Calcular Present Tense Conjugation in Spanish

The present tense of calcular — “to calculate” in English — is the form you need for what happens now, for habits and for general truths. This page gives you the full present conjugation table for calcular with all six persons, explains exactly how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it with real examples, and finishes with a quiz so you can test yourself. 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. Calcular is a regular -ar verb, so the notes below explain exactly where it follows the rules and where it breaks them. To see it in a real sentence: Calculo el precio de la compra.

Present tense conjugation table: calcular

Every person of calcular in the present tense. The gerund is calculando and the past participle is calculado.

Present indicative

Person Form
yo calculo
tú calculas
él/ella/Ud. calcula
nosotros/as calculamos
vosotros/as calculáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. calculan

How the present of calcular is formed

The present of calcular is built from the stem calcul- plus the present endings for -ar verbs. Take the infinitive, drop the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person. The table below shows the endings, and the full table above shows them attached to the stem.

Person Ending Form
yo -o calculo
tú -as calculas
él/ella/Ud. -a calcula
nosotros/as -amos calculamos
vosotros/as -áis calculáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. -an calculan

For calcular there are no surprises in the present: every form is the stem calcul- plus the regular ending, so once you know the endings you know the whole tense.

When to use the present tense with calcular

Habits and routines

Use the present for things you do regularly.

Yo calculo el precio de la compra. — I calculate the price of the shopping.

General facts

Use the present for facts and general truths that do not change.

Él/Ella calcula la distancia en el mapa. — He calculates the distance on the map.

What is happening right now

Use the present for what is happening at this moment.

Ahora, Nosotros/as calculamos el tiempo del viaje. — Right now, We calculate the time of the journey.

Near-future plans

Use the present for fixed plans in the near future, especially with mañana or la semana que viene.

Mañana, Tú calculas los gastos del mes. — Tomorrow, You calculate the month's expenses.

Instructions and timeless statements

Use the present for instructions, rules and statements that are always true.

Él/Ella calcula el precio de la compra. — He calculates the price of the shopping.

The present vs the preterite

The present and the preterite answer different questions: the present says what happens regularly or right now, while the preterite says what happened once and finished. Compare the same idea in both tenses with calcular.

  1. Yo calculo el precio de la compra. — I calculate the price of the shopping. / Ayer, Yo calculé el precio de la compra. — Yesterday, I calculated the price of the shopping.
  2. Yo calculo la distancia en el mapa. — I calculate the distance on the map. / Ayer, Yo calculé la distancia en el mapa. — Yesterday, I calculated the distance on the map.
  3. Yo calculo el tiempo del viaje. — I calculate the time of the journey. / Ayer, Yo calculé el tiempo del viaje. — Yesterday, I calculated the time of the journey.

Example sentences in the present tense

Seven sentences with calcular in the present tense only, covering all six persons.

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

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.
  2. Wrong: Ayer, yo calculo la distancia en el mapa. — Right: Ayer, yo calculé la distancia en el mapa. — With ayer, use the preterite (calculé), not the present. The present is for habits and for right now.
  3. Wrong: Using calcular where computar belongs. — Right: Calcular means to calculate, while computar means to compute a figure. — Check the meaning before you choose: calcular fits Calculo el precio de la compra.
  4. Wrong: Espero que él calcula la distancia en el mapa. — Right: Espero que él calcule la distancia en el mapa. — After espero que, Spanish needs the subjunctive: calcule, not the present indicative calcula.

Quiz: the present tense of calcular

Eight questions on the present tense of calcular. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el precio de la compra. (present tense, yo) A. calculo B. calculas C. calcula D. calculamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Tú ___ la distancia en el mapa. (present tense, tú) A. calculo B. calcula C. calculamos D. calculas

  3. Complete the sentence: Él/Ella ___ el tiempo del viaje. (present tense, él/ella/Ud.) A. calculas B. calculamos C. calcula D. calculo

  4. Complete the sentence: Nosotros/as ___ los gastos del mes. (present tense, nosotros/as) A. calcula B. calculamos C. calculo D. calculas

  5. Complete the sentence: Vosotros/as ___ el precio de la compra. (present tense, vosotros/as) A. calculáis B. calculo C. calculas D. calcula

  6. Complete the sentence: Ellos/as ___ la distancia en el mapa. (present tense, ellos/ellas/Uds.) A. calculo B. calculas C. calcula D. calculan

  7. Which is the gerund of calcular? A. calculo B. calculé C. calculando D. calculado

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

Answer key

  1. calculo — The yo present form of calcular is calculo.
  2. calculas — The tú present form of calcular is calculas.
  3. calcula — The él/ella/Ud. present form of calcular is calcula.
  4. calculamos — The nosotros/as present form of calcular is calculamos.
  5. calculáis — The vosotros/as present form of calcular is calculáis.
  6. calculan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present form of calcular is calculan.
  7. calculando — The gerund of calcular is calculando: estoy calculando.
  8. calculado — The past participle of calcular is calculado: he calculado, has calculado, ha calculado.

Frequently asked questions

How is the present tense of calcular formed?

Take the infinitive calcular, drop the -ar ending to get the stem calcul-, then add the present endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an. The full table is above, with every person. No, the present of calcular is fully regular: the stem calcul- plus the standard -ar endings gives every form.

When do I use the present tense of calcular?

Use the present for habits, facts and what is happening right now. For example: Calculo el precio de la compra.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite of calcular?

The present (calculo) and the preterite (calculé) answer different questions: the present is for habits and for right now, while the preterite is for one finished action. Compare them in the contrast section above.

How do I practise the present of calcular?

Drill the six forms in the table until you can say them without looking, then use the full conjugation of calcular to see how the present fits with the other tenses, and the calcular examples and quiz page for more sentences. The Spanish Verb Quiz tests the forms under pressure.

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