Ejemplificar Present Tense in Spanish
ejemplificar means "to exemplify" in English, and the present tense is the form you use when you talk about what happens regularly, what is generally true, and what is happening now. This page gives you the full present-tense table for ejemplificar, explains how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it, contrasts it with the closest tense, and finishes with examples, the mistakes learners actually make, a quiz and answers to the most common questions. A natural example is: Cada día, yo ejemplifico la regla con un caso. — "Every day, I exemplify the rule with a case." Once you can say that sentence confidently, try changing the person and the complement using the table below.
The present tense of ejemplificar: full table
Every person of ejemplificar in the present tense. The gerund is ejemplificando and the past participle is ejemplificado.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ejemplifico |
| tú | ejemplificas |
| él/ella/Ud. | ejemplifica |
| nosotros/as | ejemplificamos |
| vosotros/as | ejemplificáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ejemplifican |
The gerund of ejemplificar is ejemplificando and the past participle is ejemplificado. The gerund is used for the progressive (estoy ejemplificando), and the participle is used with haber in all perfect tenses (he ejemplificado).
How the present tense of ejemplificar is formed
The present tense of ejemplificar is built from the stem ejemplific- plus the regular -ar endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an. Take the infinitive, remove the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person: yo ejemplifico, tú ejemplificas, él ejemplifica, nosotros ejemplificamos, vosotros ejemplificáis and ellos ejemplifican. Once you know the pattern for one regular -ar verb, you can apply it to hundreds of others.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | ejemplifico |
| tú | -as | ejemplificas |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | ejemplifica |
| nosotros/as | -amos | ejemplificamos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | ejemplificáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | ejemplifican |
Watch the spelling: the c becomes qu before e, so the yo preterite is ejemplifiqué and the subjunctive forms start with qu, for example ejemplifique.
Two more forms belong with this tense. The gerund is ejemplificando, used for the progressive with estar: estoy ejemplificando. The past participle is ejemplificado, used with haber in all perfect tenses: he ejemplificado. Both forms appear constantly, so they are worth memorising on their own.
When to use the present tense with ejemplificar
1. Routines and habits
The present tense describes what happens regularly. For example: Cada día, yo ejemplifico la regla con un caso. — "Every day, I exemplify the rule with a case." The complement in this sentence is about the rule with a case, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear ejemplificar in the present tense.
2. Things happening now
The present tense describes what is happening at this moment. For example: Ahora, tú ejemplificas la teoría con datos. — "Now, you exemplify the theory with data." The complement in this sentence is about the theory with data, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear ejemplificar in the present tense.
3. General truths
The present tense states facts that are generally true, not tied to one moment. For example: Normalmente, él ejemplifica el problema con una historia. — "Normally, he/she exemplifies the problem with a story." The complement in this sentence is about the problem with a story, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear ejemplificar in the present tense.
4. Plans and the near future
The present tense is also used for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression. Spanish speakers often say the present where English would use a future: the plan is so certain that it feels like a fact. For example: Mañana, nosotros ejemplificamos su idea con un dibujo. — "Tomorrow, we exemplify his idea with a drawing." The complement in this sentence is about his idea with a drawing, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear ejemplificar in the present tense.
5. Frequent actions
With words such as siempre, a menudo and todos los días, the present tense shows how often something happens. For example: Siempre, ellos ejemplifican la regla con un caso. — "Always, they exemplify the rule with a case." The complement in this sentence is about the rule with a case, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear ejemplificar in the present tense.
Present vs preterite: ejemplificar
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, routines and general truths, while the preterite describes one action that started and finished in the past. The three pairs below show the difference with ejemplificar.
Pair 1
- Present (habit): Cada día, yo ejemplifico la regla con un caso. — "Every day, I exemplify the rule with a case."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, yo ejemplifiqué la regla con un caso. — "Yesterday, I exemplified the rule with a case."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 2
- Present (habit): Cada día, tú ejemplificas la teoría con datos. — "Every day, you exemplify the theory with data."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, tú ejemplificaste la teoría con datos. — "Yesterday, you exemplified the theory with data."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 3
- Present (habit): Cada día, él ejemplifica el problema con una historia. — "Every day, he/she exemplifies the problem with a story."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, él ejemplificó el problema con una historia. — "Yesterday, he/she exemplified the problem with a story."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Examples: ejemplificar in the present tense
These eight sentences show ejemplificar in the present tense with a different person each time. Read them aloud, then try changing the person and the complement to make your own versions.
- Yo ejemplifico la regla con un caso. — "I exemplify the rule with a case."
- Tú ejemplificas la teoría con datos. — "you exemplify the theory with data."
- Él ejemplifica el problema con una historia. — "he/she exemplifies the problem with a story."
- Nosotros ejemplificamos su idea con un dibujo. — "we exemplify his idea with a drawing."
- Vosotros ejemplificáis la regla con un caso. — "you (plural) exemplify the rule with a case."
- Ellos ejemplifican la teoría con datos. — "they exemplify the theory with data."
- Yo ejemplifico el problema con una historia. — "I exemplify the problem with a story."
- Tú ejemplificas su idea con un dibujo. — "you exemplify his idea with a drawing."
Common mistakes with ejemplificar in the present tense
Mistake 1: Dropping the accent on the vosotros form
- Wrong: Vosotros ejemplificais la regla con un caso.
- Right: Vosotros ejemplificáis la regla con un caso.
- Why: The vosotros form ejemplificáis carries a written accent. Without it the word is misspelled.
Mistake 2: Adding a reflexive pronoun that does not belong
- Wrong: Yo me ejemplifico la regla con un caso.
- Right: Yo ejemplifico la regla con un caso.
- Why: ejemplificar is not reflexive, so there is no pronoun to add. The extra pronoun changes the meaning of the sentence.
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo ejemplifico la teoría con datos.
- Right: Ayer, yo ejemplifiqué la teoría con datos.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite: Ayer, yo ejemplifiqué la teoría con datos. — "Yesterday, I exemplified the theory with data." The present tense is for habits and routines, not for yesterday.
Mistake 4: Using the present tense for a past habit
- Wrong: Antes, yo ejemplifico el problema con una historia.
- Right: Antes, yo ejemplificaba el problema con una historia.
- Why: Antes means before, in the past, so a past habit needs the imperfect: Antes, yo ejemplificaba el problema con una historia. — "In the past, I used to exemplify the problem with a story." The present tense describes what happens now, not what used to happen.
Mistake 5: Using the él form for nosotros
- Wrong: Nosotros ejemplifica la regla con un caso.
- Right: Nosotros ejemplificamos la regla con un caso.
- Why: The person and the ending must match: nosotros takes ejemplificamos, while ejemplifica belongs to él and ella. Check the person first, then choose the form.
Quiz: the present tense of ejemplificar
Test yourself with eight questions on the present tense of ejemplificar. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of ejemplificar in the present tense?
- (a) ejemplificas
- (b) ejemplifica
- (c) ejemplificamos
- (d) ejemplifico
Answer: (d) ejemplifico. The yo form is ejemplifico. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
2. What is the tú form of ejemplificar in the present tense?
- (a) ejemplifica
- (b) ejemplificamos
- (c) ejemplificas
- (d) ejemplifico
Answer: (c) ejemplificas. The tú form is ejemplificas. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
3. What is the él/ella form of ejemplificar in the present tense?
- (a) ejemplificamos
- (b) ejemplifica
- (c) ejemplifico
- (d) ejemplificas
Answer: (b) ejemplifica. The él/ella form is ejemplifica. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
4. What is the nosotros form of ejemplificar in the present tense?
- (a) ejemplificamos
- (b) ejemplifico
- (c) ejemplificas
- (d) ejemplifica
Answer: (a) ejemplificamos. The nosotros form is ejemplificamos. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
5. What is the ellos/ellas form of ejemplificar in the present tense?
- (a) ejemplifico
- (b) ejemplificas
- (c) ejemplifica
- (d) ejemplifican
Answer: (d) ejemplifican. The ellos/ellas form is ejemplifican. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
6. Complete the sentence: Cada día, yo ___ la regla con un caso.
- (a) ejemplifica
- (b) ejemplificamos
- (c) ejemplifico
- (d) ejemplificas
Answer: (c) ejemplifico. The sentence needs the yo form ejemplifico (Every day, I exemplify the rule with a case.)
7. What is the gerund of ejemplificar?
- (a) ejemplifico
- (b) ejemplificar
- (c) ejemplificando
- (d) ejemplificado
Answer: (c) ejemplificando. The gerund is ejemplificando, used for the progressive: estoy ejemplificando.
8. Which sentence describes a habit, something you do regularly?
- (a) Mañana, yo ejemplificaré la teoría con datos.
- (b) Cada día, yo ejemplifico la teoría con datos.
- (c) Antes, yo ejemplificaba la teoría con datos.
- (d) Ayer, yo ejemplifiqué la teoría con datos.
Answer: (b) Cada día, yo ejemplifico la teoría con datos.. Cada día, yo ejemplifico la teoría con datos. (Every day, I exemplify the theory with data.) describes a habit, so it uses the present tense. Ayer, yo ejemplifiqué la teoría con datos. is a single completed action, and Mañana, yo ejemplificaré la teoría con datos. is in the future.
Frequently asked questions about the present tense of ejemplificar
Is ejemplificar regular in the present tense?
Almost. ejemplificar is a spelling-changing (c → qu before e) -ar verb, so its endings are regular, but watch the spelling: Watch the spelling: the c becomes qu before e, so the yo preterite is ejemplifiqué and the subjunctive forms start with qu, for example ejemplifique.
How do you say 'exemplify' in a sentence?
Use the present tense with a complement: Cada día, yo ejemplifico la regla con un caso. — "Every day, I exemplify the rule with a case." Change the person using the table above, and change the complement to talk about your own life.
When do I use the present tense instead of the preterite with ejemplificar?
Use the present for habits and routines: Cada día, yo ejemplifico la teoría con datos. — "Every day, I exemplify the theory with data." Use the preterite for one finished action: Ayer, yo ejemplifiqué la teoría con datos. — "Yesterday, I exemplified the theory with data." If the action happens regularly, choose the present; if it happened once and is finished, choose the preterite.
Can I use the present tense for the future with ejemplificar?
Yes, when the plan is already fixed. Mañana, nosotros ejemplificamos su idea con un dibujo. — "Tomorrow, we exemplify his idea with a drawing." Spanish often uses the present for a plan that feels certain, where English would use the future. Add a time word such as mañana so the listener knows you mean the future.