Introduction
Pronosticar means “to forecast”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Pronosticar means to forecast or to predict, and it is used for weather, results and the future of a patient: pronosticar lluvia, pronosticar una victoria. It is a spelling-change verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is pronostiqué and the subjunctive pronostique. This page shows pronosticar in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Pronostico lluvia para mañana.” — I forecast rain for tomorrow.
Pronosticar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how pronosticar is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use pronosticar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Pronostico lluvia para mañana.” — I forecast rain for tomorrow.
“¿Pronosticas una victoria del equipo?” — Do you forecast a victory for the team?
“Pronostica sol para el fin de semana.” — He/she forecasts sun for the weekend.
“Nosotros pronosticamos una mejora del enfermo.” — We forecast an improvement in the patient.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show pronosticar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo pronostiqué lluvia para mañana.” — Yesterday, I forecast rain for tomorrow. (preterite)
“Antes, él pronosticaba una victoria del equipo.” — Before, he used to forecast a victory for the team. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of pronosticar stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros pronosticaremos sol para el fin de semana.” — Tomorrow, we will forecast sun for the weekend. (future)
“¿Tú has pronosticado una mejora del enfermo?” — Have you forecast an improvement in the patient? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros pronosticáis lluvia para mañana.” — You forecast rain for tomorrow.
“Ellos pronostican una victoria del equipo.” — They forecast a victory for the team.
“Yo pronostico sol para el fin de semana.” — I forecast sun for the weekend.
“Mi padre pronostica una mejora del enfermo.” — My father forecasts an improvement in the patient.
Pronosticar in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how pronosticar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú pronosticas una victoria del equipo?” — Do you forecast a victory for the team?
Pedro: “Sí, yo pronostico lluvia para mañana.” — Yes, I forecast rain for tomorrow.
Marta: “Nosotros pronosticamos una mejora del enfermo.” — We forecast an improvement in the patient.
Pedro: “Y ellos pronostican una victoria del equipo.” — And they forecast a victory for the team.
Marta: “Vosotros pronosticáis sol para el fin de semana.” — You forecast sun for the weekend.
Pedro: “Sí, y él pronostica lluvia para mañana.” — Yes, and he forecasts rain for tomorrow.
A short paragraph
Pronostica lluvia para mañana, y nosotros pronosticamos una mejora del enfermo. Yo pronostico una victoria del equipo, y ellos pronostican sol para el fin de semana. Pronosticar is part of everyday life, because forecast is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with pronosticar
These are the errors learners actually make with pronosticar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo pronostica lluvia para mañana.” Right: “Yo pronostico lluvia para mañana.” Why: The person matters: pronostica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is pronostico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Espero que yo pronostice lluvia para mañana.” Right: “Espero que yo pronostique lluvia para mañana.” Why: Spelling change: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is pronostiqué and the present subjunctive is pronostique, so the present subjunctive is pronostique, never pronostice.
Wrong: “Treating pronosticar and predecir as identical in every context.” Right: “Pronosticar means to forecast, while predecir means to predict.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: pronosticar fits sentences such as Pronostico lluvia para mañana, while predecir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy pronosticado una victoria del equipo.” Right: “Yo he pronosticado una victoria del equipo.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he pronosticado, has pronosticado, ha pronosticado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo pronostiqué sol para el fin de semana todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo pronosticaba sol para el fin de semana todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (pronosticaba), not the preterite. The preterite (pronostiqué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: pronosticar in use
Ten questions on pronosticar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ lluvia para mañana.” (You forecast rain for tomorrow.)
- (a) pronosticáis
- (b) pronostico
- (c) pronosticas
Answer: pronosticáis — The vosotros/as form of pronosticar in the present tense is pronosticáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ una victoria del equipo.” (They forecast a victory for the team.)
- (a) pronosticas
- (b) pronostican
- (c) pronostico
Answer: pronostican — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of pronosticar in the present tense is pronostican.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ lluvia para mañana.” (Yesterday I forecast rain for tomorrow.)
- (a) pronosticaste
- (b) pronosticó
- (c) pronostiqué
Answer: pronostiqué — In the preterite, the yo form of pronosticar is pronostiqué.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ una victoria del equipo.” (Before, he used to forecast a victory for the team.)
- (a) pronosticaba
- (b) pronostico
- (c) pronosticabas
Answer: pronosticaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of pronosticar is pronosticaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ sol para el fin de semana.” (Tomorrow we will forecast sun for the weekend.)
- (a) pronosticarás
- (b) pronosticaremos
- (c) pronosticaré
Answer: pronosticaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of pronosticar is pronosticaremos.
6. What does pronosticar mean in English?
- (a) to forecast
- (b) to prolong
- (c) to predict
Answer: to forecast — Pronosticar means “to forecast”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo pronostica lluvia para mañana.
- (b) Ellos pronostica una victoria del equipo.
- (c) Yo pronostico lluvia para mañana.
Answer: Yo pronostico lluvia para mañana. — “Yo pronostico lluvia para mañana.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I forecast rain for tomorrow.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre pronostica una mejora del enfermo.
- (b) Pronostico lluvia para mañana.
- (c) Pronostican lluvia para mañana.
Answer: Pronostico lluvia para mañana. — “Pronostico lluvia para mañana.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of pronosticar in the present tense?
- (a) pronostico
- (b) pronosticas
- (c) pronosticamos
Answer: pronosticamos — The nosotros form is pronosticamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros pronosticaremos sol para el fin de semana.
- (b) Pronostico lluvia para mañana.
- (c) Ayer, yo pronostiqué lluvia para mañana.
Answer: Pronostico lluvia para mañana. — “Pronostico lluvia para mañana.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I forecast rain for tomorrow' in Spanish?
Say 'Pronostico lluvia para mañana'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Pronostico lluvia para mañana todos los días'.
How do you say 'He forecasts a victory for the team' in Spanish?
Say 'Él pronostica una victoria del equipo'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes pronostica.
What is the difference between pronosticar and predecir?
Pronosticar means to forecast, while predecir means to predict. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use pronosticar when you mean to forecast, as in 'Pronostico lluvia para mañana', and use predecir for to predict.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of pronosticar — every tense of pronosticar in one place.
- Pronosticar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on pronosticar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of pronosticar until they are automatic.