Duplicar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb duplicar means to duplicate, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Duplicar means to duplicate, and it covers duplicating a key, a document and a recipe, and doubling sales in two years. It is a spelling-change verb: the c becomes qu before e. Like every Spanish verb, duplicar 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 duplico la llave en la cerrajería, and in the preterite you say dupliqué la receta de la abuela. 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: duplicar
  • English: to duplicate
  • Verb type: irregular verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: duplicando
  • Past participle: duplicado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + duplicado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for duplicar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is dupliqué and the subjunctive is duplique.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for duplicar. 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 duplico
tú duplicas
él/ella/Ud. duplica
nosotros/as duplicamos
vosotros/as duplicáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. duplican

Preterite

Person Form
yo dupliqué
tú duplicaste
él/ella/Ud. duplicó
nosotros/as duplicamos
vosotros/as duplicasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. duplicaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo duplicaba
tú duplicabas
él/ella/Ud. duplicaba
nosotros/as duplicábamos
vosotros/as duplicabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. duplicaban

Future

Person Form
yo duplicaré
tú duplicarás
él/ella/Ud. duplicará
nosotros/as duplicaremos
vosotros/as duplicaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. duplicarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo duplicaría
tú duplicarías
él/ella/Ud. duplicaría
nosotros/as duplicaríamos
vosotros/as duplicaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. duplicarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he duplicado
tú has duplicado
él/ella/Ud. ha duplicado
nosotros/as hemos duplicado
vosotros/as habéis duplicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han duplicado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había duplicado
tú habías duplicado
él/ella/Ud. había duplicado
nosotros/as habíamos duplicado
vosotros/as habíais duplicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían duplicado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré duplicado
tú habrás duplicado
él/ella/Ud. habrá duplicado
nosotros/as habremos duplicado
vosotros/as habréis duplicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán duplicado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría duplicado
tú habrías duplicado
él/ella/Ud. habría duplicado
nosotros/as habríamos duplicado
vosotros/as habríais duplicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían duplicado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo duplique
tú dupliques
él/ella/Ud. duplique
nosotros/as dupliquemos
vosotros/as dupliquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. dupliquen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo duplicara
tú duplicaras
él/ella/Ud. duplicara
nosotros/as duplicáramos
vosotros/as duplicarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. duplicaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú duplica
él/ella/Ud. duplique
nosotros/as dupliquemos
vosotros/as duplicad
ellos/ellas/Uds. dupliquen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú dupliques
él/ella/Ud. duplique
nosotros/as dupliquemos
vosotros/as dupliquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. dupliquen

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund duplicando with estar for the progressive: estoy duplicando
Past participle duplicado with haber for the perfect tenses: he duplicado

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 duplicar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Duplico la llave en la cerrajería. 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 dupliqué. For duplicar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, dupliqué el documento para el archivo. 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 duplicar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, duplicaba la receta de la abuela. 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 duplicar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, duplicaré las ventas en dos años. 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 duplicar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Duplicaría la llave en la cerrajería 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 duplicar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he duplicado el documento para el archivo. 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 duplicar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había duplicado la receta de la abuela 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 duplicar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré duplicado las ventas en dos años. 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 duplicar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría duplicado la llave en la cerrajería 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 duplicar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él duplique el documento para el archivo. 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 duplicar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él duplicara la receta de la abuela, 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 duplicar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Duplica las ventas en dos años! 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 duplicar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No dupliques la llave en la cerrajería. 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 duplicar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Duplico la llave en la cerrajería. — I duplicate the key at the locksmith's.
  2. Duplica el documento para el archivo. — He/she duplicates the document for the file.
  3. Ayer, dupliqué la receta de la abuela. — Yesterday, I duplicated grandmother's recipe.
  4. Antes, nosotros duplicábamos las ventas en dos años. — Before, we used to duplicate the sales in two years.
  5. Mañana, tú duplicarás la llave en la cerrajería. — Tomorrow, you will duplicate the key at the locksmith's.
  6. Yo duplicaría el documento para el archivo si tuviera más tiempo. — I would duplicate the document for the file if I had more time.
  7. Él ha duplicado la receta de la abuela. — He has duplicated grandmother's recipe.
  8. Espero que él duplique las ventas en dos años. — I hope he duplicates the sales in two years.
  9. Yo ya había duplicado la llave en la cerrajería antes de salir. — I had already duplicated the key at the locksmith's before leaving.
  10. Ellos duplicaban el documento para el archivo cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to duplicate the document for the file when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo duplica la llave en la cerrajería. — Right: Yo duplico la llave en la cerrajería. — The person matters: duplica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is duplico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo duplicé el documento para el archivo. — Right: Yo dupliqué el documento para el archivo. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is dupliqué, not duplicé. duplicar 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.
  3. Wrong: Treating duplicar and copiar as identical in every context. — Right: Duplicar means to duplicate, while copiar means to copy, the close verb. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: duplicar fits sentences such as Duplico la llave en la cerrajería, while copiar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy duplicado el documento para el archivo. — Right: Yo he duplicado el documento para el archivo. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he duplicado, has duplicado, ha duplicado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo dupliqué la receta de la abuela todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo duplicaba la receta de la abuela todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (duplicaba), not the preterite. The preterite (dupliqué) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on duplicar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la llave en la cerrajería. (present tense) A. duplico B. duplicas C. duplica D. duplicamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el documento para el archivo. (preterite) A. dupliqué B. duplicaste C. duplicaron D. duplicó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la receta de la abuela. (imperfect) A. duplicabas B. duplicaban C. duplicábamos D. duplicaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ las ventas en dos años. (future) A. duplicaremos B. duplicarás C. duplicaré D. duplicará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la llave en la cerrajería si pudiera. (conditional) A. duplicaría B. duplicarías C. duplicarían D. duplico

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el documento para el archivo. (present subjunctive) A. dupliques B. dupliquemos C. duplico D. duplique

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la receta de la abuela, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. duplicáramos B. duplico C. duplicara D. duplicaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ las ventas en dos años. (present perfect) A. han duplicado B. hemos duplicado C. he duplicado D. has duplicado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ la llave en la cerrajería! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. duplica B. duplique C. dupliquemos D. duplicad

  10. Which is the gerund of duplicar, used with estar for the progressive? A. duplicado B. duplico C. dupliqué D. duplicando

Answer key

  1. duplico — The first-person present of duplicar is duplico. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. duplicó — The third-person preterite of duplicar is duplicó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. duplicábamos — The nosotros imperfect of duplicar is duplicábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. duplicarás — The second-person future of duplicar is duplicarás.
  5. duplicaría — The first-person conditional of duplicar is duplicaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. duplique — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of duplicar is duplique.
  7. duplicara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of duplicar is duplicara.
  8. hemos duplicado — The nosotros present perfect of duplicar is hemos duplicado: hemos + duplicado.
  9. duplica — The affirmative tú imperative of duplicar is duplica.
  10. duplicando — The gerund of duplicar is duplicando: estoy duplicando. The participle duplicado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does duplicar mean in English?

Duplicar means to duplicate. It is used in everyday situations such as Duplico la llave en la cerrajería. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is duplicar regular or irregular?

Duplicar 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 duplico in the present and dupliqué in the preterite.

What is the difference between duplicar and copiar?

Duplicar means to duplicate, while copiar means to copy, the close verb. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use duplicar when you mean to duplicate, as in Duplico la llave en la cerrajería, and use copiar for to copy, the close verb. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I duplicate” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo dupliqué el documento para el archivo. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo duplicaba la receta de la abuela. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he duplicado el documento para el archivo.

How do I practise duplicar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the duplicar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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