Certificar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb certificar means to certify, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Certificar means to certify, and it is used for certifying the authenticity of a painting, a student's level of English, the quality of a product and a signature before a notary. It is a spelling-change verb: the c becomes qu before e. Like every Spanish verb, certificar 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 certifico la autenticidad del cuadro, and in the preterite you say certifiqué la calidad del producto. 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: certificar
- English: to certify
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: certificando
- Past participle: certificado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + certificado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for certificar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is certifiqué and the subjunctive is certifique.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for certificar. 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 | certifico |
| tú | certificas |
| él/ella/Ud. | certifica |
| nosotros/as | certificamos |
| vosotros/as | certificáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certifican |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | certifiqué |
| tú | certificaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | certificó |
| nosotros/as | certificamos |
| vosotros/as | certificasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certificaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | certificaba |
| tú | certificabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | certificaba |
| nosotros/as | certificábamos |
| vosotros/as | certificabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certificaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | certificaré |
| tú | certificarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | certificará |
| nosotros/as | certificaremos |
| vosotros/as | certificaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certificarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | certificaría |
| tú | certificarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | certificaría |
| nosotros/as | certificaríamos |
| vosotros/as | certificaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certificarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he certificado |
| tú | has certificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha certificado |
| nosotros/as | hemos certificado |
| vosotros/as | habéis certificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han certificado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había certificado |
| tú | habías certificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había certificado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos certificado |
| vosotros/as | habíais certificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían certificado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré certificado |
| tú | habrás certificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá certificado |
| nosotros/as | habremos certificado |
| vosotros/as | habréis certificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán certificado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría certificado |
| tú | habrías certificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría certificado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos certificado |
| vosotros/as | habríais certificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían certificado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | certifique |
| tú | certifiques |
| él/ella/Ud. | certifique |
| nosotros/as | certifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | certifiquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certifiquen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | certificara |
| tú | certificaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | certificara |
| nosotros/as | certificáramos |
| vosotros/as | certificarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certificaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | certifica |
| él/ella/Ud. | certifique |
| nosotros/as | certifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | certificad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certifiquen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | certifiques |
| él/ella/Ud. | certifique |
| nosotros/as | certifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | certifiquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | certifiquen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | certificando | with estar for the progressive: estoy certificando |
| Past participle | certificado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he certificado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For certificar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Certifico la autenticidad del cuadro. 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 in the first person: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is certifiqué. For certificar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, certifiqué el nivel de inglés del alumno. 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 certificar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, certificaba la calidad del producto. 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 certificar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, certificaré la firma ante notario. 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 certificar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Certificaría la autenticidad del cuadro 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 certificar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he certificado el nivel de inglés del alumno. 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 certificar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había certificado la calidad del producto 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 certificar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré certificado la firma ante notario. 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 certificar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría certificado la autenticidad del cuadro 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. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For certificar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él certifique el nivel de inglés del alumno. 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 certificar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él certificara la calidad del producto, 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. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For certificar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Certifica la firma ante notario! 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. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For certificar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No certifiques la autenticidad del cuadro. 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 certificar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Certifico la autenticidad del cuadro. — I certify the painting's authenticity.
- Certifica el nivel de inglés del alumno. — He/she certifies the student's level of English.
- Ayer, certifiqué la calidad del producto. — Yesterday, I certified the quality of the product.
- Antes, nosotros certificábamos la firma ante notario. — Before, we used to certify the signature before a notary.
- Mañana, tú certificarás la autenticidad del cuadro. — Tomorrow, you will certify the painting's authenticity.
- Yo certificaría el nivel de inglés del alumno si tuviera más tiempo. — I would certify the student's level of English if I had more time.
- Él ha certificado la calidad del producto. — He has certified the quality of the product.
- Espero que él certifique la firma ante notario. — I hope he certifies the signature before a notary.
- Yo ya había certificado la autenticidad del cuadro antes de salir. — I had already certified the painting's authenticity before leaving.
- Ellos certificaban el nivel de inglés del alumno cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to certify the student's level of English when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo certifica la autenticidad del cuadro. — Right: Yo certifico la autenticidad del cuadro. — The person matters: certifica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is certifico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo certificé el nivel de inglés del alumno. — Right: Yo certifiqué el nivel de inglés del alumno. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is certifiqué, not certificé. certificar is a spelling-change verb: c becomes qu before e, so the written form changes to keep the same sound. The regular-looking form is wrong.
- Wrong: Treating certificar and confirmar as identical in every context. — Right: Certificar means to certify, while confirmar means to confirm, the close verb. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: certificar fits sentences such as Certifico la autenticidad del cuadro, while confirmar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy certificado el nivel de inglés del alumno. — Right: Yo he certificado el nivel de inglés del alumno. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he certificado, has certificado, ha certificado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo certifiqué la calidad del producto todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo certificaba la calidad del producto todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (certificaba), not the preterite. The preterite (certifiqué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on certificar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la autenticidad del cuadro. (present tense) A. certifico B. certificas C. certifica D. certificamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el nivel de inglés del alumno. (preterite) A. certifiqué B. certificaste C. certificaron D. certificó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la calidad del producto. (imperfect) A. certificabas B. certificaban C. certificábamos D. certificaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la firma ante notario. (future) A. certificaremos B. certificarás C. certificaré D. certificará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la autenticidad del cuadro si pudiera. (conditional) A. certificaría B. certificarías C. certificarían D. certifico
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el nivel de inglés del alumno. (present subjunctive) A. certifiques B. certifiquemos C. certifico D. certifique
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la calidad del producto, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. certificáramos B. certifico C. certificara D. certificaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la firma ante notario. (present perfect) A. han certificado B. hemos certificado C. he certificado D. has certificado
Complete the command: ¡___ la autenticidad del cuadro! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. certifica B. certifique C. certifiquemos D. certificad
Which is the gerund of certificar, used with estar for the progressive? A. certificado B. certifico C. certifiqué D. certificando
Answer key
- certifico — The first-person present of certificar is certifico. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- certificó — The third-person preterite of certificar is certificó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- certificábamos — The nosotros imperfect of certificar is certificábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- certificarás — The second-person future of certificar is certificarás.
- certificaría — The first-person conditional of certificar is certificaría, the form for what would happen.
- certifique — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of certificar is certifique.
- certificara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of certificar is certificara.
- hemos certificado — The nosotros present perfect of certificar is hemos certificado: hemos + certificado.
- certifica — The affirmative tú imperative of certificar is certifica.
- certificando — The gerund of certificar is certificando: estoy certificando. The participle certificado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does certificar mean in English?
Certificar means to certify. It is used in everyday situations such as Certifico la autenticidad del cuadro. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is certificar regular or irregular?
Certificar 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 certifico in the present and certifiqué in the preterite.
What is the difference between certificar and confirmar?
Certificar means to certify, while confirmar means to confirm, the close verb. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use certificar when you mean to certify, as in Certifico la autenticidad del cuadro, and use confirmar for to confirm, the close verb. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I certify” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo certifiqué el nivel de inglés del alumno. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo certificaba la calidad del producto. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he certificado el nivel de inglés del alumno.
How do I practise certificar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the certificar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Certificar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for certificar.
- Certificar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for certificar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Purificar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with certificar.
- Rectificar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with certificar.
- Diversificar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with certificar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.