Programar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish
Introduction
programar means "to program, to schedule" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows programar 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 programar, 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 programar
To program
Programar means to program. The sentences below all use it in that sense.
- Yo programo una aplicación — "I program an app"
- Él programa el ordenador — "He programs the computer"
- Yo programé una reunión — "I programed a meeting"
- Yo programaba una aplicación — "I used to program an app"
- Yo programaré el ordenador — "I will program the computer"
- Yo he programado una reunión — "I have programed a meeting"
To schedule
Programar means to schedule. The sentences below all use it in that sense.
- Él programó una reunión — "He programed a meeting"
- Él programaba una aplicación — "He used to program an app"
- Tú programarás el ordenador — "You will program the computer"
- Yo programaría una reunión — "I would program a meeting"
- Yo había programado una aplicación — "I had programed an app"
- Nosotros programamos el ordenador — "We program the computer"
Programar in conversation
The two dialogues below show programar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.
Dialogue 1
- ¿Tú programas una aplicación? — "Do you program an app?"
- Sí, yo programo una aplicación cada día. — "Yes, I program an app every day."
- ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú programaste el ordenador? — "And yesterday? Did you program the computer?"
- Sí, yo programé el ordenador. — "Yes, I programed the computer."
- Mañana, yo programaré una reunión también. — "Tomorrow, I will program a meeting too."
Dialogue 2
- ¿Vosotros programáis una aplicación? — "Do you program an app?"
- Sí, nosotros programamos una aplicación los fines de semana. — "Yes, We program an app at the weekends."
- ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos programan el ordenador? — "And them? Do they program the computer?"
- Sí, ellos programan el ordenador también. — "Yes, They program the computer too."
- Mañana nosotros programaremos el ordenador otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will program the computer again."
Useful phrases with programar
Four patterns you can use with programar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.
- Voy a programar una aplicación. — "I am going to program an app."
- Quiero programar el ordenador. — "I want to program the computer."
- Me gusta programar una reunión. — "I like to program a meeting."
- Acabo de programar una aplicación. — "I have just programed an app."
Common mistakes with programar in everyday use
Mistake 1
- Wrong: Ellos programa una aplicación.
- Right: Ellos programan una aplicación.
- Why: Ellos needs the ellos form programan. The singular programa belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Mistake 2
- Wrong: Todos los días, yo programé.
- Right: Todos los días, yo programo.
- 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 programado el ordenador.
- Right: Yo he programado el ordenador.
- Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he programado, has programado, ha programado.
Mistake 4
- Wrong: Ayer, yo programo.
- Right: Ayer, yo programé.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (programé). The present (programo) is for habits and for now.
Mistake 5
- Wrong: Espero que él programa una aplicación.
- Right: Espero que él programe una aplicación.
- Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: programe. The indicative form would be wrong here.
Quiz: programar in use
Ten questions on programar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the I form of programar in the present tense?
- (a) programo
- (b) habríais programado
- (c) programarán
- (d) habrá programado
Answer: (a) programo. The I form in the present is programo.
2. What is the he / she form of programar in the present tense?
- (a) programe
- (b) programa
- (c) hemos programado
- (d) programarais
Answer: (b) programa. The he / she form in the present is programa.
3. What is the he / she form of programar in the preterite tense?
- (a) programó
- (b) habías programado
- (c) programo
- (d) habríais programado
Answer: (a) programó. The he / she form in the preterite is programó.
4. What is the I form of programar in the imperfect tense?
- (a) programan
- (b) programaba
- (c) programamos
- (d) programaría
Answer: (b) programaba. The I form in the imperfect is programaba.
5. What is the I form of programar in the future tense?
- (a) programemos
- (b) programaré
- (c) habrás programado
- (d) programe
Answer: (b) programaré. The I form in the future is programaré.
6. What is the I form of programar in the present perfect tense?
- (a) he programado
- (b) programaré
- (c) programo
- (d) programa
Answer: (a) he programado. The I form in the present perfect is he programado.
7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ una aplicación.
- (a) programe
- (b) programemos
- (c) programes
- (d) programéis
Answer: (a) programe. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is programe.
8. What is the we form of programar in the present tense?
- (a) habréis programado
- (b) habrían programado
- (c) programamos
- (d) programo
Answer: (c) programamos. The we form in the present is programamos.
9. What is the I form of programar in the preterite tense?
- (a) programéis
- (b) programaron
- (c) programé
- (d) han programado
Answer: (c) programé. The I form in the preterite is programé.
10. What is the they form of programar in the present tense?
- (a) programaron
- (b) programarían
- (c) programan
- (d) habías programado
Answer: (c) programan. The they form in the present is programan.
Frequently asked questions about programar
Is programar regular?
Yes. Programar is a regular -ar verb: programo, programas, programa. See the full conjugation of programar for every tense.
What is the past participle of programar?
The past participle is programado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he programado. The gerund is programando, used with estar: estoy programando.
How do I say “I program” in the past?
For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo programé el ordenador. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo programaba una reunión.
How can I practise programar?
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.