Introduction

Licenciarse means “to graduate”, and this page covers exactly one thing: licenciarse in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for licenciarse, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about licenciarse in the present. Licenciarse in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “En junio, yo me licencio” — "In june, I graduate". Everything on this page uses the forms of licenciarse exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Licenciarse in the Present Tense — full table

Person Pronoun Form
yo me licencio
tú te licencias
él/ella/Ud. se licencia
nosotros/as nos licenciamos
vosotros/as os licenciáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se licencian

Gerund: licenciando · Past participle: licenciado

The gerund is licenciando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Me estoy licenciando” means the action of licenciarse is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is licenciado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “me he licenciado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how licenciarse is used.

How the present of licenciarse is formed

Licenciarse is a regular -ar, reflexive verb in the present. Take the stem licenci and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving licencio, licencias, licencia, licenciamos, licenciáis, licencian. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, licenciáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. Because licenciarse is reflexive, every form takes the matching pronoun in front: me licencio, te licencias, se licencia. The pronoun is part of the verb, not an optional extra. The present of licenciarse is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form licenciáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form licencio is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of licenciarse

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use licenciarse in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, licenciarse goes in the present. Example: “Yo me licencio en derecho” — "I graduate in law".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about licenciarse does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él se licencia con buenas notas” — "He graduates with good marks".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so me licencio can mean both "I graduate" and "I am graduating". Example: “En junio, yo me licencio” — "In june, I graduate".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros nos licenciamos en derecho” — "We graduate in law".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with licenciarse just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él se licencia con buenas notas” — "He graduates with good marks".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “En junio, yo me licencio” — "In june, I graduate".

  • Preterite: “En junio, yo me licencié” — "In june, I graduated".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él se licencia en derecho” — "He graduates in law".

  • Preterite: “Él se licenció en derecho” — "He graduated in law".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros nos licenciamos con buenas notas” — "We graduate with good marks".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros nos licenciamos con buenas notas” — "We graduated with good marks".

  • The two sentences look identical: nos licenciamos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: licenciarse in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Yo me licencio en derecho” — "I graduate in law"

  2. “Tú te licencias con buenas notas” — "You graduate with good marks"

  3. “En junio, él se licencia” — "In june, he graduates"

  4. “Nosotros nos licenciamos en derecho” — "We graduate in law"

  5. “Vosotros os licenciáis con buenas notas” — "You graduate with good marks"

  6. “En junio, ellos se licencian” — "In june, they graduate"

  7. “Yo me licencio en derecho” — "I graduate in law"

  8. “Él se licencia con buenas notas” — "He graduates with good marks"

Common mistakes with licenciarse in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Ellos licencia en junio” Right: “En junio, ellos se licencian” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form licencian. The singular licencia belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo me licencié” Right: “Todos los días, yo me licencio” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (licencié) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo licencio en junio.” Right: “En junio, yo me licencio” Why: Licenciarse is reflexive: the pronoun me is required. Without it the sentence means something else, or nothing at all.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo me licencio” Right: “Ayer, yo me licencié” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to licencié.

Quiz: licenciarse in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo me ___ en derecho.” (yo form)

A. licencio B. licenciamos C. licenciáis D. licencias

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú te ___ con buenas notas.” (tú form)

A. licenciáis B. licenciamos C. licencias D. licencia

3. Complete the sentence: “Él se ___ en derecho.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. licencias B. licenciamos C. licencio D. licencia

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros nos ___ con buenas notas.” (nosotros/as form)

A. licencias B. licencio C. licenciáis D. licenciamos

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros os ___ en derecho.” (vosotros/as form)

A. licencia B. licenciamos C. licencian D. licenciáis

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos se ___ con buenas notas.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. licencio B. licencia C. licencian D. licenciamos

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo me licencio B. Todos los días, yo me licencié

Answer key

  1. licencio — The yo present of licenciarse is licencio.
  2. licencias — The tú present of licenciarse is licencias.
  3. licencia — The él/ella/Ud. present of licenciarse is licencia.
  4. licenciamos — The nosotros/as present of licenciarse is licenciamos.
  5. licenciáis — The vosotros/as present of licenciarse is licenciáis.
  6. licencian — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of licenciarse is licencian.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo me licencio — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of licenciarse?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: En junio, yo me licencio. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of licenciarse formed?

Take the stem licenci- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving licencio, licencias, licencia, licenciamos, licenciáis, licencian.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for licenciarse?

The present (licencio) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (licencié) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise licenciarse in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — licencio, licencias, licencia, licenciamos, licenciáis, licencian — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the licenciarse examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of licenciarse when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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