Introducir Examples, Sentences and Quiz
Introducir means “to introduce, to insert”, and it is one of the verbs you will use every day in Spanish. Introducir means to introduce or to insert, and it covers introducing a new topic, inserting a key in a lock and putting a coin in a machine. It is a -ducir verb, with the present introduzco and the preterite introduje. This page shows introducir in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.” — I introduce the coin into the machine.
Introducir in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how introducir is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use introducir in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Introduzco la moneda en la máquina.” — I introduce the coin into the machine.
“¿Tú introduces la llave en la cerradura?” — Do you introduce the key into the lock?
“Introduce un tema nuevo en la reunión.” — He/she introduces a new topic in the meeting.
“Introducimos los datos en el ordenador.” — We introduce the data into the computer.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show introducir in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo introduje la moneda en la máquina.” — Yesterday, I introduced the coin into the machine. (preterite)
“Él introducía la llave en la cerradura todos los días.” — He used to introduce the key into the lock every day. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of introducir stays the same.
“Nosotros introduciremos un tema nuevo en la reunión mañana.” — We will introduce a new topic in the meeting tomorrow. (future)
“¿Tú has introducido los datos en el ordenador?” — Have you introduced the data into the computer? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Introducís la moneda en la máquina.” — You introduce the coin into the machine.
“Introducen la llave en la cerradura.” — They introduce the key into the lock.
“Introduzco un tema nuevo en la reunión.” — I introduce a new topic in the meeting.
“Introduce los datos en el ordenador.” — He/she introduces the data into the computer.
Introducir in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how introducir appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Lucía: “¿Tú introduces la moneda en la máquina?” — Do you introduce the coin into the machine?
Carlos: “Sí, yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.” — Yes, I introduce the coin into the machine.
Lucía: “Nosotros introducimos la llave en la cerradura.” — We introduce the key into the lock.
Carlos: “Y ellos introducen un tema nuevo en la reunión.” — And they introduce a new topic in the meeting.
Lucía: “Vosotros introducís los datos en el ordenador.” — You introduce the data into the computer.
Carlos: “Sí, y él introduce la llave en la cerradura.” — Yes, and he introduces the key into the lock.
A short paragraph
Lucía introduce la moneda en la máquina, y Carlos introduce la llave en la cerradura. Nosotros introducimos un tema nuevo en la reunión, y ellos introducen los datos en el ordenador. Yo introduzco un tema nuevo en la reunión, y mi padre introduce los datos en el ordenador. Introducir is part of everyday life, because to introduce, to insert is something Spanish speakers do again and again, in every tense and every situation.
Common mistakes with introducir
These are the errors learners actually make with introducir. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo introduce la moneda en la máquina.” Right: “Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.” Why: The person matters: introduce is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is introduzco. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Ayer yo introducí la llave en la cerradura.” Right: “Ayer yo introduje la llave en la cerradura.” Why: Introducir has an irregular preterite: the correct first-person form is introduje, not the regular introducí. Learn the preterite forms in the table as a set.
Wrong: “Treating introducir and sacar as identical in every context.” Right: “Introducir means to introduce, to insert, while sacar means to take out.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: introducir fits sentences such as Introduzco la moneda en la máquina, while sacar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy introducido la llave en la cerradura.” Right: “Yo he introducido la llave en la cerradura.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he introducido, has introducido, ha introducido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo introduje un tema nuevo en la reunión todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo introducía un tema nuevo en la reunión todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (introducía), not the preterite. The preterite (introduje) is for one finished action.
Quiz: introducir in use
Ten questions on introducir in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ la moneda en la máquina.” (The coin into the machine.)
- (a) introducís
- (b) introduzco
- (c) introduces
Answer: introducís — The vosotros/as form of introducir in the present is introducís.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ la llave en la cerradura.” (The key into the lock.)
- (a) introduzco
- (b) introduces
- (c) introducen
Answer: introducen — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of introducir in the present is introducen.
3. Complete the sentence: “Yo ______ la moneda en la máquina.” (The coin into the machine.)
- (a) introdujo
- (b) introduje
- (c) introdujiste
Answer: introduje — The yo form of introducir in the preterite is introduje.
4. Complete the sentence: “Él ______ la llave en la cerradura.” (The key into the lock.)
- (a) introducía
- (b) introducías
- (c) introducíamos
Answer: introducía — The él/ella/Ud. form of introducir in the imperfect is introducía.
5. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ______ un tema nuevo en la reunión.” (A new topic in the meeting.)
- (a) introduciré
- (b) introducirás
- (c) introduciremos
Answer: introduciremos — The nosotros/as form of introducir in the future is introduciremos.
6. What does introducir mean in English?
- (a) to deduce
- (b) to introduce, to insert
- (c) to take out
Answer: to introduce, to insert — Introducir means “to introduce, to insert”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.
- (b) Ellos introduce la moneda en la máquina.
- (c) Yo introduzco la llave en la cerradura ayer.
Answer: Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina. — “Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I introduce the coin into the machine.” in Spanish?
- (a) Yo introducen la moneda en la máquina.
- (b) Yo introduje la moneda en la máquina.
- (c) Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.
Answer: Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina. — “Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.” is the correct translation. The second option uses the wrong person's form, and the third uses the preterite.
9. What is the nosotros form of introducir in the present tense?
- (a) introduces
- (b) introducimos
- (c) introduzco
Answer: introducimos — The nosotros form is introducimos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Ayer, yo introduje la moneda en la máquina.
- (b) Nosotros introduciremos la moneda en la máquina mañana.
- (c) Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.
Answer: Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina. — “Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I introduce' in Spanish?
Say 'Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina'. The complement follows directly, as in the examples above. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Yo introduzco la moneda en la máquina todos los días'.
How do you say 'I introduce' in the past?
For one finished action, say 'Ayer, yo introduje la llave en la cerradura'. For a repeated habit, say 'Yo introducía la llave en la cerradura todos los días'. For something already done, say 'Yo he introducido la llave en la cerradura'.
What is the difference between introducir and sacar?
Introducir means to introduce, to insert, while sacar means to take out. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use introducir when you mean to introduce, to insert, as in Introduzco la moneda en la máquina.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of introducir — every tense of introducir in one place.
- Introducir in the preterite tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on introducir and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of introducir until they are automatic.