Testificar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb testificar means to testify, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. 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. Like every Spanish verb, testificar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say testifico en el juicio del lunes, and in the preterite you say testifiqué a favor de su amiga. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: testificar
- English: to testify
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: testificando
- Past participle: testificado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + testificado)
- Pattern to learn: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for testificar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Testificar is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite is testifiqué and the subjunctive testifique.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for testificar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | testifico |
| tú | testificas |
| él/ella/Ud. | testifica |
| nosotros/as | testificamos |
| vosotros/as | testificáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testifican |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | testifiqué |
| tú | testificaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | testificó |
| nosotros/as | testificamos |
| vosotros/as | testificasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testificaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | testificaba |
| tú | testificabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | testificaba |
| nosotros/as | testificábamos |
| vosotros/as | testificabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testificaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | testificaré |
| tú | testificarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | testificará |
| nosotros/as | testificaremos |
| vosotros/as | testificaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testificarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | testificaría |
| tú | testificarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | testificaría |
| nosotros/as | testificaríamos |
| vosotros/as | testificaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testificarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he testificado |
| tú | has testificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha testificado |
| nosotros/as | hemos testificado |
| vosotros/as | habéis testificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han testificado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había testificado |
| tú | habías testificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había testificado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos testificado |
| vosotros/as | habíais testificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían testificado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré testificado |
| tú | habrás testificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá testificado |
| nosotros/as | habremos testificado |
| vosotros/as | habréis testificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán testificado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría testificado |
| tú | habrías testificado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría testificado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos testificado |
| vosotros/as | habríais testificado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían testificado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | testifique |
| tú | testifiques |
| él/ella/Ud. | testifique |
| nosotros/as | testifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | testifiquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testifiquen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | testificara |
| tú | testificaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | testificara |
| nosotros/as | testificáramos |
| vosotros/as | testificarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testificaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | testifica |
| él/ella/Ud. | testifique |
| nosotros/as | testifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | testificad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testifiquen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | testifiques |
| él/ella/Ud. | testifique |
| nosotros/as | testifiquemos |
| vosotros/as | testifiquéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | testifiquen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | testificando | with estar for the progressive: estoy testificando |
| Past participle | testificado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he testificado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the pattern here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique. For testificar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Testifico en el juicio del lunes. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique. For testificar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, testifiqué contra el acusado. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, testificaba a favor de su amiga. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, testificaré ante el juez por la mañana. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Testificaría en el juicio del lunes si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he testificado contra el acusado. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había testificado a favor de su amiga antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré testificado ante el juez por la mañana. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría testificado en el juicio del lunes con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique. For testificar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él testifique contra el acusado. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For testificar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él testificara a favor de su amiga, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique. For testificar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Testifica ante el juez por la mañana! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique. For testificar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No testifiques en el juicio del lunes. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with testificar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Testifico en el juicio del lunes. — I testify in Monday's trial.
- Testifica contra el acusado. — He/she testifies against the accused.
- Ayer, testifiqué a favor de su amiga. — Yesterday, I testified in favour of his friend.
- Antes, nosotros testificábamos ante el juez por la mañana. — Before, we used to testify before the judge in the morning.
- Mañana, tú testificarás en el juicio del lunes. — Tomorrow, you will testify in Monday's trial.
- Yo testificaría contra el acusado si tuviera más tiempo. — I would testify against the accused if I had more time.
- Él ha testificado a favor de su amiga. — He has testified in favour of his friend.
- Espero que él testifique ante el juez por la mañana. — I hope he testifies before the judge in the morning.
- Yo ya había testificado en el juicio del lunes antes de salir. — I had already testified in Monday's trial before leaving.
- Ellos testificaban contra el acusado cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to testify against the accused when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo testifica en el juicio del lunes. — Right: Yo testifico en el juicio del lunes. — 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. — 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. — 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. — 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. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (testificaba), not the preterite. The preterite (testifiqué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on testificar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en el juicio del lunes. (present tense) A. testifico B. testificas C. testifica D. testificamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ contra el acusado. (preterite) A. testifiqué B. testificaste C. testificamos D. testificó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a favor de su amiga. (imperfect) A. testificabas B. testifico C. testificábamos D. testificaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ ante el juez por la mañana. (future) A. testificaremos B. testificarás C. testificaré D. testificará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en el juicio del lunes si pudiera. (conditional) A. testificaría B. testificarías C. testificaríamos D. testifico
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ contra el acusado. (present subjunctive) A. testifiques B. testifiquemos C. testifico D. testifique
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a favor de su amiga, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. testificáramos B. testifico C. testificara D. testificaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ ante el juez por la mañana. (present perfect) A. ha testificado B. hemos testificado C. he testificado D. has testificado
Complete the command: ¡___ en el juicio del lunes! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. testifica B. testifique C. testifiquemos D. testificad
Which is the gerund of testificar, used with estar for the progressive? A. testificado B. testifico C. testifiqué D. testificando
Answer key
- testifico — The yo present tense of testificar is testifico.
- testificó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of testificar is testificó.
- testificábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of testificar is testificábamos.
- testificarás — The tú future of testificar is testificarás.
- testificaría — The yo conditional of testificar is testificaría.
- testifique — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of testificar is testifique.
- testificara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of testificar is testificara.
- hemos testificado — The nosotros/as present perfect of testificar is hemos testificado.
- testifica — The affirmative tú imperative of testificar is testifica.
- testificando — The gerund of testificar is testificando: estoy testificando. The participle testificado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does testificar mean in English?
Testificar means to testify. It is used in everyday situations such as Testifico en el juicio del lunes. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is testificar regular or irregular?
Testificar is a spelling-change verb: it is a -car verb: c becomes qu before e, so the preterite first person is testifiqué and the present subjunctive is testifique. The endings are regular, so once you know the pattern you can produce every form on this page, including testifico in the present and testifiqué in the preterite.
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. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I testify” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo testifiqué contra el acusado. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo testificaba a favor de su amiga. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he testificado contra el acusado.
How do I practise testificar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the testificar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Testificar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for testificar.
- Testificar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for testificar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Tardar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with testificar.
- Tolerar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with testificar.
- Torear conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with testificar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.