Sanar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

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

To heal

Sanar means to heal. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Yo sano la herida — "I heal the wound"
  2. Él sana poco a poco — "He heals little by little"
  3. Yo sané con descanso — "I healed with rest"
  4. Yo sanaba la herida — "I used to heal the wound"
  5. Yo sanaré poco a poco — "I will heal little by little"
  6. Yo he sanado con descanso — "I have healed with rest"

To cure

Sanar means to cure. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Él sanó con descanso — "He healed with rest"
  2. Él sanaba la herida — "He used to heal the wound"
  3. Tú sanarás poco a poco — "You will heal little by little"
  4. Yo sanaría con descanso — "I would heal with rest"
  5. Yo había sanado la herida — "I had healed the wound"
  6. Nosotros sanamos poco a poco — "We heal little by little"

Sanar in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú sanas la herida? — "Do you heal the wound?"
  • Sí, yo sano la herida cada día. — "Yes, I heal the wound every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú sanaste poco a poco? — "And yesterday? Did you heal little by little?"
  • Sí, yo sané poco a poco. — "Yes, I healed little by little."
  • Mañana, yo sanaré con descanso también. — "Tomorrow, I will heal with rest too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros sanáis la herida? — "Do you heal the wound?"
  • Sí, nosotros sanamos la herida los fines de semana. — "Yes, We heal the wound at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos sanan poco a poco? — "And them? Do they heal little by little?"
  • Sí, ellos sanan poco a poco también. — "Yes, They heal little by little too."
  • Mañana nosotros sanaremos poco a poco otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will heal little by little again."

Useful phrases with sanar

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

  • Voy a sanar la herida. — "I am going to heal the wound."
  • Quiero sanar poco a poco. — "I want to heal little by little."
  • Me gusta sanar con descanso. — "I like to heal with rest."
  • Acabo de sanar la herida. — "I have just healed the wound."

Common mistakes with sanar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos sana la herida.
  • Right: Ellos sanan la herida.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form sanan. The singular sana belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo sané.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo sano.
  • 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 sanado poco a poco.
  • Right: Yo he sanado poco a poco.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he sanado, has sanado, ha sanado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

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

Quiz: sanar in use

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

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

  • (a) sano
  • (b) has sanado
  • (c) sanaría
  • (d) sane

Answer: (a) sano. The I form in the present is sano.

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

  • (a) has sanado
  • (b) sanarían
  • (c) habremos sanado
  • (d) sana

Answer: (d) sana. The he / she form in the present is sana.

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

  • (a) habré sanado
  • (b) sanó
  • (c) sanarais
  • (d) he sanado

Answer: (b) sanó. The he / she form in the preterite is sanó.

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

  • (a) sanaba
  • (b) sanabas
  • (c) habéis sanado
  • (d) sanarais

Answer: (a) sanaba. The I form in the imperfect is sanaba.

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

  • (a) sanáramos
  • (b) sanaré
  • (c) sanaríais
  • (d) han sanado

Answer: (b) sanaré. The I form in the future is sanaré.

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

  • (a) han sanado
  • (b) he sanado
  • (c) habíais sanado
  • (d) habré sanado

Answer: (b) he sanado. The I form in the present perfect is he sanado.

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

  • (a) sanen
  • (b) sanemos
  • (c) sane
  • (d) sanes

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

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

  • (a) sanaremos
  • (b) sanáis
  • (c) sané
  • (d) sanamos

Answer: (d) sanamos. The we form in the present is sanamos.

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

  • (a) sané
  • (b) sanes
  • (c) sanen
  • (d) sanarais

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

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

  • (a) habríais sanado
  • (b) sanaréis
  • (c) ha sanado
  • (d) sanan

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

Frequently asked questions about sanar

Is sanar regular?

Yes. Sanar is a regular -ar verb: sano, sanas, sana. See the full conjugation of sanar for every tense.

What is the past participle of sanar?

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

How do I say “I heal” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo sané poco a poco. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo sanaba con descanso.

How can I practise sanar?

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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