Utilizar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb utilizar means to use, to utilise, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Utilizar means to use or to utilise, and it is used for using a computer for work, using a secure password, using the metro and using leftovers to make stock. It is a formal synonym of usar, and it is a spelling-change verb: the z becomes c before e. Like every Spanish verb, utilizar 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 utilizo el ordenador para trabajar, and in the preterite you say utilicé el metro para ir al centro. 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: utilizar
- English: to use, to utilise
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: utilizando
- Past participle: utilizado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + utilizado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for utilizar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: z becomes c before e, so the preterite is utilicé and the subjunctive is utilice. Utilizar is more formal than usar.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for utilizar. 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 | utilizo |
| tú | utilizas |
| él/ella/Ud. | utiliza |
| nosotros/as | utilizamos |
| vosotros/as | utilizáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilizan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | utilicé |
| tú | utilizaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilizó |
| nosotros/as | utilizamos |
| vosotros/as | utilizasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilizaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | utilizaba |
| tú | utilizabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilizaba |
| nosotros/as | utilizábamos |
| vosotros/as | utilizabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilizaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | utilizaré |
| tú | utilizarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilizará |
| nosotros/as | utilizaremos |
| vosotros/as | utilizaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilizarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | utilizaría |
| tú | utilizarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilizaría |
| nosotros/as | utilizaríamos |
| vosotros/as | utilizaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilizarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he utilizado |
| tú | has utilizado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha utilizado |
| nosotros/as | hemos utilizado |
| vosotros/as | habéis utilizado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han utilizado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había utilizado |
| tú | habías utilizado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había utilizado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos utilizado |
| vosotros/as | habíais utilizado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían utilizado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré utilizado |
| tú | habrás utilizado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá utilizado |
| nosotros/as | habremos utilizado |
| vosotros/as | habréis utilizado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán utilizado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría utilizado |
| tú | habrías utilizado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría utilizado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos utilizado |
| vosotros/as | habríais utilizado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían utilizado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | utilice |
| tú | utilices |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilice |
| nosotros/as | utilicemos |
| vosotros/as | utilicéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilicen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | utilizara |
| tú | utilizaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilizara |
| nosotros/as | utilizáramos |
| vosotros/as | utilizarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilizaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | utiliza |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilice |
| nosotros/as | utilicemos |
| vosotros/as | utilizad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilicen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | utilices |
| él/ella/Ud. | utilice |
| nosotros/as | utilicemos |
| vosotros/as | utilicéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | utilicen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | utilizando | with estar for the progressive: estoy utilizando |
| Past participle | utilizado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he utilizado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the spelling change here: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For utilizar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Utilizo el ordenador para trabajar. 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 in the first person: z becomes c before e, so the preterite first person is utilicé. For utilizar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, utilicé una contraseña segura. 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 utilizar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, utilizaba el metro para ir al centro. 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 utilizar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, utilizaré los restos para hacer caldo. 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 utilizar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Utilizaría el ordenador para trabajar 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 utilizar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he utilizado una contraseña segura. 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 utilizar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había utilizado el metro para ir al centro 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 utilizar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré utilizado los restos para hacer caldo. 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 utilizar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría utilizado el ordenador para trabajar 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: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For utilizar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él utilice una contraseña segura. 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 utilizar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él utilizara el metro para ir al centro, 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: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For utilizar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Utiliza los restos para hacer caldo! 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: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For utilizar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No utilices el ordenador para trabajar. 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 utilizar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Utilizo el ordenador para trabajar. — I use the computer for work.
- Utiliza una contraseña segura. — He/she uses a secure password.
- Ayer, utilicé el metro para ir al centro. — Yesterday, I used the metro to go to the centre.
- Antes, nosotros utilizábamos los restos para hacer caldo. — Before, we used to use the leftovers to make stock.
- Mañana, tú utilizarás el ordenador para trabajar. — Tomorrow, you will use the computer for work.
- Yo utilizaría una contraseña segura si tuviera más tiempo. — I would use a secure password if I had more time.
- Él ha utilizado el metro para ir al centro. — He has used the metro to go to the centre.
- Espero que él utilice los restos para hacer caldo. — I hope he uses the leftovers to make stock.
- Yo ya había utilizado el ordenador para trabajar antes de salir. — I had already used the computer for work before leaving.
- Ellos utilizaban una contraseña segura cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to use a secure password when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo utiliza el ordenador para trabajar. — Right: Yo utilizo el ordenador para trabajar. — The person matters: utiliza is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is utilizo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo utilizé una contraseña segura. — Right: Yo utilicé una contraseña segura. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is utilicé, not utilizé. utilizar is a spelling-change verb: z becomes c before e, so the written form changes to keep the same sound. The regular-looking form is wrong.
- Wrong: Treating utilizar and usar as identical in every context. — Right: Utilizar means to use, to utilise, while usar means to use, the everyday synonym. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: utilizar fits sentences such as Utilizo el ordenador para trabajar, while usar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy utilizado una contraseña segura. — Right: Yo he utilizado una contraseña segura. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he utilizado, has utilizado, ha utilizado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo utilicé el metro para ir al centro todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo utilizaba el metro para ir al centro todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (utilizaba), not the preterite. The preterite (utilicé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on utilizar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el ordenador para trabajar. (present tense) A. utilizo B. utilizas C. utiliza D. utilizamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ una contraseña segura. (preterite) A. utilicé B. utilizaste C. utilizaron D. utilizó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el metro para ir al centro. (imperfect) A. utilizabas B. utilizaban C. utilizábamos D. utilizaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ los restos para hacer caldo. (future) A. utilizaremos B. utilizarás C. utilizaré D. utilizará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el ordenador para trabajar si pudiera. (conditional) A. utilizaría B. utilizarías C. utilizarían D. utilizo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ una contraseña segura. (present subjunctive) A. utilices B. utilicemos C. utilizo D. utilice
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el metro para ir al centro, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. utilizáramos B. utilizo C. utilizara D. utilizaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ los restos para hacer caldo. (present perfect) A. han utilizado B. hemos utilizado C. he utilizado D. has utilizado
Complete the command: ¡___ el ordenador para trabajar! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. utiliza B. utilice C. utilicemos D. utilizad
Which is the gerund of utilizar, used with estar for the progressive? A. utilizado B. utilizo C. utilicé D. utilizando
Answer key
- utilizo — The first-person present of utilizar is utilizo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- utilizó — The third-person preterite of utilizar is utilizó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- utilizábamos — The nosotros imperfect of utilizar is utilizábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- utilizarás — The second-person future of utilizar is utilizarás.
- utilizaría — The first-person conditional of utilizar is utilizaría, the form for what would happen.
- utilice — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of utilizar is utilice.
- utilizara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of utilizar is utilizara.
- hemos utilizado — The nosotros present perfect of utilizar is hemos utilizado: hemos + utilizado.
- utiliza — The affirmative tú imperative of utilizar is utiliza.
- utilizando — The gerund of utilizar is utilizando: estoy utilizando. The participle utilizado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does utilizar mean in English?
Utilizar means to use, to utilise. It is used in everyday situations such as Utilizo el ordenador para trabajar. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is utilizar regular or irregular?
Utilizar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including utilizo in the present and utilicé in the preterite.
What is the difference between utilizar and usar?
Utilizar means to use, to utilise, while usar means to use, the everyday synonym. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use utilizar when you mean to use, to utilise, as in Utilizo el ordenador para trabajar, and use usar for to use, the everyday synonym. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I use” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo utilicé una contraseña segura. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo utilizaba el metro para ir al centro. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he utilizado una contraseña segura.
How do I practise utilizar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the utilizar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Utilizar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for utilizar.
- Utilizar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for utilizar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Autorizar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with utilizar.
- Realizar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with utilizar.
- Analizar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with utilizar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.