Reaccionar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

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

Everyday use

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

  1. Yo reacciono rápido — "I react quickly"
  2. Él reacciona con calma — "He reacts calmly"
  3. Yo reaccioné ante la noticia — "I reacted to the news"
  4. Yo reaccionaba rápido — "I used to react quickly"
  5. Yo reaccionaré con calma — "I will react calmly"
  6. Yo he reaccionado ante la noticia — "I have reacted to the news"

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 reaccionó ante la noticia — "He reacted to the news"
  2. Él reaccionaba rápido — "He used to react quickly"
  3. Tú reaccionarás con calma — "You will react calmly"
  4. Yo reaccionaría ante la noticia — "I would react to the news"
  5. Yo había reaccionado rápido — "I had reacted quickly"
  6. Nosotros reaccionamos con calma — "We react calmly"

Reaccionar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú reaccionas rápido? — "Do you react quickly?"
  • Sí, yo reacciono rápido cada día. — "Yes, I react quickly every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú reaccionaste con calma? — "And yesterday? Did you react calmly?"
  • Sí, yo reaccioné con calma. — "Yes, I reacted calmly."
  • Mañana, yo reaccionaré ante la noticia también. — "Tomorrow, I will react to the news too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros reaccionáis rápido? — "Do you react quickly?"
  • Sí, nosotros reaccionamos rápido los fines de semana. — "Yes, We react quickly at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos reaccionan con calma? — "And them? Do they react calmly?"
  • Sí, ellos reaccionan con calma también. — "Yes, They react calmly too."
  • Mañana nosotros reaccionaremos con calma otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will react calmly again."

Useful phrases with reaccionar

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

  • Voy a reaccionar rápido. — "I am going to react quickly."
  • Quiero reaccionar con calma. — "I want to react calmly."
  • Me gusta reaccionar ante la noticia. — "I like to react to the news."
  • Acabo de reaccionar rápido. — "I have just reacted quickly."

Common mistakes with reaccionar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos reacciona rápido.
  • Right: Ellos reaccionan rápido.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form reaccionan. The singular reacciona belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo reaccioné.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo reacciono.
  • 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 reaccionado con calma.
  • Right: Yo he reaccionado con calma.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he reaccionado, has reaccionado, ha reaccionado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él reacciona rápido.
  • Right: Espero que él reaccione rápido.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: reaccione. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: reaccionar in use

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

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

  • (a) había reaccionado
  • (b) reacciono
  • (c) habréis reaccionado
  • (d) reaccioné

Answer: (b) reacciono. The I form in the present is reacciono.

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

  • (a) reacciona
  • (b) reaccioné
  • (c) habrán reaccionado
  • (d) reaccionaras

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

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

  • (a) reaccionó
  • (b) había reaccionado
  • (c) ha reaccionado
  • (d) habréis reaccionado

Answer: (a) reaccionó. The he / she form in the preterite is reaccionó.

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

  • (a) reaccionen
  • (b) reaccionaba
  • (c) reaccionarán
  • (d) había reaccionado

Answer: (b) reaccionaba. The I form in the imperfect is reaccionaba.

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

  • (a) reaccionan
  • (b) habíamos reaccionado
  • (c) reaccionaba
  • (d) reaccionaré

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

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

  • (a) he reaccionado
  • (b) reaccionéis
  • (c) reaccionarían
  • (d) habría reaccionado

Answer: (a) he reaccionado. The I form in the present perfect is he reaccionado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ rápido.

  • (a) reacciones
  • (b) reaccionemos
  • (c) reaccione
  • (d) reaccionéis

Answer: (c) reaccione. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is reaccione.

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

  • (a) reaccionamos
  • (b) has reaccionado
  • (c) reaccionó
  • (d) habrían reaccionado

Answer: (a) reaccionamos. The we form in the present is reaccionamos.

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

  • (a) reaccionaran
  • (b) habíamos reaccionado
  • (c) reaccionad
  • (d) reaccioné

Answer: (d) reaccioné. The I form in the preterite is reaccioné.

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

  • (a) reaccionarais
  • (b) habrías reaccionado
  • (c) habrán reaccionado
  • (d) reaccionan

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

Frequently asked questions about reaccionar

Is reaccionar regular?

Yes. Reaccionar is a regular -ar verb: reacciono, reaccionas, reacciona. See the full conjugation of reaccionar for every tense.

What is the past participle of reaccionar?

The past participle is reaccionado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he reaccionado. The gerund is reaccionando, used with estar: estoy reaccionando.

How do I say “I react” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo reaccioné con calma. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo reaccionaba ante la noticia.

How can I practise reaccionar?

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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