Identificar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb identificar means to identify, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Identificar means to identify, and it covers identifying the author of a message, a problem in an engine, a person in a photo and the cause of an error. It is a spelling-change verb: the c becomes qu before e. Like every Spanish verb, identificar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say identifico al autor del mensaje, and in the preterite you say identifiqué a la persona de la foto. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: identificar
- English: to identify
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: identificando
- Past participle: identificado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + identificado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for identificar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is identifiqué and the subjunctive is identifique.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for identificar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | identifico |
| tú | identificas |
| él/ella/Ud. | identifica |
| nosotros/as | identificamos |
| vosotros/as | identificáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identifican |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | identifiqué |
| tú | identificaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | identificó |
| nosotros/as | identificamos |
| vosotros/as | identificasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identificaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | identificaba |
| tú | identificabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | identificaba |
| nosotros/as | identificábamos |
| vosotros/as | identificabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identificaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | identificaré |
| tú | identificarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | identificará |
| nosotros/as | identificaremos |
| vosotros/as | identificaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identificarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | identificaría |
| tú | identificarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | identificaría |
| nosotros/as | identificaríamos |
| vosotros/as | identificaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identificarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he identificado |
| tú | has identificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha identificado |
| nosotros/as | hemos identificado |
| vosotros/as | habéis identificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han identificado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había identificado |
| tú | habías identificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había identificado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos identificado |
| vosotros/as | habíais identificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían identificado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré identificado |
| tú | habrás identificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá identificado |
| nosotros/as | habremos identificado |
| vosotros/as | habréis identificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán identificado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría identificado |
| tú | habrías identificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría identificado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos identificado |
| vosotros/as | habríais identificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían identificado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | identifique |
| tú | identifiques |
| él/ella/Ud. | identifique |
| nosotros/as | identifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | identifiquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identifiquen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | identificara |
| tú | identificaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | identificara |
| nosotros/as | identificáramos |
| vosotros/as | identificarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identificaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | identifica |
| él/ella/Ud. | identifique |
| nosotros/as | identifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | identificad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identifiquen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | identifiques |
| él/ella/Ud. | identifique |
| nosotros/as | identifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | identifiquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | identifiquen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | identificando | with estar for the progressive: estoy identificando |
| Past participle | identificado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he identificado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For identificar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Identifico al autor del mensaje. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. Note the spelling change in the first person: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is identifiqué. For identificar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, identifiqué el problema en el motor. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, identificaba a la persona de la foto. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, identificaré la causa del error. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Identificaría al autor del mensaje si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he identificado el problema en el motor. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había identificado a la persona de la foto antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré identificado la causa del error. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría identificado al autor del mensaje con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For identificar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él identifique el problema en el motor. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For identificar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él identificara a la persona de la foto, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For identificar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Identifica la causa del error! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. Note the spelling change here: c becomes qu before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For identificar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No identifiques al autor del mensaje. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with identificar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Identifico al autor del mensaje. — I identify the author of the message.
- Identifica el problema en el motor. — He/she identifies the problem in the engine.
- Ayer, identifiqué a la persona de la foto. — Yesterday, I identified the person in the photo.
- Antes, nosotros identificábamos la causa del error. — Before, we used to identify the cause of the error.
- Mañana, tú identificarás al autor del mensaje. — Tomorrow, you will identify the author of the message.
- Yo identificaría el problema en el motor si tuviera más tiempo. — I would identify the problem in the engine if I had more time.
- Él ha identificado a la persona de la foto. — He has identified the person in the photo.
- Espero que él identifique la causa del error. — I hope he identifies the cause of the error.
- Yo ya había identificado al autor del mensaje antes de salir. — I had already identified the author of the message before leaving.
- Ellos identificaban el problema en el motor cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to identify the problem in the engine when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo identifica al autor del mensaje. — Right: Yo identifico al autor del mensaje. — The person matters: identifica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is identifico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo identificé el problema en el motor. — Right: Yo identifiqué el problema en el motor. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is identifiqué, not identificé. identificar is a spelling-change verb: c becomes qu before e, so the written form changes to keep the same sound. The regular-looking form is wrong.
- Wrong: Treating identificar and clasificar as identical in every context. — Right: Identificar means to identify, while clasificar means to classify, the close verb. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: identificar fits sentences such as Identifico al autor del mensaje, while clasificar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy identificado el problema en el motor. — Right: Yo he identificado el problema en el motor. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he identificado, has identificado, ha identificado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo identifiqué a la persona de la foto todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo identificaba a la persona de la foto todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (identificaba), not the preterite. The preterite (identifiqué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on identificar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al autor del mensaje. (present tense) A. identifico B. identificas C. identifica D. identificamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el problema en el motor. (preterite) A. identifiqué B. identificaste C. identificaron D. identificó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a la persona de la foto. (imperfect) A. identificabas B. identificaban C. identificábamos D. identificaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la causa del error. (future) A. identificaremos B. identificarás C. identificaré D. identificará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al autor del mensaje si pudiera. (conditional) A. identificaría B. identificarías C. identificarían D. identifico
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el problema en el motor. (present subjunctive) A. identifiques B. identifiquemos C. identifico D. identifique
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a la persona de la foto, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. identificáramos B. identifico C. identificara D. identificaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la causa del error. (present perfect) A. han identificado B. hemos identificado C. he identificado D. has identificado
Complete the command: ¡___ al autor del mensaje! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. identifica B. identifique C. identifiquemos D. identificad
Which is the gerund of identificar, used with estar for the progressive? A. identificado B. identifico C. identifiqué D. identificando
Answer key
- identifico — The first-person present of identificar is identifico. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- identificó — The third-person preterite of identificar is identificó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- identificábamos — The nosotros imperfect of identificar is identificábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- identificarás — The second-person future of identificar is identificarás.
- identificaría — The first-person conditional of identificar is identificaría, the form for what would happen.
- identifique — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of identificar is identifique.
- identificara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of identificar is identificara.
- hemos identificado — The nosotros present perfect of identificar is hemos identificado: hemos + identificado.
- identifica — The affirmative tú imperative of identificar is identifica.
- identificando — The gerund of identificar is identificando: estoy identificando. The participle identificado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does identificar mean in English?
Identificar means to identify. It is used in everyday situations such as Identifico al autor del mensaje. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is identificar regular or irregular?
Identificar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including identifico in the present and identifiqué in the preterite.
What is the difference between identificar and clasificar?
Identificar means to identify, while clasificar means to classify, the close verb. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use identificar when you mean to identify, as in Identifico al autor del mensaje, and use clasificar for to classify, the close verb. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I identify” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo identifiqué el problema en el motor. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo identificaba a la persona de la foto. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he identificado el problema en el motor.
How do I practise identificar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the identificar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Identificar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for identificar.
- Identificar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for identificar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Clasificar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with identificar.
- Significar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with identificar.
- Simplificar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with identificar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.