Alfabetizar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb alfabetizar means to teach to read and write, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Alfabetizar means to teach to read and write, and it is the verb of literacy campaigns, adult education and development work: a teacher teaches adults to read and write, a programme teaches a village to read. It is a formal verb with a social purpose. Like every Spanish verb, alfabetizar 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 alfabetizo a los adultos del pueblo, and in the preterite you say alfabeticé a las mujeres del barrio. 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: alfabetizar
  • English: to teach to read and write
  • Verb type: spelling-changing verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: alfabetizando
  • Past participle: alfabetizado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + alfabetizado)
  • Spelling change: the stem spelling changes in some forms so the pronunciation stays the same — see the notes under each tense.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for alfabetizar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: z becomes c before e, so the preterite is alfabeticé and the subjunctive is alfabetice — never alfabetizé.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for alfabetizar. 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 alfabetizo
tú alfabetizas
él/ella/Ud. alfabetiza
nosotros/as alfabetizamos
vosotros/as alfabetizáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabetizan

Preterite

Person Form
yo alfabeticé
tú alfabetizaste
él/ella/Ud. alfabetizó
nosotros/as alfabetizamos
vosotros/as alfabetizasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabetizaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo alfabetizaba
tú alfabetizabas
él/ella/Ud. alfabetizaba
nosotros/as alfabetizábamos
vosotros/as alfabetizabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabetizaban

Future

Person Form
yo alfabetizaré
tú alfabetizarás
él/ella/Ud. alfabetizará
nosotros/as alfabetizaremos
vosotros/as alfabetizaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabetizarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo alfabetizaría
tú alfabetizarías
él/ella/Ud. alfabetizaría
nosotros/as alfabetizaríamos
vosotros/as alfabetizaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabetizarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he alfabetizado
tú has alfabetizado
él/ella/Ud. ha alfabetizado
nosotros/as hemos alfabetizado
vosotros/as habéis alfabetizado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han alfabetizado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había alfabetizado
tú habías alfabetizado
él/ella/Ud. había alfabetizado
nosotros/as habíamos alfabetizado
vosotros/as habíais alfabetizado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían alfabetizado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré alfabetizado
tú habrás alfabetizado
él/ella/Ud. habrá alfabetizado
nosotros/as habremos alfabetizado
vosotros/as habréis alfabetizado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán alfabetizado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría alfabetizado
tú habrías alfabetizado
él/ella/Ud. habría alfabetizado
nosotros/as habríamos alfabetizado
vosotros/as habríais alfabetizado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían alfabetizado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo alfabetice
tú alfabetices
él/ella/Ud. alfabetice
nosotros/as alfabeticemos
vosotros/as alfabeticéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabeticen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo alfabetizara
tú alfabetizaras
él/ella/Ud. alfabetizara
nosotros/as alfabetizáramos
vosotros/as alfabetizarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabetizaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú alfabetiza
él/ella/Ud. alfabetice
nosotros/as alfabeticemos
vosotros/as alfabetizad
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabeticen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú alfabetices
él/ella/Ud. alfabetice
nosotros/as alfabeticemos
vosotros/as alfabeticéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. alfabeticen

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund alfabetizando with estar for the progressive: estoy alfabetizando
Past participle alfabetizado with haber for the perfect tenses: he alfabetizado

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For alfabetizar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Alfabetizo a los adultos del pueblo. 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. Note the spelling change here: z becomes c before e, so the preterite is alfabeticé, never alfabetizé. For alfabetizar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, alfabeticé a los niños de la aldea. 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 alfabetizar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, alfabetizaba a las mujeres del barrio. 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 alfabetizar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, alfabetizaré a los inmigrantes recién llegados. 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 alfabetizar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Alfabetizaría a los adultos del pueblo 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 alfabetizar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he alfabetizado a los niños de la aldea. 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 alfabetizar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había alfabetizado a las mujeres del barrio 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 alfabetizar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré alfabetizado a los inmigrantes recién llegados. 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 alfabetizar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría alfabetizado a los adultos del pueblo 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For alfabetizar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él alfabetice a los niños de la aldea. 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For alfabetizar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él alfabetizara a las mujeres del barrio, 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For alfabetizar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡alfabetiza a los inmigrantes recién llegados! 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For alfabetizar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No alfabetices a los adultos del pueblo. 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 alfabetizar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Alfabetizo a los adultos del pueblo. — I teach the adults in the village to read and write.
  2. Alfabetiza a los niños de la aldea. — He/she teaches the children in the hamlet to read and write.
  3. Ayer, alfabeticé a las mujeres del barrio. — Yesterday, I taught the women in the neighbourhood to read and write.
  4. Antes, nosotros alfabetizábamos a los inmigrantes recién llegados. — Before, we used to teach the newly arrived immigrants to read and write.
  5. Mañana, tú alfabetizarás a los adultos del pueblo. — Tomorrow, you will teach the adults in the village to read and write.
  6. Yo alfabetizaría a los niños de la aldea si tuviera más tiempo. — I would teach the children in the hamlet to read and write if I had more time.
  7. Él ha alfabetizado a las mujeres del barrio. — He has taught the women in the neighbourhood to read and write.
  8. Espero que él alfabetice a los inmigrantes recién llegados. — I hope he teaches the newly arrived immigrants to read and write.
  9. Yo ya había alfabetizado a los adultos del pueblo antes de salir. — I had already taught the adults in the village to read and write before leaving.
  10. Ellos alfabetizaban a los niños de la aldea cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to teach the children in the hamlet to read and write when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo alfabetiza a los adultos del pueblo. — Right: Yo alfabetizo a los adultos del pueblo. — The person matters: alfabetiza is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is alfabetizo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Ayer, yo alfabetizé a las mujeres del barrio. — Right: Ayer, yo alfabeticé a las mujeres del barrio. — Spelling change: z becomes c before e, so the preterite is alfabeticé, never alfabetizé.
  3. Wrong: Treating alfabetizar and enseñar as identical in every context. — Right: Alfabetizar means to teach to read and write, while enseñar means to teach someone something. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: alfabetizar fits sentences such as Alfabetizo a los adultos del pueblo, while enseñar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy alfabetizado a los niños de la aldea. — Right: Yo he alfabetizado a los niños de la aldea. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he alfabetizado, has alfabetizado, ha alfabetizado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo alfabeticé a las mujeres del barrio todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo alfabetizaba a las mujeres del barrio todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (alfabetizaba), not the preterite. The preterite (alfabeticé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on alfabetizar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los adultos del pueblo. (present tense) A. alfabetizo B. alfabetizas C. alfabetiza D. alfabetizamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ a los niños de la aldea. (preterite) A. alfabeticé B. alfabetizaste C. alfabetizaron D. alfabetizó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a las mujeres del barrio. (imperfect) A. alfabetizabas B. alfabetizaban C. alfabetizábamos D. alfabetizaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ a los inmigrantes recién llegados. (future) A. alfabetizaremos B. alfabetizarás C. alfabetizaré D. alfabetizará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los adultos del pueblo si pudiera. (conditional) A. alfabetizaría B. alfabetizarías C. alfabetizarían D. alfabetizo

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a los niños de la aldea. (present subjunctive) A. alfabetices B. alfabeticemos C. alfabetizo D. alfabetice

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a las mujeres del barrio, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. alfabetizáramos B. alfabetizo C. alfabetizara D. alfabetizaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ a los inmigrantes recién llegados. (present perfect) A. han alfabetizado B. hemos alfabetizado C. he alfabetizado D. has alfabetizado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ a los adultos del pueblo! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. alfabetiza B. alfabetice C. alfabeticemos D. alfabetizad

  10. Which is the gerund of alfabetizar, used with estar for the progressive? A. alfabetizado B. alfabetizo C. alfabeticé D. alfabetizando

Answer key

  1. alfabetizo — The first-person present of alfabetizar is alfabetizo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. alfabetizó — The third-person preterite of alfabetizar is alfabetizó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. alfabetizábamos — The nosotros imperfect of alfabetizar is alfabetizábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. alfabetizarás — The second-person future of alfabetizar is alfabetizarás.
  5. alfabetizaría — The first-person conditional of alfabetizar is alfabetizaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. alfabetice — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of alfabetizar is alfabetice.
  7. alfabetizara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of alfabetizar is alfabetizara.
  8. hemos alfabetizado — The nosotros present perfect of alfabetizar is hemos alfabetizado: hemos + alfabetizado.
  9. alfabetiza — The affirmative tú imperative of alfabetizar is alfabetiza.
  10. alfabetizando — The gerund of alfabetizar is alfabetizando: estoy alfabetizando. The participle alfabetizado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does alfabetizar mean in English?

Alfabetizar means to teach to read and write. It is used in everyday situations such as Alfabetizo a los adultos del pueblo. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is alfabetizar regular or irregular?

Alfabetizar is a spelling-changing verb: the endings are regular, but the spelling of the stem changes in some forms so the pronunciation stays the same. For example, the preterite first person is alfabeticé. The other tenses follow the regular pattern for -ar verbs.

What is the difference between alfabetizar and enseñar?

Alfabetizar means to teach to read and write, while enseñar means to teach someone something. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use alfabetizar when you mean to teach to read and write, as in Alfabetizo a los adultos del pueblo, and use enseñar for to teach someone something. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I teach read and write” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo alfabeticé a los niños de la aldea. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo alfabetizaba a las mujeres del barrio. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he alfabetizado a los niños de la aldea.

How do I practise alfabetizar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the alfabetizar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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