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How to conjugate Caracterizar in Spanish

caracterizar to characterise, to characterize Irregular Verb

At a glance: Caracterizar (to characterise, to characterize) is a irregular verb in Spanish. In the present tense: caracterizo, caracterizas, caracteriza, caracterizamos, caracterizáis, caracterizan. The present tense is regular. In the preterite: yo changes z to c (caractericé); the other forms are regular. It is also irregular in the present subjunctive (caracterice).

Past participle
caracterizado characterised
Gerund
caracterizando characterising
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Indicative tenses of Caracterizar

Caracterizar in the Indicative Present

The Indicative Present of caracterizar is used to talk about situations, events or thoughts that are happening now or in the near future. It is also used to talk about facts and truths. For example, “caracterizo”, meaning “I characterise”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Present is known as "El Presente".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaracterizoI characterise
Túcaracterizasyou characterise
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterizas/he characterises
Nosotras / Nosotroscaracterizamoswe characterise
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizáisyou (plural) characterise
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaracterizanthey characterise

How it’s built: Regular: stem caracteriz- plus the -ar endings.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Preterite

The Indicative Preterite of caracterizar is used to talk about actions completed in the past, at a specific point in time. For example, “caractericé”, meaning “I characterised”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Preterite is known as "El Pretérito Indefinido".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaractericéI characterised
Túcaracterizasteyou characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterizós/he characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroscaracterizamoswe characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizasteisyou (plural) characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaracterizaronthey characterised

How it’s built: Yo changes z to c (caractericé); the other forms are regular.

Letters in red show where a form differs from the regular pattern.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Imperfect

The Indicative Imperfect of caracterizar is used to describe regular and repeated actions that happened in the past and descriptions of things you used to do. For example, “caracterizaba”, meaning “I used to characterise”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Imperfect is known as "El Pretérito Imperfecto".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaracterizabaI used to characterise
Túcaracterizabasyou used to characterise
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterizabas/he used to characterise
Nosotras / Nosotroscaracterizábamoswe used to characterise
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizabaisyou (plural) used to characterise
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaracterizabanthey used to characterise

How it’s built: Regular: stem caracteriz- plus the -ar endings.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Present Continuous

The Indicative Present Continuous of caracterizar is used to talk about something that is happening continuously or right now. For example, “estoy caracterizando”, meaning “I am characterising”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Present Continuous is known as "El Presente Progresivo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yoestoy caracterizandoI am characterising
Túestás caracterizandoyou are characterising
Ella / Él / Ustedestá caracterizandos/he is characterising
Nosotras / Nosotrosestamos caracterizandowe are characterising
Vosotras / Vosotrosestáis caracterizandoyou (plural) are characterising
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedesestán caracterizandothey are characterising

How it’s built: Estar in the present (estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están) plus the gerund caracterizando.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Informal Future

The Indicative Informal Future of caracterizar is used to talk about something that will happen in the future, especially in the near future. For example, “voy a caracterizar”, meaning “I am going to characterise”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Informal Future is known as "El Futuro Próximo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yovoy a caracterizarI am going to characterise
Túvas a caracterizaryou are going to characterise
Ella / Él / Ustedva a caracterizars/he is going to characterise
Nosotras / Nosotrosvamos a caracterizarwe are going to characterise
Vosotras / Vosotrosvais a caracterizaryou (plural) are going to characterise
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedesvan a caracterizarthey are going to characterise

How it’s built: Ir in the present (voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van), then a, then the infinitive caracterizar.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Future

The Indicative Future of caracterizar is used to talk about something that will happen in the future. For example, “caracterizaré”, meaning “I will characterise”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Future is known as "El Futuro Simple".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaracterizaréI will characterise
Túcaracterizarásyou will characterise
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterizarás/he will characterise
Nosotras / Nosotroscaracterizaremoswe will characterise
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizaréisyou (plural) will characterise
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaracterizaránthey will characterise

How it’s built: Regular: the infinitive caracterizar plus the future endings.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Conditional

The Indicative Conditional of caracterizar is used to talk about something that may happen in the future, hypothesis and probabilities. For example, “caracterizaría”, meaning “I would characterise”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Conditional is known as "El Condicional Simple".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaracterizaríaI would characterise
Túcaracterizaríasyou would characterise
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterizarías/he would characterise
Nosotras / Nosotroscaracterizaríamoswe would characterise
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizaríaisyou (plural) would characterise
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaracterizaríanthey would characterise

How it’s built: Regular: the infinitive caracterizar plus the conditional endings.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Present Perfect

The Indicative Present Perfect of caracterizar is used to describe actions that started recently (in the past) and are still happening now or things that have been done recently. For example, “he caracterizado”, meaning “I have characterised”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Present Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Perfecto".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yohe caracterizadoI have characterised
Túhas caracterizadoyou have characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedha caracterizados/he has characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroshemos caracterizadowe have characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroshabéis caracterizadoyou (plural) have characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedeshan caracterizadothey have characterised

How it’s built: Haber in the present (he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han) plus the past participle caracterizado.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Past Perfect

The Indicative Past Perfect of caracterizar is used to talk about actions that happened before another action in the past. For example, “había caracterizado”, meaning “I had characterised”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Past Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yohabía caracterizadoI had characterised
Túhabías caracterizadoyou had characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedhabía caracterizados/he had characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroshabíamos caracterizadowe had characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroshabíais caracterizadoyou (plural) had characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedeshabían caracterizadothey had characterised

How it’s built: Haber in the imperfect (había, habías, había, habíamos, habíais, habían) plus the past participle caracterizado.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Future Perfect

The Indicative Future Perfect of caracterizar is used to talk about something that will have happened in the future after something else has already happened. For example, “habré caracterizado”, meaning “I will have characterised”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Future Perfect is known as "El Futuro Perfecto".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yohabré caracterizadoI will have characterised
Túhabrás caracterizadoyou will have characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedhabrá caracterizados/he will have characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroshabremos caracterizadowe will have characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroshabréis caracterizadoyou (plural) will have characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedeshabrán caracterizadothey will have characterised

How it’s built: Haber in the future (habré, habrás, habrá, habremos, habréis, habrán) plus the past participle caracterizado.

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Caracterizar in the Indicative Conditional Perfect

The Indicative Conditional Perfect of caracterizar is used to talk about something that would have happened in the past but didn’t due to another action. For example, “habría caracterizado”, meaning “I would have characterised”.

In Spanish, the Indicative Conditional Perfect is known as "El Condicional Perfecto".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yohabría caracterizadoI would have characterised
Túhabrías caracterizadoyou would have characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedhabría caracterizados/he would have characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroshabríamos caracterizadowe would have characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroshabríais caracterizadoyou (plural) would have characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedeshabrían caracterizadothey would have characterised

How it’s built: Haber in the conditional (habría, habrías, habría, habríamos, habríais, habrían) plus the past participle caracterizado.

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Subjunctive tenses of Caracterizar

Caracterizar in the Subjunctive Present

The Subjunctive Present is used to talk about situations of uncertainty, or emotions such as wishes, desires and hopes. It differs from the indicative mood due to the uncertainty of the events which are being spoken about. For example, “caracterice”, meaning “I characterise”.

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Present is known as "El Presente de Subjuntivo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaractericeI characterise
Túcaractericesyou characterise
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterices/he characterises
Nosotras / Nosotroscaractericemoswe characterise
Vosotras / Vosotroscaractericéisyou (plural) characterise
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaractericenthey characterise

How it’s built: Every form changes z to c (caracterice, caracterices, caracterice, caractericemos, caractericéis, caractericen).

Letters in red show where a form differs from the regular pattern.

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Caracterizar in the Subjunctive Imperfect

The Subjunctive Imperfect is used to speak about unlikely or uncertain events in the past or to cast an opinion (emotional) about something that happened in the past. For example, “caracterizara”, meaning “I characterised”.

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Imperfect is known as "El Imperfecto Subjuntivo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaracterizaraI characterised
Túcaracterizarasyou characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterizaras/he characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroscaracterizáramoswe characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizaraisyou (plural) characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaracterizaranthey characterised

How it’s built: Regular: the ellas/ellos preterite, caracterizaron, without -ron, plus the -ra endings; nosotros adds an accent (caracterizáramos).

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Caracterizar in the Subjunctive Future

The Subjunctive Future is used to speak about hypothetical situations, and actions/events that may happen in the future. For example, “caracterizare”, meaning “I will characterise”.

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Future is known as "El Futuro de Subjuntivo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
YocaracterizareI will characterise
Túcaracterizaresyou will characterise
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterizares/he will characterise
Nosotras / Nosotroscaracterizáremoswe will characterise
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizareisyou (plural) will characterise
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaracterizarenthey will characterise

How it’s built: Regular: the ellas/ellos preterite, caracterizaron, without -ron, plus the -re endings; nosotros adds an accent (caracterizáremos).

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Caracterizar in the Subjunctive Present Perfect

The Subjunctive Present Perfect is used to describe past actions or events that are still connected to the present day and to speak about an action that will have happened by a certain time in the future. For example, “haya caracterizado”, meaning “I have characterised”.

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Present Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yohaya caracterizadoI have characterised
Túhayas caracterizadoyou have characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedhaya caracterizados/he has characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroshayamos caracterizadowe have characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroshayáis caracterizadoyou (plural) have characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedeshayan caracterizadothey have characterised

How it’s built: Haber in the subjunctive present (haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan) plus the past participle caracterizado.

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Caracterizar in the Subjunctive Past Perfect

The Subjunctive Past Perfect is used to speak about hypothetical situations, and actions/events that occurred before other actions/events in the past. For example, “hubiera caracterizado”, meaning “I had characterised”.

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Past Perfect is known as "El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yohubiera caracterizadoI had characterised
Túhubieras caracterizadoyou had characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedhubiera caracterizados/he had characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroshubiéramos caracterizadowe had characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroshubierais caracterizadoyou (plural) had characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedeshubieran caracterizadothey had characterised

How it’s built: Haber in the subjunctive imperfect (hubiera, hubieras, hubiera, hubiéramos, hubierais, hubieran) plus the past participle caracterizado.

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Caracterizar in the Subjunctive Future Perfect

The Subjunctive Future Perfect is used to speak about something that will have happened if a hypothetical situations occurs in the future. For example, “hubiere caracterizado”, meaning “I will have characterised”.

In Spanish, the Subjunctive Future Perfect is known as "El Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yohubiere caracterizadoI will have characterised
Túhubieres caracterizadoyou will have characterised
Ella / Él / Ustedhubiere caracterizados/he will have characterised
Nosotras / Nosotroshubiéremos caracterizadowe will have characterised
Vosotras / Vosotroshubiereis caracterizadoyou (plural) will have characterised
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedeshubieren caracterizadothey will have characterised

How it’s built: Haber in the subjunctive future (hubiere, hubieres, hubiere, hubiéremos, hubiereis, hubieren) plus the past participle caracterizado.

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Imperative tenses of Caracterizar

Caracterizar in the Imperative Affirmative

The Imperative Affirmative is used to give orders and commands, to tell someone to do something. For example, “caracterice”, meaning “(to you formal) characterise!”.

In Spanish, the Imperative Affirmative is known as "El Imperativo Afirmativo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yo--
Túcaracteriza(to you) characterise!
Ella / Él / Ustedcaracterice(to you formal) characterise!
Nosotras / Nosotroscaractericemoslet's characterise!
Vosotras / Vosotroscaracterizad(to you plural) characterise!
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedescaractericen(to you plural formal) characterise!

How it’s built: Tú takes the ella/él present (caracteriza); usted, nosotros and ustedes take the subjunctive present (caracterice, caractericemos, caractericen); vosotros swaps the final r of the infinitive for a d (caracterizad).

Letters in red show where a form differs from the regular pattern.

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Caracterizar in the Imperative Negative

The Imperative Negative is used to give orders and commands, telling someone not to do something. For example, “no caracterice”, meaning “(to you formal) don't characterise!”.

In Spanish, the Imperative Negative is known as "El Imperativo Negativo".

PronounSpanishEnglish
Yo--
Túno caracterices(to you) don't characterise!
Ella / Él / Ustedno caracterice(to you formal) don't characterise!
Nosotras / Nosotrosno caractericemoslet's not characterise!
Vosotras / Vosotrosno caractericéis(to you plural) don't characterise!
Ellas / Ellos / Ustedesno caractericen(to you plural formal) don't characterise!

How it’s built: No plus the subjunctive present: no caracterices, no caracterice, no caractericemos, no caractericéis, no caractericen.

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Frequently asked questions about Caracterizar

Is caracterizar a regular or irregular verb?

Caracterizar is an irregular Spanish verb. The present tense is regular. In the preterite: yo changes z to c (caractericé); the other forms are regular. It is also irregular in the present subjunctive (caracterice).

How do you conjugate caracterizar in the present tense (presente)?

In the present tense (presente), caracterizar is conjugated as: yo caracterizo, tú caracterizas, él/ella/usted caracteriza, nosotros caracterizamos, vosotros caracterizáis, ellos/ellas/ustedes caracterizan. The present tense is used To talk about situations, events or thoughts that are happening now or in the near future. It is also used to talk about facts and truths.

How do you conjugate caracterizar in the preterite (pretérito indefinido)?

In the preterite (pretérito indefinido), caracterizar is conjugated as: yo caractericé, tú caracterizaste, él/ella/usted caracterizó, nosotros caracterizamos, vosotros caracterizasteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes caracterizaron. The preterite is used To talk about actions completed in the past, at a specific point in time.

How do you conjugate caracterizar in the imperfect (pretérito imperfecto)?

In the imperfect (pretérito imperfecto), caracterizar is conjugated as: yo caracterizaba, tú caracterizabas, él/ella/usted caracterizaba, nosotros caracterizábamos, vosotros caracterizabais, ellos/ellas/ustedes caracterizaban. The imperfect is used To describe regular and repeated actions that happened in the past and descriptions of things you used to do.

How do you conjugate caracterizar in the future tense (futuro simple)?

In the future tense (futuro simple), caracterizar is conjugated as: yo caracterizaré, tú caracterizarás, él/ella/usted caracterizará, nosotros caracterizaremos, vosotros caracterizaréis, ellos/ellas/ustedes caracterizarán. The future tense is used To talk about something that will happen in the future.

How do you conjugate caracterizar in the present subjunctive (subjuntivo presente)?

In the present subjunctive (subjuntivo presente), caracterizar is conjugated as: yo caracterice, tú caracterices, él/ella/usted caracterice, nosotros caractericemos, vosotros caractericéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes caractericen. The present subjunctive is used To talk about situations of uncertainty, or emotions such as wishes, desires and hopes. It differs from the indicative mood due to the uncertainty of the events which are being spoken about.


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