Marinar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

marinar means "to marinate" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows marinar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of marinar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with marinar

Everyday use

Marinar means to marinate. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo marino el pollo — "I marinate the chicken"
  2. Él marina en limón — "He marinates in lemon"
  3. Yo mariné el pescado — "I marinated the fish"
  4. Yo marinaba el pollo — "I used to marinate the chicken"
  5. Yo marinaré en limón — "I will marinate in lemon"
  6. Yo he marinado el pescado — "I have marinated the fish"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. Él marinó el pescado — "He marinated the fish"
  2. Él marinaba el pollo — "He used to marinate the chicken"
  3. Tú marinarás en limón — "You will marinate in lemon"
  4. Yo marinaría el pescado — "I would marinate the fish"
  5. Yo había marinado el pollo — "I had marinated the chicken"
  6. Nosotros marinamos en limón — "We marinate in lemon"

Marinar in conversation

The two dialogues below show marinar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú marinas el pollo? — "Do you marinate the chicken?"
  • Sí, yo marino el pollo cada día. — "Yes, I marinate the chicken every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú marinaste en limón? — "And yesterday? Did you marinate in lemon?"
  • Sí, yo mariné en limón. — "Yes, I marinated in lemon."
  • Mañana, yo marinaré el pescado también. — "Tomorrow, I will marinate the fish too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros marináis el pollo? — "Do you marinate the chicken?"
  • Sí, nosotros marinamos el pollo los fines de semana. — "Yes, We marinate the chicken at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos marinan en limón? — "And them? Do they marinate in lemon?"
  • Sí, ellos marinan en limón también. — "Yes, They marinate in lemon too."
  • Mañana nosotros marinaremos en limón otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will marinate in lemon again."

Useful phrases with marinar

Four patterns you can use with marinar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a marinar el pollo. — "I am going to marinate the chicken."
  • Quiero marinar en limón. — "I want to marinate in lemon."
  • Me gusta marinar el pescado. — "I like to marinate the fish."
  • Acabo de marinar el pollo. — "I have just marinated the chicken."

Common mistakes with marinar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos marina el pollo.
  • Right: Ellos marinan el pollo.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form marinan. The singular marina belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo mariné.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo marino.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Marinar es lo mismo que macerar.
  • Right: Marinar means to marinate; macerar means to marinate, to macerate.
  • Why: Marinar and macerar describe different things. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo marino.
  • Right: Ayer, yo mariné.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (mariné). The present (marino) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él marina el pollo.
  • Right: Espero que él marine el pollo.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: marine. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: marinar in use

Ten questions on marinar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of marinar in the present tense?

  • (a) marino
  • (b) habéis marinado
  • (c) marinarais
  • (d) marinemos

Answer: (a) marino. The I form in the present is marino.

2. What is the he / she form of marinar in the present tense?

  • (a) marinabas
  • (b) marina
  • (c) marinaría
  • (d) habríais marinado

Answer: (b) marina. The he / she form in the present is marina.

3. What is the he / she form of marinar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) marinabas
  • (b) mariné
  • (c) habéis marinado
  • (d) marinó

Answer: (d) marinó. The he / she form in the preterite is marinó.

4. What is the I form of marinar in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) marinaron
  • (b) habríamos marinado
  • (c) habrás marinado
  • (d) marinaba

Answer: (d) marinaba. The I form in the imperfect is marinaba.

5. What is the I form of marinar in the future tense?

  • (a) marinaré
  • (b) marináis
  • (c) habréis marinado
  • (d) habías marinado

Answer: (a) marinaré. The I form in the future is marinaré.

6. What is the I form of marinar in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) habías marinado
  • (b) habíamos marinado
  • (c) marinaríamos
  • (d) he marinado

Answer: (d) he marinado. The I form in the present perfect is he marinado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el pollo.

  • (a) marinen
  • (b) marine
  • (c) marines
  • (d) marinemos

Answer: (b) marine. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is marine.

8. What is the we form of marinar in the present tense?

  • (a) habríais marinado
  • (b) marinaré
  • (c) marinamos
  • (d) habías marinado

Answer: (c) marinamos. The we form in the present is marinamos.

9. What is the I form of marinar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) habrán marinado
  • (b) mariné
  • (c) marina
  • (d) habrías marinado

Answer: (b) mariné. The I form in the preterite is mariné.

10. What is the they form of marinar in the present tense?

  • (a) marinaréis
  • (b) ha marinado
  • (c) marinarías
  • (d) marinan

Answer: (d) marinan. The they form in the present is marinan.

Frequently asked questions about marinar

Is marinar regular?

Yes. Marinar is a regular -ar verb: marino, marinas, marina. See the full conjugation of marinar for every tense.

What is the difference between marinar and macerar?

Marinar means to marinate. Macerar means to marinate, to macerate. Use marinar when you mean to marinate, as in Yo marino el pollo.

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

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo mariné en limón. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo marinaba el pescado.

How can I practise marinar?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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