Usar, utilizar or llevar?
Usar and utilizar both mean "to use" — utilizar sounds a bit more formal. For clothes, usar = wear habitually (uso la talla M, I wear size M), while llevar = be wearing right now (hoy llevo una camisa azul). Un coche usado = a second-hand car.
Indicative tenses of usar
Facts and things that happen: the tenses you'll use most.
Present indicative
| yo | usoI use |
|---|---|
| tú | usasyou use |
| él/ella/usted | usahe/she uses |
| nosotros/as | usamoswe use |
| vosotros/as | usáisyou all use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usanthey use |
Fully regular. Also means "to wear" (clothes, glasses): uso gafas.
Preterite indicative
| yo | uséI used |
|---|---|
| tú | usasteyou used |
| él/ella/usted | usóhe/she used |
| nosotros/as | usamoswe used |
| vosotros/as | usasteisyou all used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usaronthey used |
Imperfect indicative
| yo | usabaI used to use |
|---|---|
| tú | usabasyou used to use |
| él/ella/usted | usabahe/she used to use |
| nosotros/as | usábamoswe used to use |
| vosotros/as | usabaisyou all used to use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usabanthey used to use |
Present continuous indicative
| yo | estoy usandoI am using |
|---|---|
| tú | estás usandoyou are using |
| él/ella/usted | está usandohe/she is using |
| nosotros/as | estamos usandowe are using |
| vosotros/as | estáis usandoyou all are using |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | están usandothey are using |
estar + gerund
Informal future indicative
| yo | voy a usarI am going to use |
|---|---|
| tú | vas a usaryou are going to use |
| él/ella/usted | va a usarhe/she is going to use |
| nosotros/as | vamos a usarwe are going to use |
| vosotros/as | vais a usaryou all are going to use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van a usarthey are going to use |
ir a + infinitive
Future indicative
| yo | usaréI will use |
|---|---|
| tú | usarásyou will use |
| él/ella/usted | usaráhe/she will use |
| nosotros/as | usaremoswe will use |
| vosotros/as | usaréisyou all will use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usaránthey will use |
Conditional indicative
| yo | usaríaI would use |
|---|---|
| tú | usaríasyou would use |
| él/ella/usted | usaríahe/she would use |
| nosotros/as | usaríamoswe would use |
| vosotros/as | usaríaisyou all would use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usaríanthey would use |
Present perfect indicative
| yo | he usadoI have used |
|---|---|
| tú | has usadoyou have used |
| él/ella/usted | ha usadohe/she has used |
| nosotros/as | hemos usadowe have used |
| vosotros/as | habéis usadoyou all have used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | han usadothey have used |
haber (present) + past participle
Past perfect indicative
| yo | había usadoI had used |
|---|---|
| tú | habías usadoyou had used |
| él/ella/usted | había usadohe/she had used |
| nosotros/as | habíamos usadowe had used |
| vosotros/as | habíais usadoyou all had used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habían usadothey had used |
haber (imperfect) + past participle
Future perfect indicative
| yo | habré usadoI will have used |
|---|---|
| tú | habrás usadoyou will have used |
| él/ella/usted | habrá usadohe/she will have used |
| nosotros/as | habremos usadowe will have used |
| vosotros/as | habréis usadoyou all will have used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrán usadothey will have used |
haber (future) + past participle
Conditional perfect indicative
| yo | habría usadoI would have used |
|---|---|
| tú | habrías usadoyou would have used |
| él/ella/usted | habría usadohe/she would have used |
| nosotros/as | habríamos usadowe would have used |
| vosotros/as | habríais usadoyou all would have used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrían usadothey would have used |
haber (conditional) + past participle
Subjunctive tenses of usar
Wishes, doubts, emotions and "if" sentences.
Present subjunctive
| yo | use(that) I use |
|---|---|
| tú | uses(that) you use |
| él/ella/usted | use(that) he/she uses |
| nosotros/as | usemos(that) we use |
| vosotros/as | uséis(that) you all use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usen(that) they use |
Imperfect subjunctive
| yo | usara(if) I used |
|---|---|
| tú | usaras(if) you used |
| él/ella/usted | usara(if) he/she used |
| nosotros/as | usáramos(if) we used |
| vosotros/as | usarais(if) you all used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usaran(if) they used |
Future subjunctive
| yo | usare(if) I use |
|---|---|
| tú | usares(if) you use |
| él/ella/usted | usare(if) he/she uses |
| nosotros/as | usáremos(if) we use |
| vosotros/as | usareis(if) you all use |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | usaren(if) they use |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Present perfect subjunctive
| yo | haya usado(that) I have used |
|---|---|
| tú | hayas usado(that) you have used |
| él/ella/usted | haya usado(that) he/she has used |
| nosotros/as | hayamos usado(that) we have used |
| vosotros/as | hayáis usado(that) you all have used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hayan usado(that) they have used |
haber (present subj.) + past participle
Past perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiera usado(if) I had used |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieras usado(if) you had used |
| él/ella/usted | hubiera usado(if) he/she had used |
| nosotros/as | hubiéramos usado(if) we had used |
| vosotros/as | hubierais usado(if) you all had used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieran usado(if) they had used |
haber (imperfect subj.) + past participle
Future perfect subjunctive
| yo | hubiere usado(if) I will have used |
|---|---|
| tú | hubieres usado(if) you will have used |
| él/ella/usted | hubiere usado(if) he/she will have used |
| nosotros/as | hubiéremos usado(if) we will have used |
| vosotros/as | hubiereis usado(if) you all will have used |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hubieren usado(if) they will have used |
rarely used: legal & formal texts
Imperative tenses of usar
Commands and instructions.
Affirmative imperative
| tú | usause! |
|---|---|
| usted | useuse! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | usemoslet's use! |
| vosotros/as | usaduse! (you all) |
| ustedes | usenuse! (you all, formal) |
Negative imperative
| tú | no usesdon't use! |
|---|---|
| usted | no usedon't use! (formal) |
| nosotros/as | no usemoslet's not use! |
| vosotros/as | no uséisdon't use! (you all) |
| ustedes | no usendon't use! (you all, formal) |
Practice usar
Two quick exercises. No sign-up, no app: just you and usar.
How to use usar
¿Puedo usar tu móvil?
Can I use your phone?
Uso gafas para leer.
I wear glasses for reading.
¿Qué talla usas?
What size do you wear?
Eso ya no se usa.
That's not in fashion any more.
Compré un coche usado.
I bought a second-hand car.
Example sentences with usar
- Uso esta app todos los días.I use this app every day.
- ¿Para qué usas eso?What do you use that for?
- Usé tu toalla, perdona.I used your towel, sorry.
- Antes usábamos mapas de papel.We used to use paper maps.
- ¿Usarás el coche mañana?Will you use the car tomorrow?
- Usa crema solar.Use sunscreen.
- No uses mi cepillo.Don't use my brush.
- Nunca he usado esta palabra.I've never used this word.
Verbs like usar
Usar follows the regular -ar pattern. Utilizar means the same but has a z → c change (utilicé).
Frequently asked questions about usar
Is usar regular or irregular?
Usar is completely regular in every tense.
How do you conjugate usar in the present tense?
uso, usas, usa, usamos, usáis, usan.
How do you conjugate usar in the preterite?
usé, usaste, usó, usamos, usasteis, usaron.
What is the difference between usar and utilizar?
Same meaning; utilizar sounds more formal.
Can usar mean "to wear"?
Yes, for things you wear habitually: uso lentillas (I wear contact lenses).
What is the past participle of usar?
The past participle is usado and the gerund is usando.
Free cheat sheet
All 18 tenses of usar, on one page.
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