Formalizar Present Tense in Spanish
formalizar means "to formalise" in English, and the present tense is the form you use when you talk about what happens regularly, what is generally true, and what is happening now. This page gives you the full present-tense table for formalizar, explains how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it, contrasts it with the closest tense, and finishes with examples, the mistakes learners actually make, a quiz and answers to the most common questions. A natural example is: Cada día, yo formalizo el contrato con la empresa. — "Every day, I formalise the contract with the company." Once you can say that sentence confidently, try changing the person and the complement using the table below.
The present tense of formalizar: full table
Every person of formalizar in the present tense. The gerund is formalizando and the past participle is formalizado.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | formalizo |
| tú | formalizas |
| él/ella/Ud. | formaliza |
| nosotros/as | formalizamos |
| vosotros/as | formalizáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formalizan |
The gerund of formalizar is formalizando and the past participle is formalizado. The gerund is used for the progressive (estoy formalizando), and the participle is used with haber in all perfect tenses (he formalizado).
How the present tense of formalizar is formed
The present tense of formalizar is built from the stem formaliz- plus the regular -ar endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an. Take the infinitive, remove the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person: yo formalizo, tú formalizas, él formaliza, nosotros formalizamos, vosotros formalizáis and ellos formalizan. Once you know the pattern for one regular -ar verb, you can apply it to hundreds of others.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | formalizo |
| tú | -as | formalizas |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | formaliza |
| nosotros/as | -amos | formalizamos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | formalizáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | formalizan |
Watch the spelling: the z becomes c before e, so the yo preterite is formalicé and the subjunctive forms start with c, for example formalice.
Two more forms belong with this tense. The gerund is formalizando, used for the progressive with estar: estoy formalizando. The past participle is formalizado, used with haber in all perfect tenses: he formalizado. Both forms appear constantly, so they are worth memorising on their own.
When to use the present tense with formalizar
1. Routines and habits
The present tense describes what happens regularly. For example: Cada día, yo formalizo el contrato con la empresa. — "Every day, I formalise the contract with the company." The complement in this sentence is about the contract with the company, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear formalizar in the present tense.
2. Things happening now
The present tense describes what is happening at this moment. For example: Ahora, tú formalizas la matrícula en la universidad. — "Now, you formalise the enrolment at the university." The complement in this sentence is about the enrolment at the university, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear formalizar in the present tense.
3. General truths
The present tense states facts that are generally true, not tied to one moment. For example: Normalmente, él formaliza el acuerdo entre las partes. — "Normally, he/she formalises the agreement between the parties." The complement in this sentence is about the agreement between the parties, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear formalizar in the present tense.
4. Plans and the near future
The present tense is also used for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression. Spanish speakers often say the present where English would use a future: the plan is so certain that it feels like a fact. For example: Mañana, nosotros formalizamos la inscripción en el curso. — "Tomorrow, we formalise the registration for the course." The complement in this sentence is about the registration for the course, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear formalizar in the present tense.
5. Frequent actions
With words such as siempre, a menudo and todos los días, the present tense shows how often something happens. For example: Siempre, ellos formalizan el contrato con la empresa. — "Always, they formalise the contract with the company." The complement in this sentence is about the contract with the company, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear formalizar in the present tense.
Present vs preterite: formalizar
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, routines and general truths, while the preterite describes one action that started and finished in the past. The three pairs below show the difference with formalizar.
Pair 1
- Present (habit): Cada día, yo formalizo el contrato con la empresa. — "Every day, I formalise the contract with the company."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, yo formalicé el contrato con la empresa. — "Yesterday, I formalised the contract with the company."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 2
- Present (habit): Cada día, tú formalizas la matrícula en la universidad. — "Every day, you formalise the enrolment at the university."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, tú formalizaste la matrícula en la universidad. — "Yesterday, you formalised the enrolment at the university."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 3
- Present (habit): Cada día, él formaliza el acuerdo entre las partes. — "Every day, he/she formalises the agreement between the parties."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, él formalizó el acuerdo entre las partes. — "Yesterday, he/she formalised the agreement between the parties."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Examples: formalizar in the present tense
These eight sentences show formalizar in the present tense with a different person each time. Read them aloud, then try changing the person and the complement to make your own versions.
- Yo formalizo el contrato con la empresa. — "I formalise the contract with the company."
- Tú formalizas la matrícula en la universidad. — "you formalise the enrolment at the university."
- Él formaliza el acuerdo entre las partes. — "he/she formalises the agreement between the parties."
- Nosotros formalizamos la inscripción en el curso. — "we formalise the registration for the course."
- Vosotros formalizáis el contrato con la empresa. — "you (plural) formalise the contract with the company."
- Ellos formalizan la matrícula en la universidad. — "they formalise the enrolment at the university."
- Yo formalizo el acuerdo entre las partes. — "I formalise the agreement between the parties."
- Tú formalizas la inscripción en el curso. — "you formalise the registration for the course."
Common mistakes with formalizar in the present tense
Mistake 1: Dropping the accent on the vosotros form
- Wrong: Vosotros formalizais el contrato con la empresa.
- Right: Vosotros formalizáis el contrato con la empresa.
- Why: The vosotros form formalizáis carries a written accent. Without it the word is misspelled.
Mistake 2: Adding a reflexive pronoun that does not belong
- Wrong: Yo me formalizo el contrato con la empresa.
- Right: Yo formalizo el contrato con la empresa.
- Why: formalizar is not reflexive, so there is no pronoun to add. The extra pronoun changes the meaning of the sentence.
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo formalizo la matrícula en la universidad.
- Right: Ayer, yo formalicé la matrícula en la universidad.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite: Ayer, yo formalicé la matrícula en la universidad. — "Yesterday, I formalised the enrolment at the university." The present tense is for habits and routines, not for yesterday.
Mistake 4: Using the present tense for a past habit
- Wrong: Antes, yo formalizo el acuerdo entre las partes.
- Right: Antes, yo formalizaba el acuerdo entre las partes.
- Why: Antes means before, in the past, so a past habit needs the imperfect: Antes, yo formalizaba el acuerdo entre las partes. — "In the past, I used to formalise the agreement between the parties." The present tense describes what happens now, not what used to happen.
Mistake 5: Using the él form for nosotros
- Wrong: Nosotros formaliza el contrato con la empresa.
- Right: Nosotros formalizamos el contrato con la empresa.
- Why: The person and the ending must match: nosotros takes formalizamos, while formaliza belongs to él and ella. Check the person first, then choose the form.
Quiz: the present tense of formalizar
Test yourself with eight questions on the present tense of formalizar. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of formalizar in the present tense?
- (a) formaliza
- (b) formalizamos
- (c) formalizo
- (d) formalizas
Answer: (c) formalizo. The yo form is formalizo. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
2. What is the tú form of formalizar in the present tense?
- (a) formalizamos
- (b) formalizas
- (c) formalizo
- (d) formaliza
Answer: (b) formalizas. The tú form is formalizas. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
3. What is the él/ella form of formalizar in the present tense?
- (a) formaliza
- (b) formalizo
- (c) formalizas
- (d) formalizamos
Answer: (a) formaliza. The él/ella form is formaliza. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
4. What is the nosotros form of formalizar in the present tense?
- (a) formalizo
- (b) formalizas
- (c) formaliza
- (d) formalizamos
Answer: (d) formalizamos. The nosotros form is formalizamos. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
5. What is the ellos/ellas form of formalizar in the present tense?
- (a) formalizas
- (b) formaliza
- (c) formalizan
- (d) formalizo
Answer: (c) formalizan. The ellos/ellas form is formalizan. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
6. Complete the sentence: Cada día, yo ___ el contrato con la empresa.
- (a) formalizamos
- (b) formalizo
- (c) formalizas
- (d) formaliza
Answer: (b) formalizo. The sentence needs the yo form formalizo (Every day, I formalise the contract with the company.)
7. What is the gerund of formalizar?
- (a) formalizar
- (b) formalizando
- (c) formalizado
- (d) formalizo
Answer: (b) formalizando. The gerund is formalizando, used for the progressive: estoy formalizando.
8. Which sentence describes a habit, something you do regularly?
- (a) Cada día, yo formalizo la matrícula en la universidad.
- (b) Antes, yo formalizaba la matrícula en la universidad.
- (c) Ayer, yo formalicé la matrícula en la universidad.
- (d) Mañana, yo formalizaré la matrícula en la universidad.
Answer: (a) Cada día, yo formalizo la matrícula en la universidad.. Cada día, yo formalizo la matrícula en la universidad. (Every day, I formalise the enrolment at the university.) describes a habit, so it uses the present tense. Ayer, yo formalicé la matrícula en la universidad. is a single completed action, and Mañana, yo formalizaré la matrícula en la universidad. is in the future.
Frequently asked questions about the present tense of formalizar
Is formalizar regular in the present tense?
Almost. formalizar is a spelling-changing (z → c before e) -ar verb, so its endings are regular, but watch the spelling: Watch the spelling: the z becomes c before e, so the yo preterite is formalicé and the subjunctive forms start with c, for example formalice.
How do you say 'formalise' in a sentence?
Use the present tense with a complement: Cada día, yo formalizo el contrato con la empresa. — "Every day, I formalise the contract with the company." Change the person using the table above, and change the complement to talk about your own life.
When do I use the present tense instead of the preterite with formalizar?
Use the present for habits and routines: Cada día, yo formalizo la matrícula en la universidad. — "Every day, I formalise the enrolment at the university." Use the preterite for one finished action: Ayer, yo formalicé la matrícula en la universidad. — "Yesterday, I formalised the enrolment at the university." If the action happens regularly, choose the present; if it happened once and is finished, choose the preterite.
Can I use the present tense for the future with formalizar?
Yes, when the plan is already fixed. Mañana, nosotros formalizamos la inscripción en el curso. — "Tomorrow, we formalise the registration for the course." Spanish often uses the present for a plan that feels certain, where English would use the future. Add a time word such as mañana so the listener knows you mean the future.