Chillar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

chillar means "to shriek" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows chillar 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 chillar, 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 chillar

Everyday use

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

  1. Yo chillo de alegría — "I shriek with joy"
  2. Él chilla en el patio — "He shrieks in the yard"
  3. Yo chillé muy fuerte — "I shrieked very loudly"
  4. Yo chillaba de alegría — "I used to shriek with joy"
  5. Yo chillaré en el patio — "I will shriek in the yard"
  6. Yo he chillado muy fuerte — "I have shrieked very loudly"

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. Él chilló muy fuerte — "He shrieked very loudly"
  2. Él chillaba de alegría — "He used to shriek with joy"
  3. Tú chillarás en el patio — "You will shriek in the yard"
  4. Yo chillaría muy fuerte — "I would shriek very loudly"
  5. Yo había chillado de alegría — "I had shrieked with joy"
  6. Nosotros chillamos en el patio — "We shriek in the yard"

Chillar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú chillas de alegría? — "Do you shriek with joy?"
  • Sí, yo chillo de alegría cada día. — "Yes, I shriek with joy every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú chillaste en el patio? — "And yesterday? Did you shriek in the yard?"
  • Sí, yo chillé en el patio. — "Yes, I shrieked in the yard."
  • Mañana, yo chillaré muy fuerte también. — "Tomorrow, I will shriek very loudly too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros chilláis de alegría? — "Do you shriek with joy?"
  • Sí, nosotros chillamos de alegría los fines de semana. — "Yes, We shriek with joy at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos chillan en el patio? — "And them? Do they shriek in the yard?"
  • Sí, ellos chillan en el patio también. — "Yes, They shriek in the yard too."
  • Mañana nosotros chillaremos en el patio otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will shriek in the yard again."

Useful phrases with chillar

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

  • Voy a chillar de alegría. — "I am going to shriek with joy."
  • Quiero chillar en el patio. — "I want to shriek in the yard."
  • Me gusta chillar muy fuerte. — "I like to shriek very loudly."
  • Acabo de chillar de alegría. — "I have just shrieked with joy."

Common mistakes with chillar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos chilla de alegría.
  • Right: Ellos chillan de alegría.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form chillan. The singular chilla belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo chillé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo chillo.
  • 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 chillado en el patio.
  • Right: Yo he chillado en el patio.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he chillado, has chillado, ha chillado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él chilla de alegría.
  • Right: Espero que él chille de alegría.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: chille. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: chillar in use

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

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

  • (a) chillaría
  • (b) chille
  • (c) chillo
  • (d) hemos chillado

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

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

  • (a) he chillado
  • (b) había chillado
  • (c) chilla
  • (d) chillaré

Answer: (c) chilla. The he / she form in the present is chilla.

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

  • (a) chilló
  • (b) habréis chillado
  • (c) habrías chillado
  • (d) chilles

Answer: (a) chilló. The he / she form in the preterite is chilló.

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

  • (a) chillaba
  • (b) chillaras
  • (c) chillan
  • (d) chillábamos

Answer: (a) chillaba. The I form in the imperfect is chillaba.

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

  • (a) chillarías
  • (b) habréis chillado
  • (c) ha chillado
  • (d) chillaré

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

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

  • (a) he chillado
  • (b) chilla
  • (c) habíais chillado
  • (d) chilló

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

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ de alegría.

  • (a) chillen
  • (b) chilles
  • (c) chille
  • (d) chilléis

Answer: (c) chille. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is chille.

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

  • (a) chillaras
  • (b) chillamos
  • (c) chillarían
  • (d) chillan

Answer: (b) chillamos. The we form in the present is chillamos.

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

  • (a) chillé
  • (b) han chillado
  • (c) chillabais
  • (d) chillaste

Answer: (a) chillé. The I form in the preterite is chillé.

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

  • (a) chillan
  • (b) chillarais
  • (c) chillaban
  • (d) chillarías

Answer: (a) chillan. The they form in the present is chillan.

Frequently asked questions about chillar

Is chillar regular?

Yes. Chillar is a regular -ar verb: chillo, chillas, chilla. See the full conjugation of chillar for every tense.

What is the past participle of chillar?

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

How do I say “I shriek” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo chillé en el patio. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo chillaba muy fuerte.

How can I practise chillar?

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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