Rascar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

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

Everyday use

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

  1. Yo rasco la espalda — "I scratch my back"
  2. Él rasca la puerta — "He scratches the door"
  3. Yo rasqué con las uñas — "I scratched with my nails"
  4. Yo rascaba la espalda — "I used to scratch my back"
  5. Yo rascaré la puerta — "I will scratch the door"
  6. Yo he rascado con las uñas — "I have scratched with my nails"

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 rascó con las uñas — "He scratched with my nails"
  2. Él rascaba la espalda — "He used to scratch my back"
  3. Tú rascarás la puerta — "You will scratch the door"
  4. Yo rascaría con las uñas — "I would scratch with my nails"
  5. Yo había rascado la espalda — "I had scratched my back"
  6. Nosotros rascamos la puerta — "We scratch the door"

Rascar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú rascas la espalda? — "Do you scratch my back?"
  • Sí, yo rasco la espalda cada día. — "Yes, I scratch my back every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú rascaste la puerta? — "And yesterday? Did you scratch the door?"
  • Sí, yo rasqué la puerta. — "Yes, I scratched the door."
  • Mañana, yo rascaré con las uñas también. — "Tomorrow, I will scratch with my nails too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros rascáis la espalda? — "Do you scratch my back?"
  • Sí, nosotros rascamos la espalda los fines de semana. — "Yes, We scratch my back at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos rascan la puerta? — "And them? Do they scratch the door?"
  • Sí, ellos rascan la puerta también. — "Yes, They scratch the door too."
  • Mañana nosotros rascaremos la puerta otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will scratch the door again."

Useful phrases with rascar

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

  • Voy a rascar la espalda. — "I am going to scratch my back."
  • Quiero rascar la puerta. — "I want to scratch the door."
  • Me gusta rascar con las uñas. — "I like to scratch with my nails."
  • Acabo de rascar la espalda. — "I have just scratched my back."

Common mistakes with rascar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos rasca la espalda.
  • Right: Ellos rascan la espalda.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form rascan. The singular rasca belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo rasqué.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo rasco.
  • 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: Rascar es lo mismo que rascarse.
  • Right: Rascar means to scratch; rascarse means to scratch oneself.
  • Why: Rascar and rascarse describe different things. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

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

Quiz: rascar in use

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

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

  • (a) rascábamos
  • (b) rascarían
  • (c) rasco
  • (d) rascaras

Answer: (c) rasco. The I form in the present is rasco.

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

  • (a) rasca
  • (b) habremos rascado
  • (c) rascaba
  • (d) rascaríamos

Answer: (a) rasca. The he / she form in the present is rasca.

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

  • (a) habrás rascado
  • (b) habían rascado
  • (c) rascaría
  • (d) rascó

Answer: (d) rascó. The he / she form in the preterite is rascó.

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

  • (a) rascáis
  • (b) habríamos rascado
  • (c) rascaba
  • (d) rasca

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

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

  • (a) rascan
  • (b) rascábamos
  • (c) rascaba
  • (d) rascaré

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

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

  • (a) habéis rascado
  • (b) rascaran
  • (c) rasques
  • (d) he rascado

Answer: (d) he rascado. The I form in the present perfect is he rascado.

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

  • (a) rasque
  • (b) rasquemos
  • (c) rasquéis
  • (d) rasques

Answer: (a) rasque. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is rasque.

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

  • (a) rascaría
  • (b) rascamos
  • (c) rasques
  • (d) ha rascado

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

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

  • (a) rasqué
  • (b) rascarías
  • (c) rascaríais
  • (d) rascaron

Answer: (a) rasqué. The I form in the preterite is rasqué.

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

  • (a) habremos rascado
  • (b) rascara
  • (c) rascaba
  • (d) rascan

Answer: (d) rascan. The they form in the present is rascan.

Frequently asked questions about rascar

Is rascar regular?

Rascar is a spelling-changing -ar (c → qu before e) verb: rasco, rascas, rasca. See the full conjugation of rascar for every tense.

What is the difference between rascar and rascarse?

Rascar means to scratch. Rascarse means to scratch oneself. Use rascar when you mean to scratch, as in Yo rasco la espalda.

How do I say “I scratch” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo rasqué la puerta. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo rascaba con las uñas.

How can I practise rascar?

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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