Razonar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish
Introduction
razonar means "to reason" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows razonar 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 razonar, 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 razonar
Everyday use
Razonar means to reason. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.
- Yo razono con calma — "I reason calmly"
- Él razona sobre el problema — "He reasons about the problem"
- Antes de decidir, yo razoné — "Before deciding, I reasoned"
- Yo razonaba con calma — "I used to reason calmly"
- Yo razonaré sobre el problema — "I will reason about the problem"
- Antes de decidir, yo he razonado — "Before deciding, I have reasoned"
In the past and the future
The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.
- Antes de decidir, él razonó — "Before deciding, he reasoned"
- Él razonaba con calma — "He used to reason calmly"
- Tú razonarás sobre el problema — "You will reason about the problem"
- Antes de decidir, yo razonaría — "Before deciding, I would reason"
- Yo había razonado con calma — "I had reasoned calmly"
- Nosotros razonamos sobre el problema — "We reason about the problem"
Razonar in conversation
The two dialogues below show razonar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.
Dialogue 1
- ¿Tú razonas con calma? — "Do you reason calmly?"
- Sí, yo razono con calma cada día. — "Yes, I reason calmly every day."
- ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú razonaste sobre el problema? — "And yesterday? Did you reason about the problem?"
- Sí, yo razoné sobre el problema. — "Yes, I reasoned about the problem."
- Mañana, antes de decidir, yo razonaré también. — "Tomorrow, before deciding, I will reason too."
Dialogue 2
- ¿Vosotros razonáis con calma? — "Do you reason calmly?"
- Sí, nosotros razonamos con calma los fines de semana. — "Yes, We reason calmly at the weekends."
- ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos razonan sobre el problema? — "And them? Do they reason about the problem?"
- Sí, ellos razonan sobre el problema también. — "Yes, They reason about the problem too."
- Mañana nosotros razonaremos sobre el problema otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will reason about the problem again."
Useful phrases with razonar
Four patterns you can use with razonar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.
- Voy a razonar con calma. — "I am going to reason calmly."
- Quiero razonar sobre el problema. — "I want to reason about the problem."
- Me gusta razonar antes de decidir. — "I like to reason before deciding."
- Acabo de razonar con calma. — "I have just reasoned calmly."
Common mistakes with razonar in everyday use
Mistake 1
- Wrong: Ellos razona con calma.
- Right: Ellos razonan con calma.
- Why: Ellos needs the ellos form razonan. The singular razona belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Mistake 2
- Wrong: Todos los días, yo razoné.
- Right: Todos los días, yo razono.
- 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 razonado sobre el problema.
- Right: Yo he razonado sobre el problema.
- Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he razonado, has razonado, ha razonado.
Mistake 4
- Wrong: Ayer, yo razono.
- Right: Ayer, yo razoné.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (razoné). The present (razono) is for habits and for now.
Mistake 5
- Wrong: Espero que él razona con calma.
- Right: Espero que él razone con calma.
- Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: razone. The indicative form would be wrong here.
Quiz: razonar in use
Ten questions on razonar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the I form of razonar in the present tense?
- (a) razonaras
- (b) habíamos razonado
- (c) razono
- (d) habían razonado
Answer: (c) razono. The I form in the present is razono.
2. What is the he / she form of razonar in the present tense?
- (a) razonarás
- (b) razone
- (c) has razonado
- (d) razona
Answer: (d) razona. The he / she form in the present is razona.
3. What is the he / she form of razonar in the preterite tense?
- (a) razonasteis
- (b) razonaba
- (c) razoné
- (d) razonó
Answer: (d) razonó. The he / she form in the preterite is razonó.
4. What is the I form of razonar in the imperfect tense?
- (a) habré razonado
- (b) razonaba
- (c) razonemos
- (d) habrán razonado
Answer: (b) razonaba. The I form in the imperfect is razonaba.
5. What is the I form of razonar in the future tense?
- (a) habrían razonado
- (b) razonasteis
- (c) razonaron
- (d) razonaré
Answer: (d) razonaré. The I form in the future is razonaré.
6. What is the I form of razonar in the present perfect tense?
- (a) razonen
- (b) razonaría
- (c) razono
- (d) he razonado
Answer: (d) he razonado. The I form in the present perfect is he razonado.
7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ con calma.
- (a) razonen
- (b) razones
- (c) razone
- (d) razonéis
Answer: (c) razone. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is razone.
8. What is the we form of razonar in the present tense?
- (a) habíamos razonado
- (b) razonan
- (c) razonaras
- (d) razonamos
Answer: (d) razonamos. The we form in the present is razonamos.
9. What is the I form of razonar in the preterite tense?
- (a) habría razonado
- (b) razonemos
- (c) razonabas
- (d) razoné
Answer: (d) razoné. The I form in the preterite is razoné.
10. What is the they form of razonar in the present tense?
- (a) razonan
- (b) razones
- (c) había razonado
- (d) habréis razonado
Answer: (a) razonan. The they form in the present is razonan.
Frequently asked questions about razonar
Is razonar regular?
Yes. Razonar is a regular -ar verb: razono, razonas, razona. See the full conjugation of razonar for every tense.
What is the past participle of razonar?
The past participle is razonado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he razonado. The gerund is razonando, used with estar: estoy razonando.
How do I say “I reason” in the past?
For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo razoné sobre el problema. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Antes de decidir, yo razonaba.
How can I practise razonar?
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.