Modelar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb modelar means to model, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Modelar means to model, to shape clay, wax or another soft material into a figure. It is used in art classes, pottery and sculpture, and it is a fully regular verb. Like every Spanish verb, modelar 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 modelo la arcilla en el taller, and in the preterite you say modelé el rostro de la estatua. 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: modelar
  • English: to model
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: modelando
  • Past participle: modelado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + modelado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for modelar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Modelar is fully regular: modelo, modela. It is shaping by hand; moldear uses a mould to give the shape.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for modelar. 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 modelo
tú modelas
él/ella/Ud. modela
nosotros/as modelamos
vosotros/as modeláis
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelan

Preterite

Person Form
yo modelé
tú modelaste
él/ella/Ud. modeló
nosotros/as modelamos
vosotros/as modelasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo modelaba
tú modelabas
él/ella/Ud. modelaba
nosotros/as modelábamos
vosotros/as modelabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelaban

Future

Person Form
yo modelaré
tú modelarás
él/ella/Ud. modelará
nosotros/as modelaremos
vosotros/as modelaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo modelaría
tú modelarías
él/ella/Ud. modelaría
nosotros/as modelaríamos
vosotros/as modelaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelarían

Present perfect

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

Pluperfect

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

Future perfect

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

Conditional perfect

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

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo modele
tú modeles
él/ella/Ud. modele
nosotros/as modelemos
vosotros/as modeléis
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo modelara
tú modelaras
él/ella/Ud. modelara
nosotros/as modeláramos
vosotros/as modelarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú modela
él/ella/Ud. modele
nosotros/as modelemos
vosotros/as modelad
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú modeles
él/ella/Ud. modele
nosotros/as modelemos
vosotros/as modeléis
ellos/ellas/Uds. modelen

Gerund and past participle

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

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For modelar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Modelo la arcilla en el taller. 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For modelar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, modelé una figura de barro. 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 modelar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, modelaba el rostro de la estatua. 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 modelar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, modelaré con las manos en clase de arte. 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 modelar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Modelaría la arcilla en el taller 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 modelar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he modelado una figura de barro. 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 modelar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había modelado el rostro de la estatua 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 modelar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré modelado con las manos en clase de arte. 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 modelar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría modelado la arcilla en el taller 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For modelar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él modele una figura de barro. 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 modelar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él modelara el rostro de la estatua, 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For modelar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Modela con las manos en clase de arte! 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For modelar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No modeles la arcilla en el taller. 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 modelar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Modelo la arcilla en el taller. — I model the clay in the workshop.
  2. Modela una figura de barro. — He/she models a figure in clay.
  3. Ayer, modelé el rostro de la estatua. — Yesterday, I modeled the face of the statue.
  4. Antes, nosotros modelábamos con las manos en clase de arte. — Before, we used to model with my hands in art class.
  5. Mañana, tú modelarás la arcilla en el taller. — Tomorrow, you will model the clay in the workshop.
  6. Yo modelaría una figura de barro si tuviera más tiempo. — I would model a figure in clay if I had more time.
  7. Él ha modelado el rostro de la estatua. — He has modeled the face of the statue.
  8. Espero que él modele con las manos en clase de arte. — I hope he models with my hands in art class.
  9. Yo ya había modelado la arcilla en el taller antes de salir. — I had already modeled the clay in the workshop before leaving.
  10. Ellos modelaban una figura de barro cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to model a figure in clay when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo modela la arcilla en el taller. — Right: Yo modelo la arcilla en el taller. — The person matters: modela is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is modelo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo modelo una figura de barro. — Right: Ayer yo modelé una figura de barro. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: modelo is happening now, while modelé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating modelar and moldear as identical in every context. — Right: Modelar means to model, while moldear means to mould, in a mould. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: modelar fits sentences such as Modelo la arcilla en el taller, while moldear belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy modelado una figura de barro. — Right: Yo he modelado una figura de barro. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he modelado, has modelado, ha modelado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo modelé el rostro de la estatua todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo modelaba el rostro de la estatua todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (modelaba), not the preterite. The preterite (modelé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la arcilla en el taller. (present tense) A. modelo B. modelas C. modela D. modelamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ una figura de barro. (preterite) A. modelé B. modelaste C. modelaron D. modeló

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el rostro de la estatua. (imperfect) A. modelabas B. modelaban C. modelábamos D. modelaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ con las manos en clase de arte. (future) A. modelaremos B. modelarás C. modelaré D. modelará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la arcilla en el taller si pudiera. (conditional) A. modelaría B. modelarías C. modelarían D. modelo

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ una figura de barro. (present subjunctive) A. modeles B. modelemos C. modelo D. modele

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el rostro de la estatua, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. modeláramos B. modelo C. modelara D. modelaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ con las manos en clase de arte. (present perfect) A. han modelado B. hemos modelado C. he modelado D. has modelado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ la arcilla en el taller! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. modela B. modele C. modelemos D. modelad

  10. Which is the gerund of modelar, used with estar for the progressive? A. modelado B. modelo C. modelé D. modelando

Answer key

  1. modelo — The first-person present of modelar is modelo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. modeló — The third-person preterite of modelar is modeló, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. modelábamos — The nosotros imperfect of modelar is modelábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. modelarás — The second-person future of modelar is modelarás.
  5. modelaría — The first-person conditional of modelar is modelaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. modele — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of modelar is modele.
  7. modelara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of modelar is modelara.
  8. hemos modelado — The nosotros present perfect of modelar is hemos modelado: hemos + modelado.
  9. modela — The affirmative tú imperative of modelar is modela.
  10. modelando — The gerund of modelar is modelando: estoy modelando. The participle modelado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does modelar mean in English?

Modelar means to model. It is used in everyday situations such as Modelo la arcilla en el taller. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is modelar regular or irregular?

Modelar 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 modelo in the present and modelé in the preterite.

What is the difference between modelar and moldear?

Modelar means to model, while moldear means to mould, in a mould. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use modelar when you mean to model, as in Modelo la arcilla en el taller, and use moldear for to mould, in a mould. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I model” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo modelé una figura de barro. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo modelaba el rostro de la estatua. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he modelado una figura de barro.

How do I practise modelar?

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

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