Memorizar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

memorizar means "to memorise" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows memorizar 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 memorizar, 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 memorizar

Everyday use

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

  1. Yo memorizo la lección — "I memorise the lesson"
  2. Él memoriza los verbos — "He memorises the verbs"
  3. Yo memoricé una lista larga — "I memorised a long list"
  4. Yo memorizaba la lección — "I used to memorise the lesson"
  5. Yo memorizaré los verbos — "I will memorise the verbs"
  6. Yo he memorizado una lista larga — "I have memorised a long list"

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 memorizó una lista larga — "He memorised a long list"
  2. Él memorizaba la lección — "He used to memorise the lesson"
  3. Tú memorizarás los verbos — "You will memorise the verbs"
  4. Yo memorizaría una lista larga — "I would memorise a long list"
  5. Yo había memorizado la lección — "I had memorised the lesson"
  6. Nosotros memorizamos los verbos — "We memorise the verbs"

Memorizar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú memorizas la lección? — "Do you memorise the lesson?"
  • Sí, yo memorizo la lección cada día. — "Yes, I memorise the lesson every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú memorizaste los verbos? — "And yesterday? Did you memorise the verbs?"
  • Sí, yo memoricé los verbos. — "Yes, I memorised the verbs."
  • Mañana, yo memorizaré una lista larga también. — "Tomorrow, I will memorise a long list too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros memorizáis la lección? — "Do you memorise the lesson?"
  • Sí, nosotros memorizamos la lección los fines de semana. — "Yes, We memorise the lesson at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos memorizan los verbos? — "And them? Do they memorise the verbs?"
  • Sí, ellos memorizan los verbos también. — "Yes, They memorise the verbs too."
  • Mañana nosotros memorizaremos los verbos otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will memorise the verbs again."

Useful phrases with memorizar

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

  • Voy a memorizar la lección. — "I am going to memorise the lesson."
  • Quiero memorizar los verbos. — "I want to memorise the verbs."
  • Me gusta memorizar una lista larga. — "I like to memorise a long list."
  • Acabo de memorizar la lección. — "I have just memorised the lesson."

Common mistakes with memorizar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos memoriza la lección.
  • Right: Ellos memorizan la lección.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form memorizan. The singular memoriza belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo memoricé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo memorizo.
  • 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: Yo soy memorizado los verbos.
  • Right: Yo he memorizado los verbos.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he memorizado, has memorizado, ha memorizado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él memoriza la lección.
  • Right: Espero que él memorice la lección.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: memorice. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: memorizar in use

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

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

  • (a) habían memorizado
  • (b) ha memorizado
  • (c) memorizábamos
  • (d) memorizo

Answer: (d) memorizo. The I form in the present is memorizo.

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

  • (a) he memorizado
  • (b) habría memorizado
  • (c) memoriza
  • (d) memorizaras

Answer: (c) memoriza. The he / she form in the present is memoriza.

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

  • (a) he memorizado
  • (b) habrían memorizado
  • (c) memorizó
  • (d) has memorizado

Answer: (c) memorizó. The he / she form in the preterite is memorizó.

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

  • (a) habríais memorizado
  • (b) memorizábamos
  • (c) memorizaba
  • (d) memorizo

Answer: (c) memorizaba. The I form in the imperfect is memorizaba.

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

  • (a) memorice
  • (b) memorizaréis
  • (c) habíamos memorizado
  • (d) memorizaré

Answer: (d) memorizaré. The I form in the future is memorizaré.

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

  • (a) habéis memorizado
  • (b) he memorizado
  • (c) memorizaríamos
  • (d) memorizaréis

Answer: (b) he memorizado. The I form in the present perfect is he memorizado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la lección.

  • (a) memoricéis
  • (b) memorices
  • (c) memorice
  • (d) memoricen

Answer: (c) memorice. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is memorice.

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

  • (a) habrían memorizado
  • (b) memorizamos
  • (c) habréis memorizado
  • (d) memoricen

Answer: (b) memorizamos. The we form in the present is memorizamos.

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

  • (a) habrás memorizado
  • (b) habrían memorizado
  • (c) memorizáramos
  • (d) memoricé

Answer: (d) memoricé. The I form in the preterite is memoricé.

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

  • (a) memorizan
  • (b) memorizabas
  • (c) memorices
  • (d) habrá memorizado

Answer: (a) memorizan. The they form in the present is memorizan.

Frequently asked questions about memorizar

Is memorizar regular?

Memorizar is a spelling-changing -ar (z → c before e) verb: memorizo, memorizas, memoriza. See the full conjugation of memorizar for every tense.

What is the past participle of memorizar?

The past participle is memorizado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he memorizado. The gerund is memorizando, used with estar: estoy memorizando.

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

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo memoricé los verbos. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo memorizaba una lista larga.

How can I practise memorizar?

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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