Forgetting the Indirect Object Marker

'Dedica' is used in two ways: it means 'he/she/you formal dedicates' (telling what someone is doing now) OR 'dedicate!' (giving an informal command to a friend).

Dual Function of 'Dedica'

When you dedicate time or effort, you must use the preposition 'a' (to) right after the verb: 'Dedica tiempo A la música.'

Using 'A' After Dedicar

This form is perfect for formal settings, like describing how an artist honors someone: 'El poeta dedica este poema a su ciudad natal.'

Use for Tributes

Extremely common, used daily when talking about time, effort, or commitment.

Omitting the Reflexive Pronoun

To talk about someone's job, you MUST use the reflexive form 'se dedica' (meaning 'to dedicate oneself')—you cannot drop the 'se'.

The Essential 'Se'

The most natural way to ask 'What do you do?' formally is: '¿A qué se dedica usted?'

Asking About Jobs

While you can say 'Es médico' (He is a doctor), 'Se dedica a la medicina' (He works in medicine) sounds more descriptive and formal.

Alternative to 'Ser'

Very frequent. This is the standard way to ask and state someone's profession or main activity.

'Dedica' is the third-person conjugation of 'dedicar.' Learn its two main uses: dedicating time/effort and the reflexive 'se dedica' used to describe one's profession or main activity.

dedica

Complete Conjugation Tables

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

future

conditional

imperfect

present

preterite

subjunctive

imperfect

present

imperative

negative

affirmative

Practice Conjugations