Introduction
Estudiar means “to study”, and it is one of the verbs you will use every day in Spanish. Estudiar is the verb for studying a subject: Spanish, medicine, history. The subject is the direct object, with no preposition. Estudiar para + exam means to study for an exam. The para marks the goal of the studying. This page shows estudiar in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Yo estudio español todos los días.” — I study Spanish every day.
Estudiar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how estudiar is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use estudiar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Yo estudio español todos los días.” — I study Spanish every day.
“¿Tú estudias para el examen?” — Are you studying for the exam?
“Mi hermano estudia medicina en Madrid.” — My brother studies medicine in Madrid.
“Nosotros estudiamos en la biblioteca.” — We study in the library.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show estudiar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer yo estudié tres horas.” — Yesterday I studied for three hours. (preterite)
“Mi hermano estudiaba medicina cuando vivía en Madrid.” — My brother used to study medicine when he lived in Madrid. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of estudiar stays the same.
“Nosotros estudiaremos en la biblioteca mañana.” — We will study in the library tomorrow. (future)
“¿Tú has estudiado ya para el examen?” — Have you studied for the exam yet? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros estudiáis historia en el instituto.” — You study history at school.
“Ellos estudian inglés por la noche.” — They study English at night.
“Yo estudio con mis amigos los sábados.” — I study with my friends on Saturdays.
“Mi padre estudia derecho por las noches.” — My father studies law at night.
Estudiar in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how estudiar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Lucía: “¿Tú estudias para el examen?” — Are you studying for the exam?
Pablo: “Sí, yo estudio español todos los días.” — Yes, I study Spanish every day.
Lucía: “Nosotros estudiamos en la biblioteca.” — We study in the library.
Pablo: “Y ellos estudian inglés por la noche.” — And they study English at night.
Lucía: “Vosotros estudiáis historia en el instituto.” — You study history at school.
Pablo: “Sí, y mi hermano estudia medicina en Madrid.” — Yes, and my brother studies medicine in Madrid.
A short paragraph
Lucía estudia español todos los días, y su hermano estudia medicina en Madrid. Nosotros estudiamos en la biblioteca, y ellos estudian inglés por la noche. Yo estudio con mis amigos los sábados, y mi padre estudia derecho por las noches. Estudiar fills the week from Monday to Saturday, because studying a subject, studying for an exam and studying in the library are all part of the same verb.
Common mistakes with estudiar
These are the errors learners actually make with estudiar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo estudio de español.” Right: “Yo estudio español.” Why: Estudiar takes a direct object with no preposition: estudio español, not estudio de español. The de appears only in phrases such as 'estudio un curso de español', where it belongs to curso.
Wrong: “Ellos estudia inglés.” Right: “Ellos estudian inglés.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form estudian. The singular estudia belongs with él, ella or a singular noun such as mi hermano.
Wrong: “Yo estudio tres horas ayer.” Right: “Ayer yo estudié tres horas.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished study session yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to estudié.
Wrong: “Nosotros estudias en la biblioteca.” Right: “Nosotros estudiamos en la biblioteca.” Why: Nosotros needs estudiamos. The tú form estudias belongs with tú.
Wrong: “Ellos estudio todos los días.” Right: “Ellos estudian todos los días.” Why: The verb must agree with its subject. Ellos needs the ellos form estudian, not the yo form estudio. This is the most common agreement slip in the present tense, and it happens because learners memorise the yo form first and then reuse it for every person.
Quiz: estudiar in use
Ten questions on estudiar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ historia en el instituto.” (You study history at school.)
- (a) estudias
- (b) estudiáis
- (c) estudio
Answer: estudiáis — The vosotros/as form of estudiar in the present tense is estudiáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ inglés por la noche.” (They study English at night.)
- (a) estudian
- (b) estudio
- (c) estudias
Answer: estudian — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of estudiar in the present tense is estudian.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ tres horas.” (Yesterday I studied for three hours.)
- (a) estudiaste
- (b) estudió
- (c) estudié
Answer: estudié — In the preterite, the yo form of estudiar is estudié.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Mi hermano ______ medicina cuando vivía en Madrid.” (My brother used to study medicine when he lived in Madrid.)
- (a) estudiabas
- (b) estudiaba
- (c) estudiaba
Answer: estudiaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of estudiar is estudiaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Nosotros ______ en la biblioteca mañana.” (We will study in the library tomorrow.)
- (a) estudiaremos
- (b) estudiaré
- (c) estudiarás
Answer: estudiaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of estudiar is estudiaremos.
6. What does estudiar mean in English?
- (a) to finish, to end
- (b) to serve
- (c) to study
Answer: to study — Estudiar means “to study”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo estudio español.
- (b) Yo estudio de español.
- (c) Ellos estudia inglés.
Answer: Yo estudio español. — “Yo estudio español.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I study with my friends on Saturdays.” in Spanish?
- (a) Yo estudian con mis amigos los sábados.
- (b) Yo estudio con mis amigos los sábados.
- (c) Mi padre estudia derecho por las noches.
Answer: Yo estudio con mis amigos los sábados. — “Yo estudio con mis amigos los sábados.” is the correct translation. The second option means something different, and the third uses the wrong person's form.
9. What is the nosotros form of estudiar in the present tense?
- (a) estudio
- (b) estudias
- (c) estudiamos
Answer: estudiamos — The nosotros form is estudiamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Ayer yo estudié tres horas.
- (b) Nosotros estudiaremos en la biblioteca mañana.
- (c) Yo estudio español todos los días.
Answer: Yo estudio español todos los días. — “Yo estudio español todos los días.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I study Spanish' in Spanish?
Say 'Estudio español'. The subject follows directly with no preposition. For a routine: 'Estudio español todos los días'.
How do you say 'to study for an exam' in Spanish?
Say 'estudiar para el examen'. In the present: '¿Tú estudias para el examen?' The para marks the goal of the studying.
Can estudiar be used without an object?
Yes. 'Yo estudio por la noche' means 'I study at night', with no object at all. Add a subject only when you want to say what you study: 'Estudio español'.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of estudiar — every tense of estudiar in one place.
- Estudiar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on estudiar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of estudiar until they are automatic.