Trocear Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

trocear means "to cut into pieces" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows trocear in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of trocear, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with trocear

Everyday use

Trocear means to cut into pieces. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo troceo la carne — "I cut into pieces the meat"
  2. Él trocea las verduras — "He cuts into pieces the vegetables"
  3. Yo troceé el pollo en trozos — "I cut into pieces the chicken into pieces"
  4. Yo troceaba la carne — "I used to cut into pieces the meat"
  5. Yo trocearé las verduras — "I will cut into pieces the vegetables"
  6. Yo he troceado el pollo en trozos — "I have cut into pieces the chicken into pieces"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. Él troceó el pollo en trozos — "He cut into pieces the chicken into pieces"
  2. Él troceaba la carne — "He used to cut into pieces the meat"
  3. Tú trocearás las verduras — "You will cut into pieces the vegetables"
  4. Yo trocearía el pollo en trozos — "I would cut into pieces the chicken into pieces"
  5. Yo había troceado la carne — "I had cut into pieces the meat"
  6. Nosotros troceamos las verduras — "We cut into pieces the vegetables"

Trocear in conversation

The two dialogues below show trocear in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú troceas la carne? — "Do you cut into pieces the meat?"
  • Sí, yo troceo la carne cada día. — "Yes, I cut into pieces the meat every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú troceaste las verduras? — "And yesterday? Did you cut into pieces the vegetables?"
  • Sí, yo troceé las verduras. — "Yes, I cut into pieces the vegetables."
  • Mañana, yo trocearé el pollo en trozos también. — "Tomorrow, I will cut into pieces the chicken into pieces too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros troceáis la carne? — "Do you cut into pieces the meat?"
  • Sí, nosotros troceamos la carne los fines de semana. — "Yes, We cut into pieces the meat at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos trocean las verduras? — "And them? Do they cut into pieces the vegetables?"
  • Sí, ellos trocean las verduras también. — "Yes, They cut into pieces the vegetables too."
  • Mañana nosotros trocearemos las verduras otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will cut into pieces the vegetables again."

Useful phrases with trocear

Four patterns you can use with trocear in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a trocear la carne. — "I am going to cut into pieces the meat."
  • Quiero trocear las verduras. — "I want to cut into pieces the vegetables."
  • Me gusta trocear el pollo en trozos. — "I like to cut into pieces the chicken into pieces."
  • Acabo de trocear la carne. — "I have just cut into pieces the meat."

Common mistakes with trocear in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos trocea la carne.
  • Right: Ellos trocean la carne.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form trocean. The singular trocea belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo troceé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo troceo.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Trocear es lo mismo que triturar.
  • Right: Trocear means to cut into pieces; triturar means to crush, to grind.
  • Why: Trocear and triturar describe different things. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo troceo.
  • Right: Ayer, yo troceé.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (troceé). The present (troceo) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él trocea la carne.
  • Right: Espero que él trocee la carne.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: trocee. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: trocear in use

Ten questions on trocear across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of trocear in the present tense?

  • (a) habríamos troceado
  • (b) troceemos
  • (c) trocearán
  • (d) troceo

Answer: (d) troceo. The I form in the present is troceo.

2. What is the he / she form of trocear in the present tense?

  • (a) troceaban
  • (b) trocea
  • (c) troceas
  • (d) habrá troceado

Answer: (b) trocea. The he / she form in the present is trocea.

3. What is the he / she form of trocear in the preterite tense?

  • (a) habrán troceado
  • (b) troceen
  • (c) trocea
  • (d) troceó

Answer: (d) troceó. The he / she form in the preterite is troceó.

4. What is the I form of trocear in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) trocearían
  • (b) troceaba
  • (c) troceas
  • (d) habréis troceado

Answer: (b) troceaba. The I form in the imperfect is troceaba.

5. What is the I form of trocear in the future tense?

  • (a) trocearé
  • (b) trocearon
  • (c) troceemos
  • (d) trocearemos

Answer: (a) trocearé. The I form in the future is trocearé.

6. What is the I form of trocear in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) hemos troceado
  • (b) habías troceado
  • (c) he troceado
  • (d) habíamos troceado

Answer: (c) he troceado. The I form in the present perfect is he troceado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la carne.

  • (a) troceéis
  • (b) troceemos
  • (c) troceen
  • (d) trocee

Answer: (d) trocee. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is trocee.

8. What is the we form of trocear in the present tense?

  • (a) troceáramos
  • (b) troceamos
  • (c) trocearé
  • (d) troceen

Answer: (b) troceamos. The we form in the present is troceamos.

9. What is the I form of trocear in the preterite tense?

  • (a) troceé
  • (b) trocearías
  • (c) trocea
  • (d) habríais troceado

Answer: (a) troceé. The I form in the preterite is troceé.

10. What is the they form of trocear in the present tense?

  • (a) troceen
  • (b) troceaban
  • (c) trocean
  • (d) trocearíais

Answer: (c) trocean. The they form in the present is trocean.

Frequently asked questions about trocear

Is trocear regular?

Yes. Trocear is a regular -ar verb: troceo, troceas, trocea. See the full conjugation of trocear for every tense.

What is the difference between trocear and triturar?

Trocear means to cut into pieces. Triturar means to crush, to grind. Use trocear when you mean to cut into pieces, as in Yo troceo la carne.

How do I say “I cut into pieces” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo troceé las verduras. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo troceaba el pollo en trozos.

How can I practise trocear?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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