Introduction

Sacrificar means “to sacrifice”, and this page covers exactly one thing: sacrificar 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 sacrificar, 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 sacrificar in the present. Sacrificar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo sacrifico mucho tiempo” — "I sacrifice a lot of time". Everything on this page uses the forms of sacrificar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Sacrificar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo sacrifico
tú sacrificas
él/ella/Ud. sacrifica
nosotros/as sacrificamos
vosotros/as sacrificáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. sacrifican

Gerund: sacrificando · Past participle: sacrificado

The gerund is sacrificando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy sacrificando” means the action of sacrificar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is sacrificado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he sacrificado” 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 sacrificar is used.

How the present of sacrificar is formed

Sacrificar is a spelling-changing -ar (c → qu before e) verb in the present. Take the stem sacrific and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving sacrifico, sacrificas, sacrifica, sacrificamos, sacrificáis, sacrifican. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, sacrificáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of sacrificar is regular in its endings, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form sacrificáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form sacrifico is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of sacrificar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use sacrificar 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, sacrificar goes in the present. Example: “Yo sacrifico su comodidad” — "I sacrifice their comfort".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about sacrificar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él sacrifica sus vacaciones” — "He sacrifices their holidays".

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 sacrifico can mean both "I sacrifice" and "I am sacrificing". Example: “Yo sacrifico mucho tiempo” — "I sacrifice a lot of time".

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 sacrificamos su comodidad” — "We sacrifice their comfort".

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 sacrificar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él sacrifica sus vacaciones” — "He sacrifices their holidays".

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 sacrifico mucho tiempo” — "I sacrifice a lot of time".

  • Preterite: “Yo sacrifiqué mucho tiempo” — "I sacrificed a lot of time".

  • 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 sacrifica su comodidad” — "He sacrifices their comfort".

  • Preterite: “Él sacrificó su comodidad” — "He sacrificed their comfort".

  • 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 sacrificamos sus vacaciones” — "We sacrifice their holidays".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros sacrificamos sus vacaciones” — "We sacrificed their holidays".

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

Example sentences: sacrificar 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 sacrifico su comodidad” — "I sacrifice their comfort"

  2. “Tú sacrificas sus vacaciones” — "You sacrifice their holidays"

  3. “Él sacrifica mucho tiempo” — "He sacrifices a lot of time"

  4. “Nosotros sacrificamos su comodidad” — "We sacrifice their comfort"

  5. “Vosotros sacrificáis sus vacaciones” — "You sacrifice their holidays"

  6. “Ellos sacrifican mucho tiempo” — "They sacrifice a lot of time"

  7. “Yo sacrifico su comodidad” — "I sacrifice their comfort"

  8. “Él sacrifica sus vacaciones” — "He sacrifices their holidays"

Common mistakes with sacrificar 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 sacrifica mucho tiempo” Right: “Ellos sacrifican mucho tiempo” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form sacrifican. The singular sacrifica belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo sacrifica mucho tiempo.” Right: “Yo sacrifico mucho tiempo” Why: Yo needs the yo form sacrifico. The él form sacrifica belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: sacrificar 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 ___ sus vacaciones.” (yo form)

A. sacrifico B. sacrificas C. sacrificamos D. sacrifican

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ mucho tiempo.” (tú form)

A. sacrifica B. sacrificáis C. sacrifico D. sacrificas

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

A. sacrifico B. sacrifica C. sacrifican D. sacrificas

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ sus vacaciones.” (nosotros/as form)

A. sacrificáis B. sacrifican C. sacrificamos D. sacrificas

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

A. sacrificas B. sacrificáis C. sacrifican D. sacrifica

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

A. sacrifican B. sacrificamos C. sacrificáis D. sacrifica

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 sacrifico B. Todos los días, yo sacrifiqué

Answer key

  1. sacrifico — The yo present of sacrificar is sacrifico.
  2. sacrificas — The tú present of sacrificar is sacrificas.
  3. sacrifica — The él/ella/Ud. present of sacrificar is sacrifica.
  4. sacrificamos — The nosotros/as present of sacrificar is sacrificamos.
  5. sacrificáis — The vosotros/as present of sacrificar is sacrificáis.
  6. sacrifican — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of sacrificar is sacrifican.
  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 sacrifico — 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 sacrificar?

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

How is the present of sacrificar formed?

Take the stem sacrific- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving sacrifico, sacrificas, sacrifica, sacrificamos, sacrificáis, sacrifican.

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

The present (sacrifico) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (sacrifiqué) 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 sacrificar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — sacrifico, sacrificas, sacrifica, sacrificamos, sacrificáis, sacrifican — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the sacrificar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of sacrificar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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