Start using the “usar” conjugation in Spanish!

Usar is the Spanish verb for “to use” It is a regular -ar verb, which means it follows a common conjugation pattern for verbs ending in -ar

In today’s blog post, we’ll explain all the conjugations in Spanish for this verb and provide example sentences so you can understand how to use it properly.

Are you ready? Let’s dive right into it!

Read more: THE 150 MOST COMMON SPANISH VERBS (IRREGULAR + REGULAR)

“Usar” Conjugation in Spanish Indicative / Indicativo

The indicative tense (el modo indicativo) is one of the three grammatical moods used to express different attitudes or purposes in speech. The indicative mood is used to make factual statements, ask questions, and express opinions about actions or events that are considered real or certain.

Present Tense Usar Conjugation / Presente

The present tense is used to describe actions happening in the present or to express general truths or habitual actions.

Yo	Uso
Tú	Usas
Él/Ella/Usted	Usa
Nosotros	Usamos
Vosotros	Usáis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usan

Examples:

1. Yo uso el teléfono todos los días. (I use the phone every day.)
2. Tú usas gafas de sol en verano. (You use sunglasses in the summer.)
3. Nosotros usamos el coche para ir al trabajo. (We use the car to go to work.)

Simple Past Usar Conjugation / Pasado 

The simple past tense (preterite) is used to describe completed actions in the past, often with specific time frames or events.

Yo	Usé
Tú	Usaste
Él/Ella/Usted	Usó
Nosotros	Usamos
Vosotros	Usasteis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usaron

Examples:

1. Usaste mi libro ayer. (You used my book yesterday.)
2. Ellos usaron trajes elegantes en la fiesta. (They used elegant outfits at the party.)
3. Usted usó su experiencia para resolver el problema. (You used your experience to solve the problem.)

Imperfect Usar Conjugation / Imperfecto

Spanish imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing, repeated, or habitual actions in the past, as well as to set the stage or provide background information

Yo	Usaba
Tú	Usabas
Él/Ella/Usted	Usaba
Nosotros	Usábamos
Vosotros	Usabais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usaban

Examples:

1. Ella usaba su bicicleta para ir al trabajo. (She used her bicycle to go to work.)
2. Nosotros usábamos la computadora para hacer la tarea. (We used the computer to do the homework.)
3. Vosotros usabais el metro para desplazaros por la ciudad. (You all used the subway to get around the city.)

Present Continuous Usar Conjugation / Presente Continuo

The present continuous tense (also known as “estar + gerundio”) is used to describe actions that are currently happening in the present moment or to express temporary situations.

Yo	Estoy usando
Tú	Estás usando
Él/Ella/Usted	Está usando
Nosotros	Estamos usando
Vosotros	Estáis usando
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Están usando

Examples:

1. Estoy usando mi nueva chaqueta. (I am using my new jacket.)
2. Está usando su teléfono para tomar fotos. (He is using their phone to take pictures.)
3. Están usando las herramientas para arreglar la puerta. (They are using the tools to fix the door.)

Future Tense / Futuro

The Spanish future tense is used to express actions or events that will happen in the future, indicating something that has not yet occurred.

Yo	Usaré
Tú	Usarás
Él/Ella/Usted	Usará
Nosotros	Usaremos
Vosotros	Usaréis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usarán

Examples:

1. Usaré mi nueva bicicleta para ir al trabajo. (I will use my new bicycle to go to work.)
2. Ella usará el paraguas porque anuncian lluvia. (She will use the umbrella because they forecast rain.)

Conditional Usar Conjugation / Condicional

The conditional tense is used to express hypothetical or speculative actions or events that would happen under certain conditions in the present or future.

Yo	Usaría
Tú	Usarías
Él/Ella/Usted	Usaría
Nosotros	Usaríamos
Vosotros	Usaríais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usarían

Examples:

1. Si tuviera tiempo, usaría este vestido en la fiesta. (If I had time, I would use/wear this dress to the party.)
2. Si tuviéramos más ingredientes, usaríamos una receta diferente. (If we had more ingredients, we would use a different recipe.)

Present Perfect / Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto

Spanish present perfect tense (also known as “pretérito perfecto compuesto”) is used to express actions that have occurred in the past but have a connection to the present, emphasizing the result or consequences of those actions.

Yo	He usado
Tú	Has usado
Él/Ella/Usted	Ha usado
Nosotros	Hemos usado
Vosotros	Habéis usado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Han usado

Examples:

1. He usado esta receta para hacer galletas muchas veces. (I have used this recipe to make cookies many times.)
2. Has usado mi ordenador para trabajar. (You have used my computer to work.)
3. Hemos usado esta aplicación para aprender nuevos idiomas. (We have used this app to learn new languages.)

Past Perfect Usar Conjugation / Pretérico Pluscuamperfecto

Spanish past perfect tense (also known as “pretérito pluscuamperfecto”) is used to describe actions that occurred before another past action or event, expressing a past-in-the-past relationship.

Yo	Había usado
Tú	Has usado
Él/Ella/Usted	Ha usado
Nosotros	Hemos usado
Vosotros	Habéis usado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Han usado

Examples:

1. ¿Has usado alguna vez un mapa para encontrar el lugar? (Have you ever used a map to find a place?)
2. Han usado la misma estrategia en todos los proyectos. (They have used the same strategy in all the projects.)
3. Ella ha usado su talento para alcanzar el éxito. (She has used her talent to achieve success.)

Future Perfect / Futuro Perfecto

The Spanish future perfect tense is used to express actions that will have been completed in the future, indicating an action that will be finished before another specified future time or event.

Yo	Habré usado
Tú	Habrás usado
Él/Ella/Usted	Habrá usado
Nosotros	Habremos usado
Vosotros	Habréis usado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Habrán usado

Examples:

1. Para entonces, vosotros ya habréis usado todas las herramientas. (By then, you all will have used all the tools.)
2. Cuando termine el proyecto, nosotros habremos usado todas nuestras habilidades. (When the project is finished, we will have used all our skills.)

Conditional Perfect / Condicional Perfect

The conditional perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or speculative actions that would have been completed in the past, indicating an action that would have happened prior to another past event.

Yo	Habría usado
Tú	Habrías usado
Él/Ella/Usted	Habría usado
Nosotros	Habríamos usado
Vosotros	Habríais usado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Habrían usado

Examples:

1. Habría usado este vestido en la fiesta, pero estaba en la tintorería. (I would have used/worn this dress to the party, but it was at the dry cleaner’s.)
2. Habrías usado el paraguas si hubieras sabido que llovería. (You would have used the umbrella if you had known it would rain.)
3. Ella habría usado sus habilidades para resolver el problema. (She would have used her skills to solve the problem.)

“Usar” Conjugation in Spanish Subjunctive / Subjuntivo

The subjunctive tense (el modo subjuntivo) is one of the three grammatical moods used to express different attitudes or purposes in speech. The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, emotion, and hypothetical situations.

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Present Tense / Presente

The Spanish subjunctive present tense is used to express subjective actions, desires, doubts, recommendations, or possibilities, often introduced by certain triggers such as expressions of doubt, necessity, or influence.

Yo	Use
Tú	Uses
Él/Ella/Usted	Use
Nosotros	Usemos
Vosotros	Uséis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usen

Examples:

1. Es mejor que usemos protector solar en la playa. (It’s better that we use sunscreen at the beach.)
2. Quisiera que uséis ropa cómoda para la excursión. (I would like you all to wear comfortable clothes for the outing.)
3. El profesor sugiere que usen diccionarios durante el examen. (The teacher suggests that they use dictionaries during the exam.)

Imperfect / Imperfecto

This tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the past, often introduced by certain triggers such as expressions of doubt, uncertainty, or unreal conditions.

Yo	Usara
Tú	Usaras
Él/Ella/Usted	Usara
Nosotros	Usáramos
Vosotros	Usarais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usaran

Examples:

1. Ojalá que usaras el cinturón de seguridad durante el viaje. (I hope you wore the seatbelt during the trip.)
2. Sería mejor si usáramos la misma estrategia para todos los proyectos. (It would be better if we used the same strategy for all the projects.)
3. El profesor recomendó que ustedes usaran fuentes confiables en sus investigaciones. (The teacher recommended that you all used reliable sources in your research.)

Present Perfect / Pretérito Perfecto

Spanish subjunctive present perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the present with a connection to the past, indicating actions that would have been completed prior to the present moment.

Yo	Haya usado
Tú	Hayas usado
Él/Ella/Usted	Haya usado
Nosotros	Hayamos usado
Vosotros	Hayáis usado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Hayan usado

Examples:

1. Es posible que él haya usado la llave de repuesto. (It’s possible that he has used the spare key.)
2. Dudo que ellos hayan usado esa excusa antes. (I doubt that they have used that excuse before.)

Past Perfect / Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto

Spanish subjunctive past perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the past with a connection to a previous past event, indicating actions that would have been completed before that past event.

Yo	Hubiera usado
Tú	Hubieras usado
Él/Ella/Usted	Hubiera usado
Nosotros	Hubiéramos usado
Vosotros	Hubierais usado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Hubieran usado

Examples:

1. Si lo hubiera sabido antes, habría usado una ruta diferente. (If I had known earlier, I would have used a different route.)
2. Hubieras usado un abrigo más cálido si supieras que iba a hacer tanto frío. (You would have used a warmer coat if you had known it was going to be so cold.)

“Usar” Conjugation in Spanish Imperative / Imperativo

The imperative tense (el modo imperativo) is one of the verb moods used to express commands, orders, or requests. It is used to tell someone what to do or what not to do.

Affirmative / Afirmativos

Spanish affirmative refers to the use of positive statements or expressions that indicate agreement, confirmation, or positive response to a question or statement.

Yo	–
Tú	Usa
Él/Ella/Usted	Use
Nosotros	Usemos
Vosotros	Usad
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Usen

Examples:

1. Usa protector solar en la playa. (Use sunscreen at the beach.)
2. Usemos la puerta principal. (Let’s use the main door.)
3. Usad las tijeras para cortar el papel. (Use the scissors to cut the paper.)

Negative / Negativos

Spanish negative refers to the use of negative statements or expressions that indicate negation, denial, or disagreement with a question or statement.

Yo	–
Tú	No uses
Él/Ella/Usted	No use
Nosotros	No usemos
Vosotros	No uséis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	No usen

Examples:

1. No usen el ascensor, está fuera de servicio. (Don’t use the elevator, it’s out of order.)
2. No uses mi computadora sin permiso. (Don’t use my computer without permission.)
3. No usemos esa entrada, está cerrada. (Let’s not use that entrance, it’s closed.)

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Good job! Now you know how to properly use the “Usar” conjugation in Spanish! 

Learning the conjugation of “Usar” not only improves our ability to communicate effectively but also allows us to immerse ourselves more deeply in the rich and diverse Spanish-speaking cultures. 

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