Circular Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb circular means to circulate, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Circular means to circulate, and it is used for traffic circulating through a city, blood circulating in the body, a rumour circulating in a village and money circulating in an economy. It takes por for the place of circulation, as in circular por la ciudad. Like every Spanish verb, circular 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 circulo por la ciudad en bicicleta, and in the preterite you say circulé por las calles del centro. 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: circular
- English: to circulate
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: circulando
- Past participle: circulado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + circulado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for circular, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Circular is fully regular: circulé, circulaba, circularé. Note the c in every form: circulo, circulas, circula.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for circular. 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 | circulo |
| tú | circulas |
| él/ella/Ud. | circula |
| nosotros/as | circulamos |
| vosotros/as | circuláis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circulan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | circulé |
| tú | circulaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | circuló |
| nosotros/as | circulamos |
| vosotros/as | circulasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circularon |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | circulaba |
| tú | circulabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | circulaba |
| nosotros/as | circulábamos |
| vosotros/as | circulabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circulaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | circularé |
| tú | circularás |
| él/ella/Ud. | circulará |
| nosotros/as | circularemos |
| vosotros/as | circularéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circularán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | circularía |
| tú | circularías |
| él/ella/Ud. | circularía |
| nosotros/as | circularíamos |
| vosotros/as | circularíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circularían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he circulado |
| tú | has circulado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha circulado |
| nosotros/as | hemos circulado |
| vosotros/as | habéis circulado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han circulado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había circulado |
| tú | habías circulado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había circulado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos circulado |
| vosotros/as | habíais circulado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían circulado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré circulado |
| tú | habrás circulado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá circulado |
| nosotros/as | habremos circulado |
| vosotros/as | habréis circulado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán circulado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría circulado |
| tú | habrías circulado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría circulado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos circulado |
| vosotros/as | habríais circulado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían circulado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | circule |
| tú | circules |
| él/ella/Ud. | circule |
| nosotros/as | circulemos |
| vosotros/as | circuléis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circulen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | circulara |
| tú | circularas |
| él/ella/Ud. | circulara |
| nosotros/as | circuláramos |
| vosotros/as | circularais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circularan |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | circula |
| él/ella/Ud. | circule |
| nosotros/as | circulemos |
| vosotros/as | circulad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circulen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | circules |
| él/ella/Ud. | circule |
| nosotros/as | circulemos |
| vosotros/as | circuléis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | circulen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | circulando | with estar for the progressive: estoy circulando |
| Past participle | circulado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he circulado |
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 circular, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Circulo por la ciudad en bicicleta. 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 circular, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, circulé por la autopista cada día. 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 circular, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, circulaba por las calles del centro. 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 circular, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, circularé por el pueblo en moto. 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 circular, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Circularía por la ciudad en bicicleta 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 circular, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he circulado por la autopista cada día. 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 circular, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había circulado por las calles del centro 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 circular, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré circulado por el pueblo en moto. 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 circular, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría circulado por la ciudad en bicicleta 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 circular, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él circule por la autopista cada día. 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 circular, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él circulara por las calles del centro, 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 circular, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡circula por el pueblo en moto! 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 circular, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No circules por la ciudad en bicicleta. 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 circular, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Circulo por la ciudad en bicicleta. — I circulate round the city by bicycle.
- Circula por la autopista cada día. — He/she circulates on the motorway every day.
- Ayer, circulé por las calles del centro. — Yesterday, I circulated through the streets of the centre.
- Antes, nosotros circulábamos por el pueblo en moto. — Before, we used to circulate round the village by motorbike.
- Mañana, tú circularás por la ciudad en bicicleta. — Tomorrow, you will circulate round the city by bicycle.
- Yo circularía por la autopista cada día si tuviera más tiempo. — I would circulate on the motorway every day if I had more time.
- Él ha circulado por las calles del centro. — He has circulated through the streets of the centre.
- Espero que él circule por el pueblo en moto. — I hope he circulates round the village by motorbike.
- Yo ya había circulado por la ciudad en bicicleta antes de salir. — I had already circulated round the city by bicycle before leaving.
- Ellos circulaban por la autopista cada día cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to circulate on the motorway every day when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo circula por la ciudad en bicicleta. — Right: Yo circulo por la ciudad en bicicleta. — The person matters: circula is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is circulo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Treating circular and moverse as identical in every context. — Right: Circular means to circulate, while moverse means to move around a place. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: circular fits sentences such as Circulo por la ciudad en bicicleta, while moverse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy circulado por la autopista cada día. — Right: Yo he circulado por la autopista cada día. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he circulado, has circulado, ha circulado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo circulé por las calles del centro todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo circulaba por las calles del centro todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (circulaba), not the preterite. The preterite (circulé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on circular. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ por la ciudad en bicicleta. (present tense) A. circulo B. circulas C. circula D. circulamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ por la autopista cada día. (preterite) A. circulé B. circulaste C. circularon D. circuló
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ por las calles del centro. (imperfect) A. circulabas B. circulaban C. circulábamos D. circulaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ por el pueblo en moto. (future) A. circularemos B. circularás C. circularé D. circulará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ por la ciudad en bicicleta si pudiera. (conditional) A. circularía B. circularías C. circularían D. circulo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ por la autopista cada día. (present subjunctive) A. circules B. circulemos C. circulo D. circule
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ por las calles del centro, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. circuláramos B. circulo C. circulara D. circularas
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ por el pueblo en moto. (present perfect) A. han circulado B. hemos circulado C. he circulado D. has circulado
Complete the command: ¡___ por la ciudad en bicicleta! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. circula B. circule C. circulemos D. circulad
Which is the gerund of circular, used with estar for the progressive? A. circulado B. circulo C. circulé D. circulando
Answer key
- circulo — The first-person present of circular is circulo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- circuló — The third-person preterite of circular is circuló, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- circulábamos — The nosotros imperfect of circular is circulábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- circularás — The second-person future of circular is circularás.
- circularía — The first-person conditional of circular is circularía, the form for what would happen.
- circule — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of circular is circule.
- circulara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of circular is circulara.
- hemos circulado — The nosotros present perfect of circular is hemos circulado: hemos + circulado.
- circula — The affirmative tú imperative of circular is circula.
- circulando — The gerund of circular is circulando: estoy circulando. The participle circulado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does circular mean in English?
Circular means to circulate. It is used in everyday situations such as Circulo por la ciudad en bicicleta. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is circular regular or irregular?
Circular 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 circulo in the present and circulé in the preterite.
What is the difference between circular and moverse?
Circular means to circulate, while moverse means to move around a place. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use circular when you mean to circulate, as in Circulo por la ciudad en bicicleta, and use moverse for to move around a place. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I circulate” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo circulé por la autopista cada día. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo circulaba por las calles del centro. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he circulado por la autopista cada día.
How do I practise circular?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the circular examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Circular in the present tense — the full present-tense table for circular.
- Circular examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for circular.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Chocar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with circular.
- Citar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with circular.
- Charlar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with circular.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.