Implicar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb implicar means to imply, to involve, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Implicar means to imply or to involve, and it covers implying a change in the routine, involving the whole family in a project and a decision implying a lot of work. It is a spelling-change verb: the c becomes qu before e. Like every Spanish verb, implicar 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 implico un cambio en la rutina, and in the preterite you say impliqué mucho trabajo para el equipo. 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: implicar
  • English: to imply, to involve
  • Verb type: irregular verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: implicando
  • Past participle: implicado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + implicado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for implicar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is impliqué and the subjunctive is implique.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for implicar. 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 implico
tú implicas
él/ella/Ud. implica
nosotros/as implicamos
vosotros/as implicáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. implican

Preterite

Person Form
yo impliqué
tú implicaste
él/ella/Ud. implicó
nosotros/as implicamos
vosotros/as implicasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. implicaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo implicaba
tú implicabas
él/ella/Ud. implicaba
nosotros/as implicábamos
vosotros/as implicabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. implicaban

Future

Person Form
yo implicaré
tú implicarás
él/ella/Ud. implicará
nosotros/as implicaremos
vosotros/as implicaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. implicarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo implicaría
tú implicarías
él/ella/Ud. implicaría
nosotros/as implicaríamos
vosotros/as implicaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. implicarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he implicado
tú has implicado
él/ella/Ud. ha implicado
nosotros/as hemos implicado
vosotros/as habéis implicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han implicado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había implicado
tú habías implicado
él/ella/Ud. había implicado
nosotros/as habíamos implicado
vosotros/as habíais implicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían implicado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré implicado
tú habrás implicado
él/ella/Ud. habrá implicado
nosotros/as habremos implicado
vosotros/as habréis implicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán implicado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría implicado
tú habrías implicado
él/ella/Ud. habría implicado
nosotros/as habríamos implicado
vosotros/as habríais implicado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían implicado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo implique
tú impliques
él/ella/Ud. implique
nosotros/as impliquemos
vosotros/as impliquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. impliquen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo implicara
tú implicaras
él/ella/Ud. implicara
nosotros/as implicáramos
vosotros/as implicarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. implicaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú implica
él/ella/Ud. implique
nosotros/as impliquemos
vosotros/as implicad
ellos/ellas/Uds. impliquen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú impliques
él/ella/Ud. implique
nosotros/as impliquemos
vosotros/as impliquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. impliquen

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund implicando with estar for the progressive: estoy implicando
Past participle implicado with haber for the perfect tenses: he implicado

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 implicar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Implico un cambio en la rutina. 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 impliqué. For implicar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, impliqué a toda la familia en el proyecto. 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 implicar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, implicaba mucho trabajo para el equipo. 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 implicar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, implicaré un riesgo para la salud. 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 implicar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Implicaría un cambio en la rutina 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 implicar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he implicado a toda la familia en el proyecto. 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 implicar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había implicado mucho trabajo para el equipo 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 implicar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré implicado un riesgo para la salud. 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 implicar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría implicado un cambio en la rutina 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 implicar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él implique a toda la familia en el proyecto. 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 implicar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él implicara mucho trabajo para el equipo, 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 implicar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Implica un riesgo para la salud! 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 implicar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No impliques un cambio en la rutina. 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 implicar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Implico un cambio en la rutina. — I imply a change in the routine.
  2. Implica a toda la familia en el proyecto. — He/she implies the whole family in the project.
  3. Ayer, impliqué mucho trabajo para el equipo. — Yesterday, I implied a lot of work for the team.
  4. Antes, nosotros implicábamos un riesgo para la salud. — Before, we used to imply a health risk.
  5. Mañana, tú implicarás un cambio en la rutina. — Tomorrow, you will imply a change in the routine.
  6. Yo implicaría a toda la familia en el proyecto si tuviera más tiempo. — I would imply the whole family in the project if I had more time.
  7. Él ha implicado mucho trabajo para el equipo. — He has implied a lot of work for the team.
  8. Espero que él implique un riesgo para la salud. — I hope he implies a health risk.
  9. Yo ya había implicado un cambio en la rutina antes de salir. — I had already implied a change in the routine before leaving.
  10. Ellos implicaban a toda la familia en el proyecto cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to imply the whole family in the project when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo implica un cambio en la rutina. — Right: Yo implico un cambio en la rutina. — The person matters: implica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is implico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo implicé a toda la familia en el proyecto. — Right: Yo impliqué a toda la familia en el proyecto. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is impliqué, not implicé. implicar 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.
  3. Wrong: Treating implicar and suponer as identical in every context. — Right: Implicar means to imply, to involve, while suponer means to suppose or imply, the close verb. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: implicar fits sentences such as Implico un cambio en la rutina, while suponer belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy implicado a toda la familia en el proyecto. — Right: Yo he implicado a toda la familia en el proyecto. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he implicado, has implicado, ha implicado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo impliqué mucho trabajo para el equipo todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo implicaba mucho trabajo para el equipo todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (implicaba), not the preterite. The preterite (impliqué) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on implicar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un cambio en la rutina. (present tense) A. implico B. implicas C. implica D. implicamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ a toda la familia en el proyecto. (preterite) A. impliqué B. implicaste C. implicaron D. implicó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ mucho trabajo para el equipo. (imperfect) A. implicabas B. implicaban C. implicábamos D. implicaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ un riesgo para la salud. (future) A. implicaremos B. implicarás C. implicaré D. implicará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un cambio en la rutina si pudiera. (conditional) A. implicaría B. implicarías C. implicarían D. implico

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a toda la familia en el proyecto. (present subjunctive) A. impliques B. impliquemos C. implico D. implique

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ mucho trabajo para el equipo, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. implicáramos B. implico C. implicara D. implicaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ un riesgo para la salud. (present perfect) A. han implicado B. hemos implicado C. he implicado D. has implicado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ un cambio en la rutina! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. implica B. implique C. impliquemos D. implicad

  10. Which is the gerund of implicar, used with estar for the progressive? A. implicado B. implico C. impliqué D. implicando

Answer key

  1. implico — The first-person present of implicar is implico. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. implicó — The third-person preterite of implicar is implicó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. implicábamos — The nosotros imperfect of implicar is implicábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. implicarás — The second-person future of implicar is implicarás.
  5. implicaría — The first-person conditional of implicar is implicaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. implique — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of implicar is implique.
  7. implicara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of implicar is implicara.
  8. hemos implicado — The nosotros present perfect of implicar is hemos implicado: hemos + implicado.
  9. implica — The affirmative tú imperative of implicar is implica.
  10. implicando — The gerund of implicar is implicando: estoy implicando. The participle implicado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does implicar mean in English?

Implicar means to imply, to involve. It is used in everyday situations such as Implico un cambio en la rutina. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is implicar regular or irregular?

Implicar 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 implico in the present and impliqué in the preterite.

What is the difference between implicar and suponer?

Implicar means to imply, to involve, while suponer means to suppose or imply, the close verb. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use implicar when you mean to imply, to involve, as in Implico un cambio en la rutina, and use suponer for to suppose or imply, the close verb. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I imply” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo impliqué a toda la familia en el proyecto. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo implicaba mucho trabajo para el equipo. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he implicado a toda la familia en el proyecto.

How do I practise implicar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the implicar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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