Sintetizar Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish
sintetizar means "to synthesise" in English, and this page shows it in everyday use: real example sentences in several tenses, two short dialogues, the mistakes learners actually make, and a quiz to test yourself. You will see sintetizar with the information into a summary, the data into a chart, the lesson into three ideas and the compound in the laboratory — the situations where Spanish speakers really use it. A good first sentence to learn is: Cada día, yo sintetizo la información en un resumen. — "Every day, I synthesise the information into a summary." Read the examples aloud, notice which tense each one uses, and then try the dialogues and the quiz.
sintetizar in everyday sentences
Twelve sentences with sintetizar, grouped by situation. Each one shows the verb in a different tense or person, with its English translation and a note on when to use that form.
Everyday use
- Cada día, yo sintetizo la información en un resumen. — "Every day, I synthesise the information into a summary." The present tense fits a habit here.
- Ayer, yo sinteticé los datos en un gráfico. — "Yesterday, I synthesised the data into a chart." The preterite fits one finished action.
- Antes, yo sintetizaba la lección en tres ideas. — "In the past, I used to synthesise the lesson into three ideas." The imperfect fits a repeated action in the past.
- Mañana, nosotros sintetizaremos el compuesto en el laboratorio. — "Tomorrow, we will synthesise the compound in the laboratory." The future tense fits a plan for tomorrow.
- Si pudieras, tú sintetizarías la información en un resumen. — "If you could, you would synthesise the information into a summary." The conditional fits something that would happen.
- Yo he sintetizado los datos en un gráfico. — "I have synthesised the data into a chart." The present perfect fits an action with present relevance.
More situations
- Normalmente, él sintetiza la lección en tres ideas. — "Normally, he/she synthesises the lesson into three ideas." The present tense fits a general truth here.
- Ayer, él sintetizó el compuesto en el laboratorio. — "Yesterday, he/she synthesised the compound in the laboratory." The preterite fits one finished action.
- Antes, nosotros sintetizábamos la información en un resumen. — "In the past, we used to synthesise the information into a summary." The imperfect fits a repeated action in the past.
- Mañana, yo sintetizaré los datos en un gráfico. — "Tomorrow, I will synthesise the data into a chart." The future tense fits a plan for tomorrow.
- Espero que él sintetice la lección en tres ideas. — "I hope that he/she synthesises the lesson into three ideas." The present subjunctive follows espero que.
- ¡Sintetiza el compuesto en el laboratorio! — "Synthesise the compound in the laboratory!" The imperative fits a direct order or request.
The verb in context
Two short dialogues using sintetizar naturally. Notice how the verb changes person and tense as the conversation moves, and how the complements stay the same kind of situation: the information into a summary, the data into a chart, the lesson into three ideas and the compound in the laboratory.
Dialogue 1: talking about the information into a summary
Lucía: ¿Tú sintetizas la información en un resumen? — "Do you synthesise the information into a summary?" Pedro: Sí, yo sintetizo la información en un resumen. — "I synthesise the information into a summary." Lucía: ¿Y ayer? — "And yesterday?" Pedro: Ayer, yo sinteticé los datos en un gráfico. — "Yesterday, I synthesised the data into a chart." Lucía: Mañana, nosotros sintetizaremos la lección en tres ideas. — "Tomorrow, we will synthesise the lesson into three ideas." Pedro: Si pudiera, yo sintetizaría el compuesto en el laboratorio. — "If I could, I would synthesise the compound in the laboratory." Lucía: Antes, yo sintetizaba los datos en un gráfico. — "In the past, I used to synthesise the data into a chart." Pedro: Yo he sintetizado la información en un resumen. — "I have synthesised the information into a summary." Lucía: ¡Sintetiza la lección en tres ideas! — "Synthesise the lesson into three ideas!"
In this dialogue sintetizar appears in the present, the preterite, the imperfect, the future, the conditional and the present perfect. That is the point: one verb, many tenses, and the complement tells you which situation you are in. Try the same dialogue with your own complements.
Dialogue 2: talking about the lesson into three ideas
Lucía: Él sintetiza la lección en tres ideas. — "he/she synthesises the lesson into three ideas." Pedro: ¿De verdad? ¿Él sintetiza la lección en tres ideas todos los días? — "Really? Does he/she synthesises the lesson into three ideas every day?" Lucía: Sí, y ellos sintetizan el compuesto en el laboratorio. — "they synthesise the compound in the laboratory." Pedro: Ayer, ellos sintetizaron la lección en tres ideas. — "Yesterday, they synthesised the lesson into three ideas." Lucía: Espero que él sintetice el compuesto en el laboratorio. — "I hope that he/she synthesises the compound in the laboratory." Pedro: Mañana, él sintetizará la lección en tres ideas. — "Tomorrow, he/she will synthesise the lesson into three ideas." Lucía: Antes, nosotros sintetizábamos el compuesto en el laboratorio. — "In the past, we used to synthesise the compound in the laboratory." Pedro: Nosotros sintetizamos la información en un resumen también. — "we synthesise the information into a summary too."
This dialogue shows sintetizar in the third person and in the plural, which is where learners most often hesitate. Read it aloud with a partner, swapping the names and the complements for your own life, and the forms will start to feel automatic.
Common mistakes with sintetizar
The errors learners actually make with sintetizar in everyday use, each with the wrong form, the right form, and why it is wrong.
Mistake 1: Adding a reflexive pronoun that does not belong
- Wrong: Yo me sintetizo la información en un resumen.
- Right: Yo sintetizo la información en un resumen.
- Why: sintetizar is not reflexive, so there is no pronoun to add: Yo sintetizo la información en un resumen. is the correct sentence.
Mistake 2: Using the infinitive as a conjugated form
- Wrong: Yo sintetizar la información en un resumen.
- Right: Yo sintetizo la información en un resumen.
- Why: The infinitive sintetizar is the dictionary form, not a conjugated form. In a sentence with yo you need the present-tense form sintetizo.
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo sintetizo los datos en un gráfico.
- Right: Ayer, yo sinteticé los datos en un gráfico.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite: Ayer, yo sinteticé los datos en un gráfico. — "Yesterday, I synthesised the data into a chart."
Mistake 4: Mixing up the gerund and the participle
- Wrong: Estoy sintetizado la lección en tres ideas.
- Right: Estoy sintetizando la lección en tres ideas.
- Why: After estar you need the gerund sintetizando for the progressive. The participle sintetizado goes with haber in the perfect tenses (he sintetizado), never after estar.
Mistake 5: Using the él form for nosotros
- Wrong: Nosotros sintetiza la información en un resumen.
- Right: Nosotros sintetizamos la información en un resumen.
- Why: The person and the ending must match: nosotros takes sintetizamos, while sintetiza belongs to él and ella.
Quiz: sintetizar in use
Test yourself with ten questions on sintetizar. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of sintetizar in the present tense?
- (a) sintetizamos
- (b) sintetizo
- (c) sintetizas
- (d) sintetiza
Answer: (b) sintetizo. The yo form is sintetizo.
2. What is the tú form of sintetizar in the present tense?
- (a) sintetizas
- (b) sintetizo
- (c) sintetiza
- (d) sintetizamos
Answer: (a) sintetizas. The tú form is sintetizas.
3. What is the él/ella form of sintetizar in the present tense?
- (a) sintetizo
- (b) sintetizas
- (c) sintetizamos
- (d) sintetiza
Answer: (d) sintetiza. The él/ella form is sintetiza.
4. Complete the sentence: Cada día, yo ___ la información en un resumen.
- (a) sintetiza
- (b) sintetizamos
- (c) sintetizo
- (d) sintetizas
Answer: (c) sintetizo. The sentence needs the yo form sintetizo.
5. Complete the sentence: Ayer, yo ___ los datos en un gráfico.
- (a) sintetizamos
- (b) sinteticé
- (c) sintetizaste
- (d) sintetizó
Answer: (b) sinteticé. Ayer needs the preterite, and the yo form is sinteticé.
6. Complete the sentence: Antes, yo ___ la lección en tres ideas.
- (a) sintetizaba
- (b) sintetizabas
- (c) sintetizábamos
- (d) sintetizabais
Answer: (a) sintetizaba. Antes needs the imperfect, and the yo form is sintetizaba.
7. Complete the sentence: Mañana, yo ___ el compuesto en el laboratorio.
- (a) sintetizarás
- (b) sintetizará
- (c) sintetizaremos
- (d) sintetizaré
Answer: (d) sintetizaré. Mañana needs the future, and the yo form is sintetizaré.
8. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la información en un resumen.
- (a) has sintetizado
- (b) ha sintetizado
- (c) hemos sintetizado
- (d) he sintetizado
Answer: (d) he sintetizado. The present perfect uses haber plus the participle: he sintetizado.
9. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la lección en tres ideas.
- (a) sinteticéis
- (b) sintetice
- (c) sintetices
- (d) sinteticemos
Answer: (b) sintetice. After espero que Spanish needs the subjunctive, and the él form is sintetice.
10. What does sintetizar mean in English?
- (a) to become fond of
- (b) to synthesise
- (c) to settle in, to make oneself comfortable
- (d) to cling to
Answer: (b) to synthesise. sintetizar means "to synthesise" in English.
Frequently asked questions about sintetizar
What does sintetizar mean?
sintetizar means "to synthesise" in English. Use it when you talk about the information into a summary, the data into a chart, the lesson into three ideas and the compound in the laboratory — for example: Cada día, yo sintetizo la información en un resumen. — "Every day, I synthesise the information into a summary."
Is there a reflexive form of sintetizar?
No. sintetizar is not reflexive, so it is used without a pronoun: Cada día, yo sintetizo la información en un resumen. — "Every day, I synthesise the information into a summary."
What is the most common mistake with sintetizar?
The spelling change. Watch the spelling: the z becomes c before e, so the yo preterite is sinteticé and the subjunctive forms start with c, for example sintetice. Practise the yo form and the subjunctive forms until they feel automatic, and check them against the table on the conjugation page.
How can I practise sintetizar?
Take the quiz above, then make your own sentences: change the person in each example, change the complement to something from your own life, and say the sentence aloud. The verb quiz and the verb translator on this site give you more practice with the same forms.