Especificar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb especificar means to specify, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Especificar means to specify, and it covers specifying a date in a contract, the details of an order, a price on an invoice and the terms of an agreement. It is a spelling-change verb: the c becomes qu before e. Like every Spanish verb, especificar 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 especifico la fecha en el contrato, and in the preterite you say especifiqué el precio en la factura. 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: especificar
  • English: to specify
  • Verb type: irregular verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: especificando
  • Past participle: especificado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + especificado)

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

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for especificar. 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 especifico
tú especificas
él/ella/Ud. especifica
nosotros/as especificamos
vosotros/as especificáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. especifican

Preterite

Person Form
yo especifiqué
tú especificaste
él/ella/Ud. especificó
nosotros/as especificamos
vosotros/as especificasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. especificaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo especificaba
tú especificabas
él/ella/Ud. especificaba
nosotros/as especificábamos
vosotros/as especificabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. especificaban

Future

Person Form
yo especificaré
tú especificarás
él/ella/Ud. especificará
nosotros/as especificaremos
vosotros/as especificaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. especificarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo especificaría
tú especificarías
él/ella/Ud. especificaría
nosotros/as especificaríamos
vosotros/as especificaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. especificarían

Present perfect

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

Pluperfect

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

Future perfect

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

Conditional perfect

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

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo especifique
tú especifiques
él/ella/Ud. especifique
nosotros/as especifiquemos
vosotros/as especifiquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. especifiquen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo especificara
tú especificaras
él/ella/Ud. especificara
nosotros/as especificáramos
vosotros/as especificarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. especificaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú especifica
él/ella/Ud. especifique
nosotros/as especifiquemos
vosotros/as especificad
ellos/ellas/Uds. especifiquen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú especifiques
él/ella/Ud. especifique
nosotros/as especifiquemos
vosotros/as especifiquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. especifiquen

Gerund and past participle

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

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 especificar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Especifico la fecha en el contrato. 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 especifiqué. For especificar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, especifiqué los detalles del pedido. 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 especificar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, especificaba el precio en la factura. 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 especificar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, especificaré las condiciones del acuerdo. 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 especificar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Especificaría la fecha en el contrato 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 especificar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he especificado los detalles del pedido. 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 especificar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había especificado el precio en la factura 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 especificar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré especificado las condiciones del acuerdo. 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 especificar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría especificado la fecha en el contrato 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 especificar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él especifique los detalles del pedido. 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 especificar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él especificara el precio en la factura, 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 especificar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Especifica las condiciones del acuerdo! 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 especificar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No especifiques la fecha en el contrato. 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 especificar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Especifico la fecha en el contrato. — I specify the date in the contract.
  2. Especifica los detalles del pedido. — He/she specifies the details of the order.
  3. Ayer, especifiqué el precio en la factura. — Yesterday, I specified the price on the invoice.
  4. Antes, nosotros especificábamos las condiciones del acuerdo. — Before, we used to specify the terms of the agreement.
  5. Mañana, tú especificarás la fecha en el contrato. — Tomorrow, you will specify the date in the contract.
  6. Yo especificaría los detalles del pedido si tuviera más tiempo. — I would specify the details of the order if I had more time.
  7. Él ha especificado el precio en la factura. — He has specified the price on the invoice.
  8. Espero que él especifique las condiciones del acuerdo. — I hope he specifies the terms of the agreement.
  9. Yo ya había especificado la fecha en el contrato antes de salir. — I had already specified the date in the contract before leaving.
  10. Ellos especificaban los detalles del pedido cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to specify the details of the order when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo especifica la fecha en el contrato. — Right: Yo especifico la fecha en el contrato. — The person matters: especifica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is especifico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo especificé los detalles del pedido. — Right: Yo especifiqué los detalles del pedido. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is especifiqué, not especificé. especificar 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 especificar and explicar as identical in every context. — Right: Especificar means to specify, while explicar means to explain, the close verb. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: especificar fits sentences such as Especifico la fecha en el contrato, while explicar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy especificado los detalles del pedido. — Right: Yo he especificado los detalles del pedido. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he especificado, has especificado, ha especificado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo especifiqué el precio en la factura todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo especificaba el precio en la factura todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (especificaba), not the preterite. The preterite (especifiqué) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la fecha en el contrato. (present tense) A. especifico B. especificas C. especifica D. especificamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ los detalles del pedido. (preterite) A. especifiqué B. especificaste C. especificaron D. especificó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el precio en la factura. (imperfect) A. especificabas B. especificaban C. especificábamos D. especificaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ las condiciones del acuerdo. (future) A. especificaremos B. especificarás C. especificaré D. especificará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la fecha en el contrato si pudiera. (conditional) A. especificaría B. especificarías C. especificarían D. especifico

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ los detalles del pedido. (present subjunctive) A. especifiques B. especifiquemos C. especifico D. especifique

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el precio en la factura, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. especificáramos B. especifico C. especificara D. especificaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ las condiciones del acuerdo. (present perfect) A. han especificado B. hemos especificado C. he especificado D. has especificado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ la fecha en el contrato! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. especifica B. especifique C. especifiquemos D. especificad

  10. Which is the gerund of especificar, used with estar for the progressive? A. especificado B. especifico C. especifiqué D. especificando

Answer key

  1. especifico — The first-person present of especificar is especifico. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. especificó — The third-person preterite of especificar is especificó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. especificábamos — The nosotros imperfect of especificar is especificábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. especificarás — The second-person future of especificar is especificarás.
  5. especificaría — The first-person conditional of especificar is especificaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. especifique — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of especificar is especifique.
  7. especificara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of especificar is especificara.
  8. hemos especificado — The nosotros present perfect of especificar is hemos especificado: hemos + especificado.
  9. especifica — The affirmative tú imperative of especificar is especifica.
  10. especificando — The gerund of especificar is especificando: estoy especificando. The participle especificado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does especificar mean in English?

Especificar means to specify. It is used in everyday situations such as Especifico la fecha en el contrato. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is especificar regular or irregular?

Especificar 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 especifico in the present and especifiqué in the preterite.

What is the difference between especificar and explicar?

Especificar means to specify, while explicar means to explain, the close verb. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use especificar when you mean to specify, as in Especifico la fecha en el contrato, and use explicar for to explain, the close verb. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I specify” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo especifiqué los detalles del pedido. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo especificaba el precio en la factura. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he especificado los detalles del pedido.

How do I practise especificar?

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

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