Precisar Present Tense Conjugation in Spanish
The present tense of precisar — “to need, to specify” in English — is the form you need for what happens now, for habits and for general truths. This page gives you the full present conjugation table for precisar with all six persons, explains exactly how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it with real examples, and finishes with a quiz so you can test yourself. Precisar means to need or to specify, and it has two uses: precisar algo is to need something (a formal synonym of necesitar), and precisar un dato is to give an exact detail. Context tells you which meaning is meant, and both are common in formal and work Spanish. To see it in a real sentence: Preciso más tiempo para el informe. — “I need more time for the report.”
Present tense conjugation table: precisar
Every person of precisar in the present tense. The gerund is precisando and the past participle is precisado.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | preciso |
| tú | precisas |
| él/ella/Ud. | precisa |
| nosotros/as | precisamos |
| vosotros/as | precisáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | precisan |
The gerund is precisando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy precisando” means the action of precisar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is precisado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he precisado” 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 precisar is used.
How the present of precisar is formed
The present of precisar is built from the stem precis plus the present endings for -ar verbs. Take the infinitive, drop the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person. The table below shows the endings, and the full table above shows them attached to the stem.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | preciso |
| tú | -as | precisas |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | precisa |
| nosotros/as | -amos | precisamos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | precisáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | precisan |
precisar is a regular -ar verb in the present, so the table above is completely regular. The stem is precis and the endings are the normal -ar endings, so there are no surprises to memorise in this tense — the challenge is only using the forms naturally.
The gerund of precisar is precisando and the past participle is precisado. Both are the forms you need for the progressive and the perfect tenses with haber.
When to use the present of precisar
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use precisar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. A routine or habit
The present tense of precisar is the tense for what happens regularly. When something is part of your routine, your week or your normal life, the present is the right choice, and precisar is no exception. The time words that go with it are todos los días, cada semana, siempre and a menudo.
Example: “Preciso más tiempo para el informe.” — I need more time for the report.
2. A general fact
The present tense also states facts that are true in general, not just today. When you describe what precisar means in the world — what it does, who it affects, how it works — the present is the tense to use. There is no time limit on the statement, so no past or future form is needed.
Example: “Precisa la fecha exacta del examen.” — He/she needs the exact date of the exam.
3. Something happening right now
The present tense describes what is happening at this very moment. You do not need the progressive (estar plus the gerund) to say what is going on now: the simple present does the job in Spanish, and it is the more common choice in everyday speech.
Example: “Preciso ayuda con el proyecto.” — I need help with the project.
4. A plan or arrangement
Spanish uses the present tense for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression such as mañana or el lunes. When the arrangement is made, the present tense states it as a fact, and precisar follows the same rule as every other verb.
Example: “Mañana, nosotros precisamos los detalles del contrato.” — Tomorrow, we need the details of the contract.
5. Asking and answering questions
Questions in the present tense ask about routines, facts and what is happening now. The answer uses the same tense, so a question and its answer stay in the present together. This is the pattern you will hear most often in conversation.
Example: “¿Precisas la fecha exacta del examen?” — Do you need the exact date of the exam?
The present vs the 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 now, what happens regularly, or what is generally true, 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 happening now or is already finished. Time words help: ahora and todos los días point to the present, while ayer and anoche point to the preterite.
Present: “Preciso más tiempo para el informe.” — I need more time for the report.
Preterite: “Precisé más tiempo para el informe.” — I needed more time for the report.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Present: “Precisa la fecha exacta del examen.” — He/she needs the exact date of the exam.
Preterite: “Precisó la fecha exacta del examen.” — He/she needed the exact date of the exam.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Present: “Precisamos ayuda con el proyecto.” — We need help with the project.
Preterite: “Precisamos ayuda con el proyecto.” — We needed help with the project.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Example sentences: precisar 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.
“Preciso más tiempo para el informe.” — I need more time for the report.
“Precisas la fecha exacta del examen.” — You need the exact date of the exam.
“Precisa ayuda con el proyecto.” — He/she needs help with the project.
“Precisamos los detalles del contrato.” — We need the details of the contract.
“Precisáis más tiempo para el informe.” — You need more time for the report.
“Precisan la fecha exacta del examen.” — They need the exact date of the exam.
“Preciso ayuda con el proyecto.” — I need help with the project.
“Precisa los detalles del contrato.” — He/she needs the details of the contract.
Common mistakes with precisar 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: “Yo precisa más tiempo para el informe.” Right: “Yo preciso más tiempo para el informe.” Why: Yo needs the yo form preciso. The form precisa belongs with él, ella or Ud.
Wrong: “Yo precisar la fecha exacta del examen.” Right: “Yo preciso la fecha exacta del examen.” Why: The infinitive precisar cannot be the main verb of a sentence: it must be conjugated to agree with yo, giving preciso.
Wrong: “Ayer yo preciso la fecha exacta del examen.” Right: “Ayer yo precisé la fecha exacta del examen.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to precisé.
Wrong: “Ellos precisa la fecha exacta del examen.” Right: “Ellos precisan la fecha exacta del examen.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form precisan. The singular precisa belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Quiz: precisar 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 ___ más tiempo para el informe.”
- (a) preciso
- (b) precisas
- (c) precisa
Answer: preciso — The yo form of precisar in the present is preciso.
2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la fecha exacta del examen.”
- (a) preciso
- (b) precisa
- (c) precisas
Answer: precisas — The tú form of precisar in the present is precisas.
3. Complete the sentence: “Él/ella ___ ayuda con el proyecto.”
- (a) precisas
- (b) precisa
- (c) preciso
Answer: precisa — The él/ella form of precisar in the present is precisa.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros/as ___ los detalles del contrato.”
- (a) precisamos
- (b) preciso
- (c) precisas
Answer: precisamos — The nosotros/as form of precisar in the present is precisamos.
5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros/as ___ más tiempo para el informe.”
- (a) preciso
- (b) precisas
- (c) precisáis
Answer: precisáis — The vosotros/as form of precisar in the present is precisáis.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos/ellas ___ la fecha exacta del examen.”
- (a) precisas
- (b) precisan
- (c) preciso
Answer: precisan — The ellos/ellas form of precisar in the present is precisan.
7. What does precisar mean in English?
- (a) to need, to specify
- (b) to need
- (c) to be about
Answer: to need, to specify — Precisar means to need, to specify.
8. Which sentence is in the present?
- (a) Precisé más tiempo para el informe.
- (b) Precisaré más tiempo para el informe.
- (c) Preciso más tiempo para el informe.
Answer: Preciso más tiempo para el informe. — “Preciso más tiempo para el informe.” is in the present. The other two use different tenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is precisar regular in the present?
Yes. Precisar is regular in the present: preciso, precisas, precisa, precisamos, precisáis and precisan. Watch the accents on the forms that carry them, and remember that the nosotros form is the one that keeps the stem unchanged.
What is the gerund and the past participle of precisar?
The gerund is precisando, used with estar for the progressive: estoy precisando. The past participle is precisado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he precisado.
What should I watch out for with precisar?
Precisar is fully regular: precisé, precisaba, precisaré. Precisar una fecha is to state it exactly. In the present, the form to fix in your memory first is preciso, because the yo form shows the stem pattern for the whole tense.
How do I practise precisar in the present?
Say the six forms in the table out loud with the examples above, then use the precisar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of precisar — every tense of precisar in one place.
- Precisar examples and quiz — more sentences with precisar and a ten-question quiz.
- Spanish present guide — how the present works for all Spanish verbs.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present instantly.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on precisar and other verbs.