Calcular Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish

calcular means “to calculate” in English, and this page shows you how it actually sounds in everyday Spanish — not just the conjugation table, but the verb in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make with it. Calcular means to calculate, and it is used for working out prices, distances, times and expenses: you calculate the cost of the shopping, the distance on the map, the time of the journey, the expenses of the month. It is a regular -ar verb, common in maths, travel and money. Below you will find twelve example sentences grouped by tense, two short dialogues, the most common mistakes with corrections, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. If you want the full tables first, start with the full conjugation of calcular; if you want to study one tense in depth, see the calcular present tense page.

calcular in everyday use: examples with translations

In the present

Four sentences with calcular in the present tense, for habits, facts and things happening right now.

  1. Yo calculo el precio de la compra. — I calculate the price of the shopping.
  2. Él/Ella calcula la distancia en el mapa. — He calculates the distance on the map.
  3. Nosotros/as calculamos el tiempo del viaje. — We calculate the time of the journey.
  4. Ellos/as calculan los gastos del mes. — They calculate the month's expenses.

In the past

Four sentences with calcular in the past: the preterite for finished actions and the imperfect for habits and background.

  1. Ayer, Yo calculé el tiempo del viaje. — Yesterday, I calculated the time of the journey.
  2. Antes, Nosotros/as calculábamos los gastos del mes. — Before, We used to calculate the month's expenses.
  3. Ayer, Él/Ella calculó el precio de la compra. — Yesterday, He calculated the price of the shopping.
  4. De niños, Ellos/as calculaban la distancia en el mapa. — As children, They used to calculate the distance on the map.

Plans, hopes and wishes

Four sentences with calcular in the future, the conditional, the subjunctive and the present perfect — for plans, hypotheticals and things that have just happened.

  1. Mañana, Tú calcularás el precio de la compra. — Tomorrow, You will calculate the price of the shopping.
  2. Yo calcularía la distancia en el mapa. — I would calculate the distance on the map.
  3. Espero que él calcule el tiempo del viaje. — I hope he calculates the time of the journey.
  4. Él/Ella ha calculado los gastos del mes. — He has calculated the month's expenses.

calcular in context: two short dialogues

Making plans

Ana: ¿Tú calculas el precio de la compra mañana? — Are you going to calculate the price of the shopping tomorrow? Luis: Sí, yo calculo el precio de la compra todos los días. — Yes, I calculate the price of the shopping every day. Ana: ¿Y mañana calcularás la distancia en el mapa? — And tomorrow, will you calculate the distance on the map? Luis: Claro, mañana calcularé la distancia en el mapa sin falta. — Of course, tomorrow I will calculate the distance on the map without fail. Ana: Perfecto. Yo calcularé el tiempo del viaje también. — Perfect. I will calculate the time of the journey too. Luis: Entonces quedamos mañana. ¡Hasta luego! — Then see you tomorrow. Bye!

Yesterday

Ana: ¿Qué hiciste ayer? — What did you do yesterday? Luis: Ayer calculé el tiempo del viaje. — Yesterday, I calculated the time of the journey. Ana: ¿Y antes calculabas los gastos del mes? — And before, did you use to calculate the month's expenses? Luis: Sí, antes calculaba los gastos del mes todos los días. — Yes, before, I used to calculate the month's expenses every day. Ana: ¿Y tus hermanos calcularon el precio de la compra? — And did your brothers calculated the price of the shopping? Luis: Sí, ellos calcularon el precio de la compra por la tarde. — Yes, they calculated the price of the shopping in the afternoon.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo calcula el precio de la compra. — Right: Yo calculo el precio de la compra. — The person matters: calcula is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is calculo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Treating calcular and computar as identical in every context. — Right: Calcular means to calculate, while computar means to compute a figure. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: calcular fits sentences such as Calculo el precio de la compra, while computar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  3. Wrong: Yo soy calculado la distancia en el mapa. — Right: Yo he calculado la distancia en el mapa. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he calculado, has calculado, ha calculado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo calculé el tiempo del viaje todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo calculaba el tiempo del viaje todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (calculaba), not the preterite. The preterite (calculé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on calcular in use. Choose the right answer, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Ellos/as ___ los gastos del mes. (present tense) A. calculan B. calculo C. calculas D. calcula

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, Nosotros/as ___ el precio de la compra. (preterite tense) A. calculé B. calculaste C. calculó D. calculamos

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, Tú ___ la distancia en el mapa. (imperfect tense) A. calculábamos B. calculabais C. calculabas D. calculaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, Él/Ella ___ el tiempo del viaje. (future tense) A. calcularemos B. calculará C. calcularé D. calcularás

  5. Complete the sentence: Nosotros/as ___ los gastos del mes. (conditional tense) A. calcularíamos B. calcularía C. calcularías D. calcularíais

  6. Complete the sentence: Hoy, Yo ___ el precio de la compra. (present-perfect tense) A. has calculado B. ha calculado C. hemos calculado D. he calculado

  7. What does calcular mean in English? A. to disturb B. to address as tú C. to calculate D. to compute a figure

  8. Which of these sentences is WRONG? A. Ayer, Yo calculé el tiempo del viaje. B. Yo calcula el precio de la compra. C. Yo calculo el precio de la compra. D. Él/Ella calcula la distancia en el mapa.

  9. Which is the gerund of calcular, used with estar for the progressive? A. calculando B. calculado C. calculo D. calculé

  10. Which is the past participle of calcular, used with haber in the perfect tenses? A. calculando B. calculo C. calculé D. calculado

Answer key

  1. calculan — The correct form here is calculan.
  2. calculamos — The correct form here is calculamos.
  3. calculabas — The correct form here is calculabas.
  4. calculará — The correct form here is calculará.
  5. calcularíamos — The correct form here is calcularíamos.
  6. he calculado — The correct form here is he calculado.
  7. to calculate — Calcular means to calculate. Computar means to compute a figure, which is a different verb.
  8. Yo calcula el precio de la compra. — The first sentence is wrong: the correct form is Yo calculo el precio de la compra.. The person matters: calcula is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is calculo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  9. calculando — The gerund of calcular is calculando: estoy calculando.
  10. calculado — The past participle of calcular is calculado: he calculado, has calculado, ha calculado.

Frequently asked questions

What does calcular mean?

Calcular means to calculate. Calcular means to calculate, and it is used for working out prices, distances, times and expenses: you calculate the cost of the shopping, the distance on the map, the time of the journey, the expenses of the month. It is a regular -ar verb, common in maths, travel and money.

When do people use calcular most?

People use calcular most in everyday situations such as Yo calculo el precio de la compra. and Ayer, Yo calculé el tiempo del viaje.. Learn the present tense first, then the preterite and the imperfect, since those are the forms you will hear most often.

What is the difference between calcular and computar?

Calcular means to calculate, while computar means to compute a figure. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable — check the meaning you want before you choose.

How can I remember the forms of calcular?

Practise the present tense table first, then add the preterite and the imperfect. Use the full conjugation of calcular as your reference, the calcular present tense page for one tense in depth, and the Spanish Verb Quiz to test yourself.

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