Estofar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

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

To stew

Estofar means to stew. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Yo estofo la carne — "I stew the meat"
  2. Él estofa a fuego lento — "He stews over a low heat"
  3. Yo estofé con verduras — "I stewed with vegetables"
  4. Yo estofaba la carne — "I used to stew the meat"
  5. Yo estofaré a fuego lento — "I will stew over a low heat"
  6. Yo he estofado con verduras — "I have stewed with vegetables"

To braise

Estofar means to braise. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Él estofó con verduras — "He stewed with vegetables"
  2. Él estofaba la carne — "He used to stew the meat"
  3. Tú estofarás a fuego lento — "You will stew over a low heat"
  4. Yo estofaría con verduras — "I would stew with vegetables"
  5. Yo había estofado la carne — "I had stewed the meat"
  6. Nosotros estofamos a fuego lento — "We stew over a low heat"

Estofar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú estofas la carne? — "Do you stew the meat?"
  • Sí, yo estofo la carne cada día. — "Yes, I stew the meat every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú estofaste a fuego lento? — "And yesterday? Did you stew over a low heat?"
  • Sí, yo estofé a fuego lento. — "Yes, I stewed over a low heat."
  • Mañana, yo estofaré con verduras también. — "Tomorrow, I will stew with vegetables too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros estofáis la carne? — "Do you stew the meat?"
  • Sí, nosotros estofamos la carne los fines de semana. — "Yes, We stew the meat at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos estofan a fuego lento? — "And them? Do they stew over a low heat?"
  • Sí, ellos estofan a fuego lento también. — "Yes, They stew over a low heat too."
  • Mañana nosotros estofaremos a fuego lento otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will stew over a low heat again."

Useful phrases with estofar

Four patterns you can use with estofar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a estofar la carne. — "I am going to stew the meat."
  • Quiero estofar a fuego lento. — "I want to stew over a low heat."
  • Me gusta estofar con verduras. — "I like to stew with vegetables."
  • Acabo de estofar la carne. — "I have just stewed the meat."

Common mistakes with estofar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos estofa la carne.
  • Right: Ellos estofan la carne.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form estofan. The singular estofa belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo estofé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo estofo.
  • 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: Estofar es lo mismo que guisar.
  • Right: Estofar means to stew; guisar means to stew, to cook.
  • Why: Estofar and guisar describe different things. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él estofa la carne.
  • Right: Espero que él estofe la carne.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: estofe. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: estofar in use

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

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

  • (a) estofo
  • (b) estofes
  • (c) estofaríamos
  • (d) estofaría

Answer: (a) estofo. The I form in the present is estofo.

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

  • (a) estoféis
  • (b) estofa
  • (c) estofad
  • (d) estofaste

Answer: (b) estofa. The he / she form in the present is estofa.

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

  • (a) estofará
  • (b) estofó
  • (c) estofabais
  • (d) estofarais

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

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

  • (a) habréis estofado
  • (b) estofarán
  • (c) estofaste
  • (d) estofaba

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

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

  • (a) estofaban
  • (b) ha estofado
  • (c) estofaba
  • (d) estofaré

Answer: (d) estofaré. The I form in the future is estofaré.

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

  • (a) he estofado
  • (b) habré estofado
  • (c) estoféis
  • (d) estofa

Answer: (a) he estofado. The I form in the present perfect is he estofado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la carne.

  • (a) estofen
  • (b) estofe
  • (c) estofes
  • (d) estoféis

Answer: (b) estofe. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is estofe.

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

  • (a) estofaras
  • (b) estofamos
  • (c) habréis estofado
  • (d) estofad

Answer: (b) estofamos. The we form in the present is estofamos.

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

  • (a) habrían estofado
  • (b) estofé
  • (c) habrías estofado
  • (d) estofara

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

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

  • (a) estofaríais
  • (b) había estofado
  • (c) estofara
  • (d) estofan

Answer: (d) estofan. The they form in the present is estofan.

Frequently asked questions about estofar

Is estofar regular?

Yes. Estofar is a regular -ar verb: estofo, estofas, estofa. See the full conjugation of estofar for every tense.

What is the difference between estofar and guisar?

Estofar means to stew. Guisar means to stew, to cook. Use estofar when you mean to stew, as in Yo estofo la carne.

How do I say “I stew” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo estofé a fuego lento. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo estofaba con verduras.

How can I practise estofar?

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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