Esculpir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb esculpir means to sculpt, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Esculpir means to sculpt, and it is used for sculpting in stone, wood and clay, and for the sculptor's work in general. It is a regular -ir verb, and it belongs to the art group with dibujar and pintar. Like every Spanish verb, esculpir 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 esculpo una estatua de mármol, and in the preterite you say esculpí figuras de barro. 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: esculpir
- English: to sculpt
- Verb type: regular -ir verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: esculpiendo
- Past participle: esculpido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + esculpido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for esculpir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Esculpir is a regular -ir verb: esculpí, esculpía, esculpiré. The p is pronounced in esculpir, unlike in some English words.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for esculpir. 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 | esculpo |
| tú | esculpes |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpe |
| nosotros/as | esculpimos |
| vosotros/as | esculpís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpen |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | esculpí |
| tú | esculpiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpió |
| nosotros/as | esculpimos |
| vosotros/as | esculpisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | esculpía |
| tú | esculpías |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpía |
| nosotros/as | esculpíamos |
| vosotros/as | esculpíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | esculpiré |
| tú | esculpirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpirá |
| nosotros/as | esculpiremos |
| vosotros/as | esculpiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | esculpiría |
| tú | esculpirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpiría |
| nosotros/as | esculpiríamos |
| vosotros/as | esculpiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he esculpido |
| tú | has esculpido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha esculpido |
| nosotros/as | hemos esculpido |
| vosotros/as | habéis esculpido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han esculpido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había esculpido |
| tú | habías esculpido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había esculpido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos esculpido |
| vosotros/as | habíais esculpido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían esculpido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré esculpido |
| tú | habrás esculpido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá esculpido |
| nosotros/as | habremos esculpido |
| vosotros/as | habréis esculpido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán esculpido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría esculpido |
| tú | habrías esculpido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría esculpido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos esculpido |
| vosotros/as | habríais esculpido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían esculpido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | esculpa |
| tú | esculpas |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpa |
| nosotros/as | esculpamos |
| vosotros/as | esculpáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | esculpiera |
| tú | esculpieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpiera |
| nosotros/as | esculpiéramos |
| vosotros/as | esculpierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | esculpe |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpa |
| nosotros/as | esculpamos |
| vosotros/as | esculpid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | esculpas |
| él/ella/Ud. | esculpa |
| nosotros/as | esculpamos |
| vosotros/as | esculpáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | esculpan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | esculpiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy esculpiendo |
| Past participle | esculpido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he esculpido |
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 esculpir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Esculpo una estatua de mármol. 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 esculpir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, esculpí en madera en el taller. 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 esculpir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, esculpía figuras de barro. 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 esculpir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, esculpiré con paciencia durante meses. 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 esculpir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Esculpiría una estatua de mármol 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 esculpir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he esculpido en madera en el taller. 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 esculpir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había esculpido figuras de barro 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 esculpir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré esculpido con paciencia durante meses. 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 esculpir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría esculpido una estatua de mármol 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 esculpir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él esculpa en madera en el taller. 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 esculpir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él esculpiera figuras de barro, 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 esculpir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Esculpe con paciencia durante meses! 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 esculpir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No esculpas una estatua de mármol. 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 esculpir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Esculpo una estatua de mármol. — I sculpt a marble statue.
- Esculpe en madera en el taller. — He/she sculpts in wood in the workshop.
- Ayer, esculpí figuras de barro. — Yesterday, I sculpted clay figures.
- Antes, nosotros esculpíamos con paciencia durante meses. — Before, we used to sculpt patiently over months.
- Mañana, tú esculpirás una estatua de mármol. — Tomorrow, you will sculpt a marble statue.
- Yo esculpiría en madera en el taller si tuviera más tiempo. — I would sculpt in wood in the workshop if I had more time.
- Él ha esculpido figuras de barro. — He has sculpted clay figures.
- Espero que él esculpa con paciencia durante meses. — I hope he sculpts patiently over months.
- Yo ya había esculpido una estatua de mármol antes de salir. — I had already sculpted a marble statue before leaving.
- Ellos esculpían en madera en el taller cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to sculpt in wood in the workshop when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo esculpe una estatua de mármol. — Right: Yo esculpo una estatua de mármol. — The person matters: esculpe is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is esculpo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Vosotros esculpis en madera en el taller. — Right: Vosotros esculpís en madera en el taller. — The vosotros present form carries a written accent: esculpís, not esculpis. The accent marks the stressed vowel.
- Wrong: Treating esculpir and dibujar as identical in every context. — Right: Esculpir means to sculpt, while dibujar means to draw, the art partner. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: esculpir fits sentences such as Esculpo una estatua de mármol, while dibujar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy esculpido en madera en el taller. — Right: Yo he esculpido en madera en el taller. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he esculpido, has esculpido, ha esculpido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo esculpí figuras de barro todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo esculpía figuras de barro todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (esculpía), not the preterite. The preterite (esculpí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on esculpir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ una estatua de mármol. (present tense) A. esculpo B. esculpes C. esculpe D. esculpimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ en madera en el taller. (preterite) A. esculpí B. esculpiste C. esculpieron D. esculpió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ figuras de barro. (imperfect) A. esculpías B. esculpían C. esculpíamos D. esculpía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ con paciencia durante meses. (future) A. esculpiremos B. esculpirás C. esculpiré D. esculpirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ una estatua de mármol si pudiera. (conditional) A. esculpiría B. esculpirías C. esculpirían D. esculpo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en madera en el taller. (present subjunctive) A. esculpas B. esculpamos C. esculpo D. esculpa
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ figuras de barro, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. esculpiéramos B. esculpo C. esculpiera D. esculpieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ con paciencia durante meses. (present perfect) A. han esculpido B. hemos esculpido C. he esculpido D. has esculpido
Complete the command: ¡___ una estatua de mármol! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. esculpe B. esculpa C. esculpamos D. esculpid
Which is the gerund of esculpir, used with estar for the progressive? A. esculpido B. esculpo C. esculpí D. esculpiendo
Answer key
- esculpo — The first-person present of esculpir is esculpo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- esculpió — The third-person preterite of esculpir is esculpió, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- esculpíamos — The nosotros imperfect of esculpir is esculpíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- esculpirás — The second-person future of esculpir is esculpirás.
- esculpiría — The first-person conditional of esculpir is esculpiría, the form for what would happen.
- esculpa — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of esculpir is esculpa.
- esculpiera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of esculpir is esculpiera.
- hemos esculpido — The nosotros present perfect of esculpir is hemos esculpido: hemos + esculpido.
- esculpe — The affirmative tú imperative of esculpir is esculpe.
- esculpiendo — The gerund of esculpir is esculpiendo: estoy esculpiendo. The participle esculpido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does esculpir mean in English?
Esculpir means to sculpt. It is used in everyday situations such as Esculpo una estatua de mármol. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is esculpir regular or irregular?
Esculpir is a fully regular -ir 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 esculpo in the present and esculpí in the preterite.
What is the difference between esculpir and dibujar?
Esculpir means to sculpt, while dibujar means to draw, the art partner. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use esculpir when you mean to sculpt, as in Esculpo una estatua de mármol, and use dibujar for to draw, the art partner. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I sculpt” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo esculpí en madera en el taller. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo esculpía figuras de barro. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he esculpido en madera en el taller.
How do I practise esculpir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the esculpir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Esculpir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for esculpir.
- Esculpir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for esculpir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Discutir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with esculpir.
- Debatir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with esculpir.
- Advertir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with esculpir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.