Calcular Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb calcular means to calculate, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know 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. Like every Spanish verb, calcular 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 calculo el precio de la compra, and in the preterite you say calculé el tiempo del viaje. 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: calcular
  • English: to calculate
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: calculando
  • Past participle: calculado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + calculado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for calcular, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Calcular is fully regular: calculé, calculaba, calcularé. The noun is cálculo, calculation.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for calcular. 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 calculo
tú calculas
él/ella/Ud. calcula
nosotros/as calculamos
vosotros/as calculáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. calculan

Preterite

Person Form
yo calculé
tú calculaste
él/ella/Ud. calculó
nosotros/as calculamos
vosotros/as calculasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. calcularon

Imperfect

Person Form
yo calculaba
tú calculabas
él/ella/Ud. calculaba
nosotros/as calculábamos
vosotros/as calculabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. calculaban

Future

Person Form
yo calcularé
tú calcularás
él/ella/Ud. calculará
nosotros/as calcularemos
vosotros/as calcularéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. calcularán

Conditional

Person Form
yo calcularía
tú calcularías
él/ella/Ud. calcularía
nosotros/as calcularíamos
vosotros/as calcularíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. calcularían

Present perfect

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

Pluperfect

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

Future perfect

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

Conditional perfect

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

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo calcule
tú calcules
él/ella/Ud. calcule
nosotros/as calculemos
vosotros/as calculéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. calculen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo calculara
tú calcularas
él/ella/Ud. calculara
nosotros/as calculáramos
vosotros/as calcularais
ellos/ellas/Uds. calcularan

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú calcula
él/ella/Ud. calcule
nosotros/as calculemos
vosotros/as calculad
ellos/ellas/Uds. calculen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú calcules
él/ella/Ud. calcule
nosotros/as calculemos
vosotros/as calculéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. calculen

Gerund and past participle

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

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 calcular, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Calculo el precio de la compra. 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For calcular, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, calculé la distancia en el mapa. 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 calcular, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, calculaba el tiempo del viaje. 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 calcular, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, calcularé los gastos del mes. 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 calcular, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Calcularía el precio de la compra 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 calcular, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he calculado la distancia en el mapa. 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 calcular, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había calculado el tiempo del viaje 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 calcular, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré calculado los gastos del mes. 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 calcular, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría calculado el precio de la compra 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 calcular, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él calcule la distancia en el mapa. 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 calcular, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él calculara el tiempo del viaje, 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 calcular, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡calcula los gastos del mes! 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 calcular, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No calcules el precio de la compra. 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 calcular, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Calculo el precio de la compra. — I calculate the price of the shopping.
  2. Calcula la distancia en el mapa. — He/she calculates the distance on the map.
  3. Ayer, calculé el tiempo del viaje. — Yesterday, I calculated the time of the journey.
  4. Antes, nosotros calculábamos los gastos del mes. — Before, we used to calculate the month's expenses.
  5. Mañana, tú calcularás el precio de la compra. — Tomorrow, you will calculate the price of the shopping.
  6. Yo calcularía la distancia en el mapa si tuviera más tiempo. — I would calculate the distance on the map if I had more time.
  7. Él ha calculado el tiempo del viaje. — He has calculated the time of the journey.
  8. Espero que él calcule los gastos del mes. — I hope he calculates the month's expenses.
  9. Yo ya había calculado el precio de la compra antes de salir. — I had already calculated the price of the shopping before leaving.
  10. Ellos calculaban la distancia en el mapa cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to calculate the distance on the map when they were young.

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. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

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

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la distancia en el mapa. (preterite) A. calculé B. calculaste C. calcularon D. calculó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el tiempo del viaje. (imperfect) A. calculabas B. calculaban C. calculábamos D. calculaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ los gastos del mes. (future) A. calcularemos B. calcularás C. calcularé D. calculará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el precio de la compra si pudiera. (conditional) A. calcularía B. calcularías C. calcularían D. calculo

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la distancia en el mapa. (present subjunctive) A. calcules B. calculemos C. calculo D. calcule

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el tiempo del viaje, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. calculáramos B. calculo C. calculara D. calcularas

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ los gastos del mes. (present perfect) A. han calculado B. hemos calculado C. he calculado D. has calculado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ el precio de la compra! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. calcula B. calcule C. calculemos D. calculad

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

Answer key

  1. calculo — The first-person present of calcular is calculo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. calculó — The third-person preterite of calcular is calculó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. calculábamos — The nosotros imperfect of calcular is calculábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. calcularás — The second-person future of calcular is calcularás.
  5. calcularía — The first-person conditional of calcular is calcularía, the form for what would happen.
  6. calcule — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of calcular is calcule.
  7. calculara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of calcular is calculara.
  8. hemos calculado — The nosotros present perfect of calcular is hemos calculado: hemos + calculado.
  9. calcula — The affirmative tú imperative of calcular is calcula.
  10. calculando — The gerund of calcular is calculando: estoy calculando. The participle calculado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does calcular mean in English?

Calcular means to calculate. It is used in everyday situations such as Calculo el precio de la compra. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is calcular regular or irregular?

Calcular is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including calculo in the present and calculé in the preterite.

What is the difference between calcular and computar?

Calcular means to calculate, while computar means to compute a figure. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use calcular when you mean to calculate, as in Calculo el precio de la compra, and use computar for to compute a figure. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I calculate” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo calculé la distancia en el mapa. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo calculaba el tiempo del viaje. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he calculado la distancia en el mapa.

How do I practise calcular?

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

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