Doctorarse Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

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

Everyday use

Doctorarse means to get a doctorate. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo me doctoro en historia — "I get a doctorate in history"
  2. El año pasado, él se doctora — "Last year, he gets a doctorate"
  3. Yo me doctoré con una tesis — "I got a doctorate with a thesis"
  4. Yo me doctoraba en historia — "I used to get a doctorate in history"
  5. El año pasado, yo me doctoraré — "Last year, I will get a doctorate"
  6. Yo me he doctorado con una tesis — "I have got a doctorate with a thesis"

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 se doctoró con una tesis — "He got a doctorate with a thesis"
  2. Él se doctoraba en historia — "He used to get a doctorate in history"
  3. El año pasado, tú te doctorarás — "Last year, you will get a doctorate"
  4. Yo me doctoraría con una tesis — "I would get a doctorate with a thesis"
  5. Yo me había doctorado en historia — "I had got a doctorate in history"
  6. El año pasado, nosotros nos doctoramos — "Last year, we get a doctorate"

Doctorarse in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú te doctoras en historia? — "Do you get a doctorate in history?"
  • Sí, yo me doctoro en historia cada día. — "Yes, I get a doctorate in history every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿El año pasado, tú te doctoraste? — "And yesterday? Did you get a doctorate last year?"
  • Sí, el año pasado, yo me doctoré. — "Yes, Last year, I got a doctorate."
  • Mañana, yo me doctoraré con una tesis también. — "Tomorrow, I will get a doctorate with a thesis too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros os doctoráis en historia? — "Do you get a doctorate in history?"
  • Sí, nosotros nos doctoramos en historia los fines de semana. — "Yes, We get a doctorate in history at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿El año pasado, ellos se doctoran? — "And them? Do they get a doctorate last year?"
  • Sí, el año pasado, ellos se doctoran también. — "Yes, Last year, they get a doctorate too."
  • Mañana el año pasado, nosotros nos doctoraremos otra vez. — "Tomorrow last year, we will get a doctorate again."

Useful phrases with doctorarse

Four patterns you can use with doctorarse in any conversation. The reflexive pronoun attaches to the end of the infinitive: doctorarme. Only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a doctorarme en historia. — "I am going to get a doctorate in history."
  • Quiero doctorarme el año pasado. — "I want to get a doctorate last year."
  • Me gusta doctorarme con una tesis. — "I like to get a doctorate with a thesis."
  • Acabo de doctorarme en historia. — "I have just got a doctorate in history."

Common mistakes with doctorarse in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Yo doctoro en historia.
  • Right: Yo me doctoro en historia.
  • Why: Doctorarse is reflexive: the pronoun me is required. Without it, doctoro means something else, or nothing at all.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo me doctoré.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo me doctoro.
  • 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 doctorado el año pasado.
  • Right: Yo me he doctorado el año pasado.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he doctorado, has doctorado, ha doctorado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él doctora en historia.
  • Right: Espero que él se doctore en historia.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: doctore. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: doctorarse in use

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

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

  • (a) doctora
  • (b) doctoraríais
  • (c) doctorarían
  • (d) doctoro

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

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

  • (a) doctorarais
  • (b) habrá doctorado
  • (c) doctorara
  • (d) doctora

Answer: (d) doctora. The he / she form in the present is doctora.

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

  • (a) habrías doctorado
  • (b) doctoró
  • (c) doctoras
  • (d) habrás doctorado

Answer: (b) doctoró. The he / she form in the preterite is doctoró.

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

  • (a) doctoremos
  • (b) doctorarían
  • (c) doctoraran
  • (d) doctoraba

Answer: (d) doctoraba. The I form in the imperfect is doctoraba.

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

  • (a) habrás doctorado
  • (b) doctoraré
  • (c) doctoréis
  • (d) habremos doctorado

Answer: (b) doctoraré. The I form in the future is doctoraré.

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

  • (a) doctoran
  • (b) he doctorado
  • (c) doctora
  • (d) doctorara

Answer: (b) he doctorado. The I form in the present perfect is he doctorado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él se ___ en historia.

  • (a) doctores
  • (b) doctoren
  • (c) doctoréis
  • (d) doctore

Answer: (d) doctore. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is doctore.

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

  • (a) doctorabas
  • (b) doctoré
  • (c) doctoramos
  • (d) doctorarían

Answer: (c) doctoramos. The we form in the present is doctoramos.

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

  • (a) habremos doctorado
  • (b) doctoré
  • (c) doctoréis
  • (d) doctorarías

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

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

  • (a) doctoramos
  • (b) doctoran
  • (c) doctoraríais
  • (d) habrán doctorado

Answer: (b) doctoran. The they form in the present is doctoran.

Frequently asked questions about doctorarse

Is doctorarse reflexive?

Yes. The pronouns me, te, se, nos, os, se go with the verb in every tense: me doctoro, te doctoras, se doctora. The tables show the verb forms; add the pronoun in front.

What is the past participle of doctorarse?

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

How do I say “I get a doctorate” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: El año pasado, yo me doctoré. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo me doctoraba con una tesis.

How can I practise doctorarse?

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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