Introduction
Explicar means “to explain”, and this page covers exactly one thing: explicar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly, what is true in general, and what is happening right now. On this page you will find the full present table for explicar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about explicar in the present. Explicar is the verb for explaining something: a rule, a word, a problem. The thing explained is the direct object, with no preposition. For example: “Yo explico la regla.” — I explain the rule. Everything on this page uses the forms of explicar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.
Explicar in the Present Tense — full table
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | explico |
| tú | explicas |
| él/ella/Ud. | explica |
| nosotros/as | explicamos |
| vosotros/as | explicáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | explican |
Gerund: explicando · Past participle: explicado
The gerund is explicando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy explicando” means the action of explicar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is explicado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he explicado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how explicar is used.
How the present of explicar is formed
Explicar is regular in the present tense: the stem is explic and the endings are -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving explico, explicas, explica, explicamos, explicáis and explican. The spelling change of this verb (g to gu in pagar, c to qu in explicar) only appears before an e in the subjunctive and in the preterite yo form, never in the present indicative, so nothing in the table above needs a spelling adjustment. If you can conjugate a regular -ar verb, you can conjugate explicar in the present.
The spelling change of explicar is easy to miss and easy to learn. The c of the stem becomes qu before an e, to keep the hard k sound: expliqué in the preterite yo, explique and expliques in the subjunctive. In the present indicative, every ending starts with o, a or á, so the c never meets an e and the spelling never changes. If you can say explico, explicas and explica, you already have the whole present tense.
When to use the present of explicar
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use explicar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. Explaining something
Explicar is the verb for explaining something: a rule, a word, a problem. The thing explained is the direct object, with no preposition. Example: “Yo explico la regla.” — I explain the rule.
2. Explaining to someone
Explicar a + person means to explain to someone. The personal a appears because the listener is a person. Example: “El profesor explica a los estudiantes.” — The teacher explains to the students.
3. Explaining how something works
Explicar cómo + clause means to explain how something works. It is how you give instructions and reasons. Example: “Nosotros explicamos cómo funciona.” — We explain how it works.
4. Habits and routines
The present tense is the tense of routine. When something happens every day, every week or every morning, the present is the natural choice, and explicar is no exception. Use time expressions such as todos los días, siempre or cada semana to make the routine explicit. Example: “Yo explico la regla.” — I explain the rule.
5. What is happening right now
The present also describes an action in progress at this very moment. Spanish often prefers the simple present where English would use the continuous form, so a sentence with explicar in the present can mean both “I do this” and “I am doing this now”. Context tells the listener which one you mean. Example: “Nosotros explicamos cómo funciona.” — We explain how it works.
Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, general truths and what is happening now, while the preterite describes one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the time frame — and with it, the tense. Notice how the present sentences use words such as todos los días or siempre, while the preterite sentences use ayer or la semana pasada. Those time words are your best clue when you are choosing a tense.
Present Tense: “Yo explico la regla todos los días.” — I explain the rule every day.
Preterite: “Ayer yo expliqué la regla.” — Yesterday I explained the rule.
Todos los días describes a routine, so the present is right; ayer names one finished day, so the preterite is right.
Present Tense: “El profesor explica a los estudiantes siempre.” — The teacher always explains to the students.
Preterite: “El profesor explicó a los estudiantes ayer.” — The teacher explained to the students yesterday.
Siempre signals a routine, so the present fits; ayer names one finished day, so the preterite fits.
Present Tense: “Yo explico la regla.” — I explain the rule.
Preterite: “Ayer, yo expliqué la regla.” — the same action, but finished yesterday instead of repeated as a habit.
The present sentence is true every day; the preterite sentence is true once, yesterday. That difference — routine versus one finished event — is the whole decision.
Example sentences: explicar in the present
Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.
“Yo explico la regla.” — I explain the rule.
“¿Tú explicas la lección?” — Do you explain the lesson?
“El profesor explica a los estudiantes.” — The teacher explains to the students.
“Nosotros explicamos cómo funciona.” — We explain how it works.
“Vosotros explicáis bien.” — You explain well.
“Ellos explican el problema.” — They explain the problem.
“Yo explico con ejemplos.” — I explain with examples.
“Mi padre explica todo con paciencia.” — My father explains everything patiently.
Common mistakes with explicar in the present
These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo explico al profesor la regla.” Right: “Yo explico la regla al profesor.” Why: In Spanish, the direct object usually comes before the indirect object: explico la regla al profesor, not explico al profesor la regla. The order matters, and the natural order is what you explain first, then to whom.
Wrong: “Ellos explica el problema.” Right: “Ellos explican el problema.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form explican. The singular explica belongs with él, ella or a singular noun such as el profesor.
Wrong: “Yo explico la regla ayer.” Right: “Ayer yo expliqué la regla.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to expliqué, with the spelling change c → qu before e.
Wrong: “Nosotros explicas bien.” Right: “Nosotros explicamos bien.” Why: Nosotros needs explicamos. The tú form explicas belongs with tú.
Quiz: explicar in the present
Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.
1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ______ la regla.” (I explain the rule.)
- (a) explicas
- (b) explica
- (c) explico
Answer: explico — The yo form of explicar in the present is explico. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
2. Complete the sentence: “¿Tú ______ la lección?” (Do you explain the lesson?)
- (a) explica
- (b) explicas
- (c) explico
Answer: explicas — The tú form of explicar in the present is explicas. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
3. Complete the sentence: “El profesor ______ a los estudiantes.” (The teacher explains to the students.)
- (a) explica
- (b) explico
- (c) explicas
Answer: explica — The él/ella/Ud. form of explicar in the present is explica. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ______ cómo funciona.” (We explain how it works.)
- (a) explico
- (b) explicas
- (c) explicamos
Answer: explicamos — The nosotros/as form of explicar in the present is explicamos. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
5. What is the vosotros/as form of explicar in the present?
- (a) explicas
- (b) explicáis
- (c) explico
Answer: explicáis — From the table above: vosotros/as takes explicáis. Say it with the example sentence “Vosotros explicáis bien.” to fix it in your memory.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ el problema.” (They explain the problem.)
- (a) explico
- (b) explicas
- (c) explican
Answer: explican — The subject needs the ellos/ellas/Uds. form, which is explican.
7. Which is the correct yo form of explicar in the present?
- (a) explico
- (b) explica
- (c) explican
Answer: explico — The yo form is explico. The other two options are the él/ella and ellos/ellas forms.
8. Which sentence describes a habit, something that happens regularly?
- (a) Yo explico la regla todos los días.
- (b) Ayer yo expliqué la regla.
- (c) Ayer yo expliqué la regla.
Answer: Yo explico la regla todos los días. — “Yo explico la regla todos los días.” describes something repeated, so it takes the present tense. The other two sentences describe single finished occasions in the past, not habits.
Frequently asked questions
Is explicar regular in the present tense?
Yes. Explicar is regular in the present: explico, explicas, explica, explicamos, explicáis, explican. The spelling change c → qu appears only before an e, in the preterite yo form (expliqué) and in the subjunctive (explique, expliques), never in the present indicative.
Does explicar take a preposition before a person?
Yes, it takes the personal a: explicar a los estudiantes. What you explain is the direct object, with no preposition: 'Explico la regla'. The order is what you explain first, then to whom: 'Explico la regla al profesor'.
What is the difference between explicar and decir?
Explicar means to explain, to make something clear with reasons and examples, while decir means to say, to state something. You explain a rule (explicar) and you say a word (decir). Explaining is saying with the aim of making someone understand.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of explicar — every tense of explicar in one place.
- Explicar examples and quiz — more sentences with explicar and a ten-question quiz.
- Spanish present guide — how the present works for all Spanish verbs.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present instantly.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on explicar and other verbs.