Gratinar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

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

Everyday use

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

  1. Yo gratino las patatas — "I gratinate the potatoes"
  2. Él gratina con queso — "He gratinates with cheese"
  3. Yo gratiné en el horno — "I gratinated in the oven"
  4. Yo gratinaba las patatas — "I used to gratinate the potatoes"
  5. Yo gratinaré con queso — "I will gratinate with cheese"
  6. Yo he gratinado en el horno — "I have gratinated in the oven"

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. Él gratinó en el horno — "He gratinated in the oven"
  2. Él gratinaba las patatas — "He used to gratinate the potatoes"
  3. Tú gratinarás con queso — "You will gratinate with cheese"
  4. Yo gratinaría en el horno — "I would gratinate in the oven"
  5. Yo había gratinado las patatas — "I had gratinated the potatoes"
  6. Nosotros gratinamos con queso — "We gratinate with cheese"

Gratinar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú gratinas las patatas? — "Do you gratinate the potatoes?"
  • Sí, yo gratino las patatas cada día. — "Yes, I gratinate the potatoes every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú gratinaste con queso? — "And yesterday? Did you gratinate with cheese?"
  • Sí, yo gratiné con queso. — "Yes, I gratinated with cheese."
  • Mañana, yo gratinaré en el horno también. — "Tomorrow, I will gratinate in the oven too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros gratináis las patatas? — "Do you gratinate the potatoes?"
  • Sí, nosotros gratinamos las patatas los fines de semana. — "Yes, We gratinate the potatoes at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos gratinan con queso? — "And them? Do they gratinate with cheese?"
  • Sí, ellos gratinan con queso también. — "Yes, They gratinate with cheese too."
  • Mañana nosotros gratinaremos con queso otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will gratinate with cheese again."

Useful phrases with gratinar

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

  • Voy a gratinar las patatas. — "I am going to gratinate the potatoes."
  • Quiero gratinar con queso. — "I want to gratinate with cheese."
  • Me gusta gratinar en el horno. — "I like to gratinate in the oven."
  • Acabo de gratinar las patatas. — "I have just gratinated the potatoes."

Common mistakes with gratinar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos gratina las patatas.
  • Right: Ellos gratinan las patatas.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form gratinan. The singular gratina belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo gratiné.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo gratino.
  • 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 gratinado con queso.
  • Right: Yo he gratinado con queso.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he gratinado, has gratinado, ha gratinado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él gratina las patatas.
  • Right: Espero que él gratine las patatas.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: gratine. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: gratinar in use

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

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

  • (a) gratinábamos
  • (b) gratino
  • (c) gratinéis
  • (d) habrás gratinado

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

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

  • (a) gratina
  • (b) habrías gratinado
  • (c) habréis gratinado
  • (d) gratinó

Answer: (a) gratina. The he / she form in the present is gratina.

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

  • (a) gratinaríais
  • (b) gratinamos
  • (c) gratinarías
  • (d) gratinó

Answer: (d) gratinó. The he / she form in the preterite is gratinó.

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

  • (a) habremos gratinado
  • (b) habrán gratinado
  • (c) han gratinado
  • (d) gratinaba

Answer: (d) gratinaba. The I form in the imperfect is gratinaba.

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

  • (a) gratinaré
  • (b) habrían gratinado
  • (c) gratinó
  • (d) gratine

Answer: (a) gratinaré. The I form in the future is gratinaré.

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

  • (a) he gratinado
  • (b) gratináis
  • (c) habrán gratinado
  • (d) gratinaron

Answer: (a) he gratinado. The I form in the present perfect is he gratinado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ las patatas.

  • (a) gratinemos
  • (b) gratinen
  • (c) gratines
  • (d) gratine

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

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

  • (a) gratinaríais
  • (b) gratinaré
  • (c) gratinamos
  • (d) habrían gratinado

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

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

  • (a) gratinaba
  • (b) gratiné
  • (c) gratina
  • (d) habríamos gratinado

Answer: (b) gratiné. The I form in the preterite is gratiné.

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

  • (a) habéis gratinado
  • (b) gratinábamos
  • (c) gratinasteis
  • (d) gratinan

Answer: (d) gratinan. The they form in the present is gratinan.

Frequently asked questions about gratinar

Is gratinar regular?

Yes. Gratinar is a regular -ar verb: gratino, gratinas, gratina. See the full conjugation of gratinar for every tense.

What is the past participle of gratinar?

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

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

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo gratiné con queso. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo gratinaba en el horno.

How can I practise gratinar?

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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