Introduction

Fichar means “to clock in”, and this page covers exactly one thing: fichar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for fichar, 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 fichar in the present. Fichar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “A las ocho, yo ficho” — "At eight o'clock, I clock in". Everything on this page uses the forms of fichar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Fichar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo ficho
tú fichas
él/ella/Ud. ficha
nosotros/as fichamos
vosotros/as ficháis
ellos/ellas/Uds. fichan

Gerund: fichando · Past participle: fichado

The gerund is fichando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy fichando” means the action of fichar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is fichado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he fichado” 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 fichar is used.

How the present of fichar is formed

Fichar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem fich and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving ficho, fichas, ficha, fichamos, ficháis, fichan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, ficháis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of fichar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form ficháis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form ficho is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of fichar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use fichar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, fichar goes in the present. Example: “Al entrar, yo ficho” — "On arrival, I clock in".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about fichar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Todos los días, él ficha” — "Every day, he clocks in".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so ficho can mean both "I clock in" and "I am clocking in". Example: “A las ocho, yo ficho” — "At eight o'clock, I clock in".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Al entrar, nosotros fichamos” — "On arrival, we clock in".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with fichar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Todos los días, él ficha” — "Every day, he clocks in".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “A las ocho, yo ficho” — "At eight o'clock, I clock in".

  • Preterite: “A las ocho, yo fiché” — "At eight o'clock, I clocked in".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Al entrar, él ficha” — "On arrival, he clocks in".

  • Preterite: “Al entrar, él fichó” — "On arrival, he clocked in".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Todos los días, nosotros fichamos” — "Every day, we clock in".

  • Preterite: “Todos los días, nosotros fichamos” — "Every day, we clocked in".

  • The two sentences look identical: fichamos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: fichar 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.

  1. “Al entrar, yo ficho” — "On arrival, I clock in"

  2. “Todos los días, tú fichas” — "Every day, you clock in"

  3. “A las ocho, él ficha” — "At eight o'clock, he clocks in"

  4. “Al entrar, nosotros fichamos” — "On arrival, we clock in"

  5. “Todos los días, vosotros ficháis” — "Every day, you clock in"

  6. “A las ocho, ellos fichan” — "At eight o'clock, they clock in"

  7. “Al entrar, yo ficho” — "On arrival, I clock in"

  8. “Todos los días, él ficha” — "Every day, he clocks in"

Common mistakes with fichar 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: “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.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo fiché” Right: “Todos los días, yo ficho” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (fiché) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo ficha a las ocho.” Right: “A las ocho, yo ficho” Why: Yo needs the yo form ficho. The él form ficha belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo ficho” Right: “Ayer, yo fiché” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to fiché.

Quiz: fichar 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 ___ todos los días.” (yo form)

A. fichan B. ficháis C. ficho D. fichas

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ a las ocho.” (tú form)

A. fichas B. ficháis C. fichan D. ficho

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ al entrar.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. ficho B. ficháis C. ficha D. fichas

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ todos los días.” (nosotros/as form)

A. ficháis B. ficha C. fichamos D. ficho

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ a las ocho.” (vosotros/as form)

A. fichas B. fichamos C. ficháis D. ficha

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ al entrar.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. fichamos B. fichas C. ficho D. fichan

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo ficho B. Todos los días, yo fiché

Answer key

  1. ficho — The yo present of fichar is ficho.
  2. fichas — The tú present of fichar is fichas.
  3. ficha — The él/ella/Ud. present of fichar is ficha.
  4. fichamos — The nosotros/as present of fichar is fichamos.
  5. ficháis — The vosotros/as present of fichar is ficháis.
  6. fichan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of fichar is fichan.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo ficho — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of fichar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: A las ocho, yo ficho. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of fichar formed?

Take the stem fich- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving ficho, fichas, ficha, fichamos, ficháis, fichan.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for fichar?

The present (ficho) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (fiché) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise fichar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — ficho, fichas, ficha, fichamos, ficháis, fichan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the fichar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of fichar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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