú | habrás aducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá aducido |
| nosotros/as | habremos aducido |
| vosotros/as | habréis aducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán aducido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría aducido |
| tú | habrías aducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría aducido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos aducido |
| vosotros/as | habríais aducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían aducido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aduzca |
| tú | aduzcas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aduzca |
| nosotros/as | aduzcamos |
| vosotros/as | aducáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aduzcan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | adujera |
| tú | adujeras |
| él/ella/Ud. | adujera |
| nosotros/as | adujéramos |
| vosotros/as | adujerais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adujeran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | aduce |
| él/ella/Ud. | aduzca |
| nosotros/as | aduzcamos |
| vosotros/as | aducid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aduzcan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | aduzcas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aduzca |
| nosotros/as | aduzcamos |
| vosotros/as | aducáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aduzcan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | aduciendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy aduciendo |
| Past participle | aducido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he aducido |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. This tense is irregular for this verb: aducir belongs to the -ducir family, so the first-person present is aduzco while the other persons keep the stem aduc-. For aducir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Aduzco razones en su defensa. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. This tense is irregular for this verb: aducir belongs to the -ducir family, so it uses the stem aduj-, as in aduje and adujeron. For aducir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, aduje pruebas ante el juez. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For aducir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, aducía argumentos en el debate. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For aducir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, aduciré ejemplos para apoyar su idea. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For aducir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Aduciría razones en su defensa si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For aducir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he aducido pruebas ante el juez. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For aducir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había aducido argumentos en el debate antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For aducir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré aducido ejemplos para apoyar su idea. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For aducir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría aducido razones en su defensa con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. This tense is irregular for this verb: it is built on the first-person present aduzco, so the forms begin with aduzc-. For aducir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él aduzca pruebas ante el juez. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. This tense is irregular for this verb: aducir belongs to the -ducir family, so it uses the stem aduj-, as in aduje and adujeron. For aducir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él adujera argumentos en el debate, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. This tense is irregular for this verb: it is built on the first-person present aduzco, so the forms begin with aduzc-. For aducir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Aduce ejemplos para apoyar su idea! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. This tense is irregular for this verb: it is built on the first-person present aduzco, so the forms begin with aduzc-. For aducir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No aduzcas razones en su defensa. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with aducir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Aduzco razones en su defensa. — I cite reasons in his defence.
- Aduce pruebas ante el juez. — He/she cites evidence before the judge.
- Ayer, aduje argumentos en el debate. — Yesterday, I cited arguments in the debate.
- Antes, nosotros aducíamos ejemplos para apoyar su idea. — Before, we used to cite examples to support his idea.
- Mañana, tú aducirás razones en su defensa. — Tomorrow, you will cite reasons in his defence.
- Yo aduciría pruebas ante el juez si tuviera más tiempo. — I would cite evidence before the judge if I had more time.
- Él ha aducido argumentos en el debate. — He has cited arguments in the debate.
- Espero que él aduzca ejemplos para apoyar su idea. — I hope he cites examples to support his idea.
- Yo ya había aducido razones en su defensa antes de salir. — I had already cited reasons in his defence before leaving.
- Ellos aducían pruebas ante el juez cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to cite evidence before the judge when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo aduce razones en su defensa. — Right: Yo aduzco razones en su defensa. — The person matters: aduce is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is aduzco. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo aduco pruebas ante el juez. — Right: Yo aduzco pruebas ante el juez. — Aducir belongs to the -ducir family: the first-person present is aduzco, never aduco. The other persons keep the stem aduc-.
- Wrong: Treating aducir and citar as identical in every context. — Right: Aducir means to adduce, to cite, while citar means to quote or cite. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: aducir fits sentences such as Aduzco razones en su defensa, while citar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy aducido pruebas ante el juez. — Right: Yo he aducido pruebas ante el juez. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he aducido, has aducido, ha aducido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo aduje argumentos en el debate todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo aducía argumentos en el debate todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (aducía), not the preterite. The preterite (aduje) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on aducir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ razones en su defensa. (present tense) A. aduzco B. aduces C. aduce D. aducimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ pruebas ante el juez. (preterite) A. aduje B. adujiste C. adujeron D. adujo
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ argumentos en el debate. (imperfect) A. aducías B. aducían C. aducíamos D. aducía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ ejemplos para apoyar su idea. (future) A. aduciremos B. aducirás C. aduciré D. aducirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ razones en su defensa si pudiera. (conditional) A. aduciría B. aducirías C. aducirían D. aduzco
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ pruebas ante el juez. (present subjunctive) A. aduzcas B. aduzcamos C. aduzco D. aduzca
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ argumentos en el debate, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. adujéramos B. aduzco C. adujera D. adujeras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ ejemplos para apoyar su idea. (present perfect) A. han aducido B. hemos aducido C. he aducido D. has aducido
Complete the command: ¡___ razones en su defensa! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. aduce B. aduzca C. aduzcamos D. aducid
Which is the gerund of aducir, used with estar for the progressive? A. aducido B. aduzco C. aduje D. aduciendo
Answer key
- aduzco — The first-person present of aducir is aduzco. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- adujo — The third-person preterite of aducir is adujo, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- aducíamos — The nosotros imperfect of aducir is aducíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- aducirás — The second-person future of aducir is aducirás.
- aduciría — The first-person conditional of aducir is aduciría, the form for what would happen.
- aduzca — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of aducir is aduzca.
- adujera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of aducir is adujera.
- hemos aducido — The nosotros present perfect of aducir is hemos aducido: hemos + aducido.
- aduce — The affirmative tú imperative of aducir is aduce.
- aduciendo — The gerund of aducir is aduciendo: estoy aduciendo. The participle aducido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does aducir mean in English?
Aducir means to adduce, to cite. It is used in everyday situations such as Aduzco razones en su defensa. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is aducir regular or irregular?
Aducir is irregular in present, preterite, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. The other tenses follow the regular pattern. Learn the irregular forms from the tables above rather than guessing them from the infinitive.
What is the difference between aducir and citar?
Aducir means to adduce, to cite, while citar means to quote or cite. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use aducir when you mean to adduce, to cite, as in Aduzco razones en su defensa, and use citar for to quote or cite. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I adduce” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo aduje pruebas ante el juez. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo aducía argumentos en el debate. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he aducido pruebas ante el juez.
How do I practise aducir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the aducir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Aducir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for aducir.
- Aducir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for aducir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Aludir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with aducir.
- Gruñir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with aducir.
- Mugir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with aducir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.