Introduction

Recetar means “to prescribe”, and this page covers exactly one thing: recetar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for recetar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about recetar in the present. Recetar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo receto un jarabe” — "I prescribe a syrup". Everything on this page uses the forms of recetar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Recetar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo receto
tú recetas
él/ella/Ud. receta
nosotros/as recetamos
vosotros/as recetáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. recetan

Gerund: recetando · Past participle: recetado

The gerund is recetando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy recetando” means the action of recetar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is recetado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he recetado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how recetar is used.

How the present of recetar is formed

Recetar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem recet and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving receto, recetas, receta, recetamos, recetáis, recetan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, recetáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of recetar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form recetáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form receto is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of recetar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use recetar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, recetar goes in the present. Example: “Yo receto antibióticos” — "I prescribe antibiotics".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about recetar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él receta pastillas para el dolor” — "He prescribes pills for the pain".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so receto can mean both "I prescribe" and "I am prescribing". Example: “Yo receto un jarabe” — "I prescribe a syrup".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros recetamos antibióticos” — "We prescribe antibiotics".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with recetar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él receta pastillas para el dolor” — "He prescribes pills for the pain".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo receto un jarabe” — "I prescribe a syrup".

  • Preterite: “Yo receté un jarabe” — "I prescribed a syrup".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él receta antibióticos” — "He prescribes antibiotics".

  • Preterite: “Él recetó antibióticos” — "He prescribed antibiotics".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros recetamos pastillas para el dolor” — "We prescribe pills for the pain".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros recetamos pastillas para el dolor” — "We prescribed pills for the pain".

  • The two sentences look identical: recetamos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: recetar in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Yo receto antibióticos” — "I prescribe antibiotics"

  2. “Tú recetas pastillas para el dolor” — "You prescribe pills for the pain"

  3. “Él receta un jarabe” — "He prescribes a syrup"

  4. “Nosotros recetamos antibióticos” — "We prescribe antibiotics"

  5. “Vosotros recetáis pastillas para el dolor” — "You prescribe pills for the pain"

  6. “Ellos recetan un jarabe” — "They prescribe a syrup"

  7. “Yo receto antibióticos” — "I prescribe antibiotics"

  8. “Él receta pastillas para el dolor” — "He prescribes pills for the pain"

Common mistakes with recetar in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Ellos receta un jarabe” Right: “Ellos recetan un jarabe” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form recetan. The singular receta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo receté” Right: “Todos los días, yo receto” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (receté) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo receta un jarabe.” Right: “Yo receto un jarabe” Why: Yo needs the yo form receto. The él form receta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo receto” Right: “Ayer, yo receté” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to receté.

Quiz: recetar in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ___ pastillas para el dolor.” (yo form)

A. receta B. recetamos C. receto D. recetas

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ un jarabe.” (tú form)

A. recetan B. receta C. recetas D. receto

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ antibióticos.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. recetamos B. receta C. recetan D. recetas

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ pastillas para el dolor.” (nosotros/as form)

A. recetáis B. receta C. recetamos D. recetas

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ un jarabe.” (vosotros/as form)

A. recetan B. recetáis C. recetamos D. recetas

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ antibióticos.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. recetáis B. receto C. recetas D. recetan

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo receto B. Todos los días, yo receté

Answer key

  1. receto — The yo present of recetar is receto.
  2. recetas — The tú present of recetar is recetas.
  3. receta — The él/ella/Ud. present of recetar is receta.
  4. recetamos — The nosotros/as present of recetar is recetamos.
  5. recetáis — The vosotros/as present of recetar is recetáis.
  6. recetan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of recetar is recetan.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo receto — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of recetar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo receto un jarabe. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of recetar formed?

Take the stem recet- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving receto, recetas, receta, recetamos, recetáis, recetan.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for recetar?

The present (receto) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (receté) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise recetar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — receto, recetas, receta, recetamos, recetáis, recetan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the recetar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of recetar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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