Intensificar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb intensificar means to intensify, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Intensificar means to intensify, and it covers intensifying border checks, training before a match, a search and efforts to finish on time. It is a spelling-change verb: the c becomes qu before e. Like every Spanish verb, intensificar 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 intensifico los controles en la frontera, and in the preterite you say intensifiqué la búsqueda del niño perdido. 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: intensificar
  • English: to intensify
  • Verb type: irregular verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: intensificando
  • Past participle: intensificado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + intensificado)

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

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for intensificar. 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 intensifico
tú intensificas
él/ella/Ud. intensifica
nosotros/as intensificamos
vosotros/as intensificáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensifican

Preterite

Person Form
yo intensifiqué
tú intensificaste
él/ella/Ud. intensificó
nosotros/as intensificamos
vosotros/as intensificasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensificaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo intensificaba
tú intensificabas
él/ella/Ud. intensificaba
nosotros/as intensificábamos
vosotros/as intensificabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensificaban

Future

Person Form
yo intensificaré
tú intensificarás
él/ella/Ud. intensificará
nosotros/as intensificaremos
vosotros/as intensificaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensificarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo intensificaría
tú intensificarías
él/ella/Ud. intensificaría
nosotros/as intensificaríamos
vosotros/as intensificaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensificarían

Present perfect

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

Pluperfect

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

Future perfect

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

Conditional perfect

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

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo intensifique
tú intensifiques
él/ella/Ud. intensifique
nosotros/as intensifiquemos
vosotros/as intensifiquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensifiquen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo intensificara
tú intensificaras
él/ella/Ud. intensificara
nosotros/as intensificáramos
vosotros/as intensificarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensificaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú intensifica
él/ella/Ud. intensifique
nosotros/as intensifiquemos
vosotros/as intensificad
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensifiquen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú intensifiques
él/ella/Ud. intensifique
nosotros/as intensifiquemos
vosotros/as intensifiquéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. intensifiquen

Gerund and past participle

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

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 intensificar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Intensifico los controles en la frontera. 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 intensifiqué. For intensificar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, intensifiqué el entrenamiento antes del partido. 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 intensificar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, intensificaba la búsqueda del niño perdido. 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 intensificar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, intensificaré los esfuerzos para terminar a tiempo. 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 intensificar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Intensificaría los controles en la frontera 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 intensificar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he intensificado el entrenamiento antes del partido. 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 intensificar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había intensificado la búsqueda del niño perdido 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 intensificar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré intensificado los esfuerzos para terminar a tiempo. 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 intensificar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría intensificado los controles en la frontera 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 intensificar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él intensifique el entrenamiento antes del partido. 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 intensificar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él intensificara la búsqueda del niño perdido, 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 intensificar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Intensifica los esfuerzos para terminar a tiempo! 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 intensificar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No intensifiques los controles en la frontera. 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 intensificar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Intensifico los controles en la frontera. — I intensify the checks at the border.
  2. Intensifica el entrenamiento antes del partido. — He/she intensifies the training before the match.
  3. Ayer, intensifiqué la búsqueda del niño perdido. — Yesterday, I intensified the search for the lost child.
  4. Antes, nosotros intensificábamos los esfuerzos para terminar a tiempo. — Before, we used to intensify the efforts to finish on time.
  5. Mañana, tú intensificarás los controles en la frontera. — Tomorrow, you will intensify the checks at the border.
  6. Yo intensificaría el entrenamiento antes del partido si tuviera más tiempo. — I would intensify the training before the match if I had more time.
  7. Él ha intensificado la búsqueda del niño perdido. — He has intensified the search for the lost child.
  8. Espero que él intensifique los esfuerzos para terminar a tiempo. — I hope he intensifies the efforts to finish on time.
  9. Yo ya había intensificado los controles en la frontera antes de salir. — I had already intensified the checks at the border before leaving.
  10. Ellos intensificaban el entrenamiento antes del partido cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to intensify the training before the match when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo intensifica los controles en la frontera. — Right: Yo intensifico los controles en la frontera. — The person matters: intensifica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is intensifico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo intensificé el entrenamiento antes del partido. — Right: Yo intensifiqué el entrenamiento antes del partido. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is intensifiqué, not intensificé. intensificar 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 intensificar and aumentar as identical in every context. — Right: Intensificar means to intensify, while aumentar means to increase, the general verb. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: intensificar fits sentences such as Intensifico los controles en la frontera, while aumentar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy intensificado el entrenamiento antes del partido. — Right: Yo he intensificado el entrenamiento antes del partido. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he intensificado, has intensificado, ha intensificado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo intensifiqué la búsqueda del niño perdido todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo intensificaba la búsqueda del niño perdido todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (intensificaba), not the preterite. The preterite (intensifiqué) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ los controles en la frontera. (present tense) A. intensifico B. intensificas C. intensifica D. intensificamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el entrenamiento antes del partido. (preterite) A. intensifiqué B. intensificaste C. intensificaron D. intensificó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la búsqueda del niño perdido. (imperfect) A. intensificabas B. intensificaban C. intensificábamos D. intensificaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ los esfuerzos para terminar a tiempo. (future) A. intensificaremos B. intensificarás C. intensificaré D. intensificará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ los controles en la frontera si pudiera. (conditional) A. intensificaría B. intensificarías C. intensificarían D. intensifico

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el entrenamiento antes del partido. (present subjunctive) A. intensifiques B. intensifiquemos C. intensifico D. intensifique

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la búsqueda del niño perdido, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. intensificáramos B. intensifico C. intensificara D. intensificaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ los esfuerzos para terminar a tiempo. (present perfect) A. han intensificado B. hemos intensificado C. he intensificado D. has intensificado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ los controles en la frontera! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. intensifica B. intensifique C. intensifiquemos D. intensificad

  10. Which is the gerund of intensificar, used with estar for the progressive? A. intensificado B. intensifico C. intensifiqué D. intensificando

Answer key

  1. intensifico — The first-person present of intensificar is intensifico. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. intensificó — The third-person preterite of intensificar is intensificó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. intensificábamos — The nosotros imperfect of intensificar is intensificábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. intensificarás — The second-person future of intensificar is intensificarás.
  5. intensificaría — The first-person conditional of intensificar is intensificaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. intensifique — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of intensificar is intensifique.
  7. intensificara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of intensificar is intensificara.
  8. hemos intensificado — The nosotros present perfect of intensificar is hemos intensificado: hemos + intensificado.
  9. intensifica — The affirmative tú imperative of intensificar is intensifica.
  10. intensificando — The gerund of intensificar is intensificando: estoy intensificando. The participle intensificado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does intensificar mean in English?

Intensificar means to intensify. It is used in everyday situations such as Intensifico los controles en la frontera. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is intensificar regular or irregular?

Intensificar 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 intensifico in the present and intensifiqué in the preterite.

What is the difference between intensificar and aumentar?

Intensificar means to intensify, while aumentar means to increase, the general verb. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use intensificar when you mean to intensify, as in Intensifico los controles en la frontera, and use aumentar for to increase, the general verb. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

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

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo intensifiqué el entrenamiento antes del partido. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo intensificaba la búsqueda del niño perdido. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he intensificado el entrenamiento antes del partido.

How do I practise intensificar?

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

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