Cotizar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

cotizar means "to quote (a price)" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows cotizar 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 cotizar, 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 cotizar

Everyday use

Cotizar means to quote (a price). The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo cotizo el trabajo — "I quote the work"
  2. Él cotiza en bolsa — "He quotes on the stock market"
  3. Yo coticé a buen precio — "I quoted at a good price"
  4. Yo cotizaba el trabajo — "I used to quote the work"
  5. Yo cotizaré en bolsa — "I will quote on the stock market"
  6. Yo he cotizado a buen precio — "I have quoted at a good price"

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 cotizó a buen precio — "He quoted at a good price"
  2. Él cotizaba el trabajo — "He used to quote the work"
  3. Tú cotizarás en bolsa — "You will quote on the stock market"
  4. Yo cotizaría a buen precio — "I would quote at a good price"
  5. Yo había cotizado el trabajo — "I had quoted the work"
  6. Nosotros cotizamos en bolsa — "We quote on the stock market"

Cotizar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú cotizas el trabajo? — "Do you quote the work?"
  • Sí, yo cotizo el trabajo cada día. — "Yes, I quote the work every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú cotizaste en bolsa? — "And yesterday? Did you quote on the stock market?"
  • Sí, yo coticé en bolsa. — "Yes, I quoted on the stock market."
  • Mañana, yo cotizaré a buen precio también. — "Tomorrow, I will quote at a good price too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros cotizáis el trabajo? — "Do you quote the work?"
  • Sí, nosotros cotizamos el trabajo los fines de semana. — "Yes, We quote the work at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos cotizan en bolsa? — "And them? Do they quote on the stock market?"
  • Sí, ellos cotizan en bolsa también. — "Yes, They quote on the stock market too."
  • Mañana nosotros cotizaremos en bolsa otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will quote on the stock market again."

Useful phrases with cotizar

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

  • Voy a cotizar el trabajo. — "I am going to quote the work."
  • Quiero cotizar en bolsa. — "I want to quote on the stock market."
  • Me gusta cotizar a buen precio. — "I like to quote at a good price."
  • Acabo de cotizar el trabajo. — "I have just quoted the work."

Common mistakes with cotizar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos cotiza el trabajo.
  • Right: Ellos cotizan el trabajo.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form cotizan. The singular cotiza belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo coticé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo cotizo.
  • 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 cotizado en bolsa.
  • Right: Yo he cotizado en bolsa.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he cotizado, has cotizado, ha cotizado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él cotiza el trabajo.
  • Right: Espero que él cotice el trabajo.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: cotice. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: cotizar in use

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

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

  • (a) cotizará
  • (b) habían cotizado
  • (c) cotizaríamos
  • (d) cotizo

Answer: (d) cotizo. The I form in the present is cotizo.

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

  • (a) habré cotizado
  • (b) cotizaré
  • (c) cotiza
  • (d) cotizáramos

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

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

  • (a) han cotizado
  • (b) cotizaba
  • (c) cotizó
  • (d) habríais cotizado

Answer: (c) cotizó. The he / she form in the preterite is cotizó.

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

  • (a) han cotizado
  • (b) habrá cotizado
  • (c) cotizaba
  • (d) cotizabas

Answer: (c) cotizaba. The I form in the imperfect is cotizaba.

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

  • (a) cotizaré
  • (b) cotizaréis
  • (c) habías cotizado
  • (d) cotizabas

Answer: (a) cotizaré. The I form in the future is cotizaré.

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

  • (a) hemos cotizado
  • (b) cotizas
  • (c) cotizó
  • (d) he cotizado

Answer: (d) he cotizado. The I form in the present perfect is he cotizado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el trabajo.

  • (a) cotice
  • (b) coticéis
  • (c) coticen
  • (d) coticemos

Answer: (a) cotice. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is cotice.

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

  • (a) cotizaríais
  • (b) han cotizado
  • (c) cotizan
  • (d) cotizamos

Answer: (d) cotizamos. The we form in the present is cotizamos.

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

  • (a) cotizarás
  • (b) coticé
  • (c) cotiza
  • (d) habréis cotizado

Answer: (b) coticé. The I form in the preterite is coticé.

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

  • (a) cotizan
  • (b) cotizaré
  • (c) cotizó
  • (d) cotizaríamos

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

Frequently asked questions about cotizar

Is cotizar regular?

Cotizar is a spelling-changing -ar (z → c before e) verb: cotizo, cotizas, cotiza. See the full conjugation of cotizar for every tense.

What is the past participle of cotizar?

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

How do I say “I quote” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo coticé en bolsa. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo cotizaba a buen precio.

How can I practise cotizar?

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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