Introduction
Solucionar means “to solve”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Solucionar means to solve, and it is used for solving a problem, a puzzle and a conflict: solucionar un problema, solucionar el conflicto. It is a fully regular -ar verb, and it is the everyday partner of resolver. This page shows solucionar in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Soluciono un problema difícil.” — I solve a difficult problem.
Solucionar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how solucionar is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use solucionar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Soluciono un problema difícil.” — I solve a difficult problem.
“¿Solucionas el conflicto entre vecinos?” — Do you solve the conflict between neighbours?
“Soluciona el puzzle en una hora.” — He/she solves the puzzle in an hour.
“Nosotros solucionamos la avería del coche.” — We solve the car breakdown.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show solucionar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo solucioné un problema difícil.” — Yesterday, I solved a difficult problem. (preterite)
“Antes, él solucionaba el conflicto entre vecinos.” — Before, he used to solve the conflict between neighbours. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of solucionar stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros solucionaremos el puzzle en una hora.” — Tomorrow, we will solve the puzzle in an hour. (future)
“¿Tú has solucionado la avería del coche?” — Have you solved the car breakdown? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros solucionáis un problema difícil.” — You solve a difficult problem.
“Ellos solucionan el conflicto entre vecinos.” — They solve the conflict between neighbours.
“Yo soluciono el puzzle en una hora.” — I solve the puzzle in an hour.
“Mi padre soluciona la avería del coche.” — My father solves the car breakdown.
Solucionar in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how solucionar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú solucionas el conflicto entre vecinos?” — Do you solve the conflict between neighbours?
Pedro: “Sí, yo soluciono un problema difícil.” — Yes, I solve a difficult problem.
Marta: “Nosotros solucionamos la avería del coche.” — We solve the car breakdown.
Pedro: “Y ellos solucionan el conflicto entre vecinos.” — And they solve the conflict between neighbours.
Marta: “Vosotros solucionáis el puzzle en una hora.” — You solve the puzzle in an hour.
Pedro: “Sí, y él soluciona un problema difícil.” — Yes, and he solves a difficult problem.
A short paragraph
Soluciona un problema difícil, y nosotros solucionamos la avería del coche. Yo soluciono el conflicto entre vecinos, y ellos solucionan el puzzle en una hora. Solucionar is part of everyday life, because solve is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with solucionar
These are the errors learners actually make with solucionar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo soluciona un problema difícil.” Right: “Yo soluciono un problema difícil.” Why: The person matters: soluciona is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is soluciono. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Ayer yo soluciono el conflicto entre vecinos.” Right: “Ayer yo solucioné el conflicto entre vecinos.” Why: The present and the preterite are different tenses: soluciono is happening now, while solucioné is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
Wrong: “Treating solucionar and resolver as identical in every context.” Right: “Solucionar means to solve, while resolver means to solve, to resolve.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: solucionar fits sentences such as Soluciono un problema difícil, while resolver belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy solucionado el conflicto entre vecinos.” Right: “Yo he solucionado el conflicto entre vecinos.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he solucionado, has solucionado, ha solucionado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo solucioné el puzzle en una hora todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo solucionaba el puzzle en una hora todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (solucionaba), not the preterite. The preterite (solucioné) is for one finished action.
Quiz: solucionar in use
Ten questions on solucionar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ un problema difícil.” (You solve a difficult problem.)
- (a) solucionáis
- (b) soluciono
- (c) solucionas
Answer: solucionáis — The vosotros/as form of solucionar in the present tense is solucionáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ el conflicto entre vecinos.” (They solve the conflict between neighbours.)
- (a) solucionas
- (b) solucionan
- (c) soluciono
Answer: solucionan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of solucionar in the present tense is solucionan.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ un problema difícil.” (Yesterday I solved a difficult problem.)
- (a) solucionaste
- (b) solucionó
- (c) solucioné
Answer: solucioné — In the preterite, the yo form of solucionar is solucioné.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ el conflicto entre vecinos.” (Before, he used to solve the conflict between neighbours.)
- (a) solucionaba
- (b) soluciono
- (c) solucionabas
Answer: solucionaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of solucionar is solucionaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ el puzzle en una hora.” (Tomorrow we will solve the puzzle in an hour.)
- (a) solucionarás
- (b) solucionaremos
- (c) solucionaré
Answer: solucionaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of solucionar is solucionaremos.
6. What does solucionar mean in English?
- (a) to solve
- (b) to put up with, to bear
- (c) to solve, to resolve
Answer: to solve — Solucionar means “to solve”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo soluciona un problema difícil.
- (b) Ellos soluciona el conflicto entre vecinos.
- (c) Yo soluciono un problema difícil.
Answer: Yo soluciono un problema difícil. — “Yo soluciono un problema difícil.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I solve a difficult problem.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre soluciona la avería del coche.
- (b) Soluciono un problema difícil.
- (c) Solucionan un problema difícil.
Answer: Soluciono un problema difícil. — “Soluciono un problema difícil.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of solucionar in the present tense?
- (a) soluciono
- (b) solucionas
- (c) solucionamos
Answer: solucionamos — The nosotros form is solucionamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros solucionaremos el puzzle en una hora.
- (b) Soluciono un problema difícil.
- (c) Ayer, yo solucioné un problema difícil.
Answer: Soluciono un problema difícil. — “Soluciono un problema difícil.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I solve a difficult problem' in Spanish?
Say 'Soluciono un problema difícil'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Soluciono un problema difícil todos los días'.
How do you say 'He solves the conflict between neighbours' in Spanish?
Say 'Él soluciona el conflicto entre vecinos'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes soluciona.
What is the difference between solucionar and resolver?
Solucionar means to solve, while resolver means to solve, to resolve. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use solucionar when you mean to solve, as in 'Soluciono un problema difícil', and use resolver for to solve, to resolve.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of solucionar — every tense of solucionar in one place.
- Solucionar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on solucionar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of solucionar until they are automatic.