Fichar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

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

Everyday use

Fichar means to clock in. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. A las ocho, yo ficho — "At eight o'clock, I clock in"
  2. Al entrar, él ficha — "On arrival, he clocks in"
  3. Todos los días, yo fiché — "Every day, I clocked in"
  4. A las ocho, yo fichaba — "At eight o'clock, I used to clock in"
  5. Al entrar, yo ficharé — "On arrival, I will clock in"
  6. Todos los días, yo he fichado — "Every day, I have clocked in"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. Todos los días, él fichó — "Every day, he clocked in"
  2. A las ocho, él fichaba — "At eight o'clock, he used to clock in"
  3. Al entrar, tú ficharás — "On arrival, you will clock in"
  4. Todos los días, yo ficharía — "Every day, I would clock in"
  5. A las ocho, yo había fichado — "At eight o'clock, I had clocked in"
  6. Al entrar, nosotros fichamos — "On arrival, we clock in"

Fichar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿A las ocho, tú fichas? — "Do you clock in at eight o'clock?"
  • Sí, a las ocho, yo ficho cada día. — "Yes, At eight o'clock, I clock in every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Al entrar, tú fichaste? — "And yesterday? Did you clock in on arrival?"
  • Sí, al entrar, yo fiché. — "Yes, On arrival, I clocked in."
  • Mañana, todos los días, yo ficharé también. — "Tomorrow, every day, I will clock in too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿A las ocho, vosotros ficháis? — "Do you clock in at eight o'clock?"
  • Sí, a las ocho, nosotros fichamos los fines de semana. — "Yes, At eight o'clock, we clock in at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Al entrar, ellos fichan? — "And them? Do they clock in on arrival?"
  • Sí, al entrar, ellos fichan también. — "Yes, On arrival, they clock in too."
  • Mañana al entrar, nosotros ficharemos otra vez. — "Tomorrow on arrival, we will clock in again."

Useful phrases with fichar

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

  • Voy a fichar a las ocho. — "I am going to clock in at eight o'clock."
  • Quiero fichar al entrar. — "I want to clock in on arrival."
  • Me gusta fichar todos los días. — "I like to clock in every day."
  • Acabo de fichar a las ocho. — "I have just clocked in at eight o'clock."

Common mistakes with fichar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos ficha a las ocho.
  • Right: A las ocho, ellos fichan.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form fichan. The singular ficha belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo fiché.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo ficho.
  • 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: Yo soy fichado al entrar.
  • Right: Yo he fichado al entrar.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he fichado, has fichado, ha fichado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él ficha a las ocho.
  • Right: Espero que él fiche a las ocho.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: fiche. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: fichar in use

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

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

  • (a) ha fichado
  • (b) ficho
  • (c) fichemos
  • (d) ficharé

Answer: (b) ficho. The I form in the present is ficho.

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

  • (a) ha fichado
  • (b) fiché
  • (c) habrías fichado
  • (d) ficha

Answer: (d) ficha. The he / she form in the present is ficha.

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

  • (a) fichábamos
  • (b) fichó
  • (c) ficharemos
  • (d) habría fichado

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

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

  • (a) habrías fichado
  • (b) fichaba
  • (c) ficharan
  • (d) habrá fichado

Answer: (b) fichaba. The I form in the imperfect is fichaba.

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

  • (a) fichara
  • (b) ficharé
  • (c) ficharon
  • (d) habríamos fichado

Answer: (b) ficharé. The I form in the future is ficharé.

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

  • (a) fichará
  • (b) he fichado
  • (c) habíais fichado
  • (d) habías fichado

Answer: (b) he fichado. The I form in the present perfect is he fichado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a las ocho.

  • (a) fichéis
  • (b) fiches
  • (c) fichen
  • (d) fiche

Answer: (d) fiche. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is fiche.

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

  • (a) fichaste
  • (b) habrías fichado
  • (c) fichamos
  • (d) habríamos fichado

Answer: (c) fichamos. The we form in the present is fichamos.

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

  • (a) habéis fichado
  • (b) ficharíamos
  • (c) fiché
  • (d) ficharíais

Answer: (c) fiché. The I form in the preterite is fiché.

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

  • (a) fichan
  • (b) he fichado
  • (c) habríais fichado
  • (d) ficharíamos

Answer: (a) fichan. The they form in the present is fichan.

Frequently asked questions about fichar

Is fichar regular?

Yes. Fichar is a regular -ar verb: ficho, fichas, ficha. See the full conjugation of fichar for every tense.

What is the past participle of fichar?

The past participle is fichado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he fichado. The gerund is fichando, used with estar: estoy fichando.

How do I say “I clock in” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Al entrar, yo fiché. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Todos los días, yo fichaba.

How can I practise fichar?

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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