Introduction

Sazonar means “to season”, and this page covers exactly one thing: sazonar 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 sazonar, 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 sazonar in the present. Sazonar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo sazono la sopa” — "I season the soup". Everything on this page uses the forms of sazonar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Sazonar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo sazono
tú sazonas
él/ella/Ud. sazona
nosotros/as sazonamos
vosotros/as sazonáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. sazonan

Gerund: sazonando · Past participle: sazonado

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

How the present of sazonar is formed

Sazonar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem sazon and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving sazono, sazonas, sazona, sazonamos, sazonáis, sazonan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, sazonáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of sazonar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form sazonáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form sazono is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of sazonar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use sazonar 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, sazonar goes in the present. Example: “Yo sazono con sal” — "I season with salt".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about sazonar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él sazona el pollo” — "He seasons the chicken".

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 sazono can mean both "I season" and "I am seasoning". Example: “Yo sazono la sopa” — "I season the soup".

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 sazonamos con sal” — "We season with salt".

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 sazonar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él sazona el pollo” — "He seasons the chicken".

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 sazono la sopa” — "I season the soup".

  • Preterite: “Yo sazoné la sopa” — "I seasoned the soup".

  • 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 sazona con sal” — "He seasons with salt".

  • Preterite: “Él sazonó con sal” — "He seasoned with salt".

  • 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 sazonamos el pollo” — "We season the chicken".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros sazonamos el pollo” — "We seasoned the chicken".

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

Example sentences: sazonar 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 sazono con sal” — "I season with salt"

  2. “Tú sazonas el pollo” — "You season the chicken"

  3. “Él sazona la sopa” — "He seasons the soup"

  4. “Nosotros sazonamos con sal” — "We season with salt"

  5. “Vosotros sazonáis el pollo” — "You season the chicken"

  6. “Ellos sazonan la sopa” — "They season the soup"

  7. “Yo sazono con sal” — "I season with salt"

  8. “Él sazona el pollo” — "He seasons the chicken"

Common mistakes with sazonar 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 sazona la sopa” Right: “Ellos sazonan la sopa” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form sazonan. The singular sazona belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo sazona la sopa.” Right: “Yo sazono la sopa” Why: Yo needs the yo form sazono. The él form sazona belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: sazonar 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 ___ el pollo.” (yo form)

A. sazona B. sazono C. sazonamos D. sazonáis

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la sopa.” (tú form)

A. sazona B. sazonáis C. sazonas D. sazonan

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

A. sazona B. sazonas C. sazonáis D. sazonan

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

A. sazonamos B. sazono C. sazonan D. sazona

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

A. sazonáis B. sazono C. sazona D. sazonas

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

A. sazonas B. sazonáis C. sazono D. sazonan

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 sazono B. Todos los días, yo sazoné

Answer key

  1. sazono — The yo present of sazonar is sazono.
  2. sazonas — The tú present of sazonar is sazonas.
  3. sazona — The él/ella/Ud. present of sazonar is sazona.
  4. sazonamos — The nosotros/as present of sazonar is sazonamos.
  5. sazonáis — The vosotros/as present of sazonar is sazonáis.
  6. sazonan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of sazonar is sazonan.
  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 sazono — 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 sazonar?

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

How is the present of sazonar formed?

Take the stem sazon- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving sazono, sazonas, sazona, sazonamos, sazonáis, sazonan.

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

The present (sazono) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (sazoné) 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 sazonar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — sazono, sazonas, sazona, sazonamos, sazonáis, sazonan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the sazonar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of sazonar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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