Introduction
Testificar means “to testify”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Testificar means to testify, and it is the verb for giving evidence in court: testificar en el juicio, testificar contra el acusado. It takes en or contra. It is a spelling-change verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is testifiqué and the subjunctive testifique. This page shows testificar 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: “Testifico en el juicio del lunes.” — I testify in Monday's trial.
Testificar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how testificar 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 testificar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Testifico en el juicio del lunes.” — I testify in Monday's trial.
“¿Testificas contra el acusado?” — Do you testify against the accused?
“Testifica a favor de su amiga.” — He/she testifies in favour of his friend.
“Nosotros testificamos ante el juez por la mañana.” — We testify before the judge in the morning.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show testificar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo testifiqué en el juicio del lunes.” — Yesterday, I testified in Monday's trial. (preterite)
“Antes, él testificaba contra el acusado.” — Before, he used to testify against the accused. (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 testificar stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros testificaremos a favor de su amiga.” — Tomorrow, we will testify in favour of his friend. (future)
“¿Tú has testificado ante el juez por la mañana?” — Have you testified before the judge in the morning? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros testificáis en el juicio del lunes.” — You testify in Monday's trial.
“Ellos testifican contra el acusado.” — They testify against the accused.
“Yo testifico a favor de su amiga.” — I testify in favour of his friend.
“Mi padre testifica ante el juez por la mañana.” — My father testifies before the judge in the morning.
Testificar 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 testificar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú testificas contra el acusado?” — Do you testify against the accused?
Pedro: “Sí, yo testifico en el juicio del lunes.” — Yes, I testify in Monday's trial.
Marta: “Nosotros testificamos ante el juez por la mañana.” — We testify before the judge in the morning.
Pedro: “Y ellos testifican contra el acusado.” — And they testify against the accused.
Marta: “Vosotros testificáis a favor de su amiga.” — You testify in favour of his friend.
Pedro: “Sí, y él testifica en el juicio del lunes.” — Yes, and he testifies in Monday's trial.
A short paragraph
Testifica en el juicio del lunes, y nosotros testificamos ante el juez por la mañana. Yo testifico contra el acusado, y ellos testifican a favor de su amiga. Testificar is part of everyday life, because testify is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with testificar
These are the errors learners actually make with testificar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo testifica en el juicio del lunes.” Right: “Yo testifico en el juicio del lunes.” Why: The person matters: testifica is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is testifico. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Espero que yo testifice en el juicio del lunes.” Right: “Espero que yo testifique en el juicio del lunes.” Why: Spelling change: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique, so the present subjunctive is testifique, never testifice.
Wrong: “Treating testificar and declarar as identical in every context.” Right: “Testificar means to testify, while declarar means to declare, to state.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: testificar fits sentences such as Testifico en el juicio del lunes, while declarar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy testificado contra el acusado.” Right: “Yo he testificado contra el acusado.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he testificado, has testificado, ha testificado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo testifiqué a favor de su amiga todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo testificaba a favor de su amiga todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (testificaba), not the preterite. The preterite (testifiqué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: testificar in use
Ten questions on testificar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ en el juicio del lunes.” (You testify in Monday's trial.)
- (a) testificáis
- (b) testifico
- (c) testificas
Answer: testificáis — The vosotros/as form of testificar in the present tense is testificáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ contra el acusado.” (They testify against the accused.)
- (a) testificas
- (b) testifican
- (c) testifico
Answer: testifican — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of testificar in the present tense is testifican.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ en el juicio del lunes.” (Yesterday I testified in Monday's trial.)
- (a) testificaste
- (b) testificó
- (c) testifiqué
Answer: testifiqué — In the preterite, the yo form of testificar is testifiqué.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ contra el acusado.” (Before, he used to testify against the accused.)
- (a) testificaba
- (b) testifico
- (c) testificabas
Answer: testificaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of testificar is testificaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ a favor de su amiga.” (Tomorrow we will testify in favour of his friend.)
- (a) testificarás
- (b) testificaremos
- (c) testificaré
Answer: testificaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of testificar is testificaremos.
6. What does testificar mean in English?
- (a) to testify
- (b) to take (time), to be late
- (c) to declare, to state
Answer: to testify — Testificar means “to testify”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo testifica en el juicio del lunes.
- (b) Ellos testifica contra el acusado.
- (c) Yo testifico en el juicio del lunes.
Answer: Yo testifico en el juicio del lunes. — “Yo testifico en el juicio del lunes.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I testify in Monday's trial.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre testifica ante el juez por la mañana.
- (b) Testifico en el juicio del lunes.
- (c) Testifican en el juicio del lunes.
Answer: Testifico en el juicio del lunes. — “Testifico en el juicio del lunes.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of testificar in the present tense?
- (a) testifico
- (b) testificas
- (c) testificamos
Answer: testificamos — The nosotros form is testificamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros testificaremos a favor de su amiga.
- (b) Testifico en el juicio del lunes.
- (c) Ayer, yo testifiqué en el juicio del lunes.
Answer: Testifico en el juicio del lunes. — “Testifico en el juicio del lunes.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I testify in Monday's trial' in Spanish?
Say 'Testifico en el juicio del lunes'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Testifico en el juicio del lunes todos los días'.
How do you say 'He testifies against the accused' in Spanish?
Say 'Él testifica contra el acusado'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes testifica.
What is the difference between testificar and declarar?
Testificar means to testify, while declarar means to declare, to state. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use testificar when you mean to testify, as in 'Testifico en el juicio del lunes', and use declarar for to declare, to state.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of testificar — every tense of testificar in one place.
- Testificar 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 testificar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of testificar until they are automatic.