Arar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

arar means "to plough" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows arar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of arar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with arar

Everyday use

Arar means to plough. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo aro el campo — "I plough the field"
  2. Él ara la tierra — "He ploughs the land"
  3. En primavera, yo aré — "In spring, I ploughed"
  4. Yo araba el campo — "I used to plough the field"
  5. Yo araré la tierra — "I will plough the land"
  6. En primavera, yo he arado — "In spring, I have ploughed"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. En primavera, él aró — "In spring, he ploughed"
  2. Él araba el campo — "He used to plough the field"
  3. Tú ararás la tierra — "You will plough the land"
  4. En primavera, yo araría — "In spring, I would plough"
  5. Yo había arado el campo — "I had ploughed the field"
  6. Nosotros aramos la tierra — "We plough the land"

Arar in conversation

The two dialogues below show arar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú aras el campo? — "Do you plough the field?"
  • Sí, yo aro el campo cada día. — "Yes, I plough the field every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú araste la tierra? — "And yesterday? Did you plough the land?"
  • Sí, yo aré la tierra. — "Yes, I ploughed the land."
  • Mañana, en primavera, yo araré también. — "Tomorrow, in spring, I will plough too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros aráis el campo? — "Do you plough the field?"
  • Sí, nosotros aramos el campo los fines de semana. — "Yes, We plough the field at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos aran la tierra? — "And them? Do they plough the land?"
  • Sí, ellos aran la tierra también. — "Yes, They plough the land too."
  • Mañana nosotros araremos la tierra otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will plough the land again."

Useful phrases with arar

Four patterns you can use with arar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a arar el campo. — "I am going to plough the field."
  • Quiero arar la tierra. — "I want to plough the land."
  • Me gusta arar en primavera. — "I like to plough in spring."
  • Acabo de arar el campo. — "I have just ploughed the field."

Common mistakes with arar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos ara el campo.
  • Right: Ellos aran el campo.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form aran. The singular ara belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo aré.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo aro.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy arado la tierra.
  • Right: Yo he arado la tierra.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he arado, has arado, ha arado.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo aro.
  • Right: Ayer, yo aré.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (aré). The present (aro) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él ara el campo.
  • Right: Espero que él are el campo.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: are. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: arar in use

Ten questions on arar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of arar in the present tense?

  • (a) are
  • (b) arará
  • (c) aro
  • (d) has arado

Answer: (c) aro. The I form in the present is aro.

2. What is the he / she form of arar in the present tense?

  • (a) ara
  • (b) araríais
  • (c) has arado
  • (d) habré arado

Answer: (a) ara. The he / she form in the present is ara.

3. What is the he / she form of arar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) arabas
  • (b) araré
  • (c) habías arado
  • (d) aró

Answer: (d) aró. The he / she form in the preterite is aró.

4. What is the I form of arar in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) ha arado
  • (b) habrás arado
  • (c) araba
  • (d) han arado

Answer: (c) araba. The I form in the imperfect is araba.

5. What is the I form of arar in the future tense?

  • (a) arara
  • (b) aremos
  • (c) habríais arado
  • (d) araré

Answer: (d) araré. The I form in the future is araré.

6. What is the I form of arar in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) he arado
  • (b) habríais arado
  • (c) araran
  • (d) araríais

Answer: (a) he arado. The I form in the present perfect is he arado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el campo.

  • (a) aréis
  • (b) are
  • (c) aren
  • (d) ares

Answer: (b) are. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is are.

8. What is the we form of arar in the present tense?

  • (a) habías arado
  • (b) aran
  • (c) aramos
  • (d) ararais

Answer: (c) aramos. The we form in the present is aramos.

9. What is the I form of arar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) habíamos arado
  • (b) aré
  • (c) araréis
  • (d) aréis

Answer: (b) aré. The I form in the preterite is aré.

10. What is the they form of arar in the present tense?

  • (a) aren
  • (b) ararás
  • (c) habré arado
  • (d) aran

Answer: (d) aran. The they form in the present is aran.

Frequently asked questions about arar

Is arar regular?

Yes. Arar is a regular -ar verb: aro, aras, ara. See the full conjugation of arar for every tense.

What is the past participle of arar?

The past participle is arado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he arado. The gerund is arando, used with estar: estoy arando.

How do I say “I plough” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo aré la tierra. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: En primavera, yo araba.

How can I practise arar?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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