Inklingo
A detective with a magnifying glass examining a single glowing footprint on the ground.

detectar

to detect

Complete conjugation tables and interactive practice exercises. This is a regular -ar verb.

The Spanish verb detectar means to detect.

Present tense:

yodetecto
detectas
él/ella/usteddetecta
nosotrosdetectamos
vosotrosdetectáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdetectan

Complete Conjugation Tables

Reference all tenses and moods

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetectaran
yodetectara
detectaras
vosotrosdetectarais
nosotrosdetectáramos
él/ella/usteddetectara

The imperfect subjunctive (detectara/detectase forms) is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, and doubts.

Forms, examples & usage →

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetecten
yodetecte
detectes
vosotrosdetectéis
nosotrosdetectemos
él/ella/usteddetecte

The present subjunctive (detecte, detectes, etc.) expresses wishes, doubts, emotions, and uncertainty.

Forms, examples & usage →

imperative

negative

no detectes
vosotrosno detectéis
ustedesno detecten
nosotrosno detectemos
ustedno detecte

Use no + present subjunctive forms (no detectes, no detecte, etc.) for negative commands.

Forms, examples & usage →

affirmative

detecta
vosotrosdetectad
ustedesdetecten
nosotrosdetectemos
usteddetecte

Use the imperative forms detecta, detecte, detectemos, detectad, detecten for direct commands.

Forms, examples & usage →

indicative

conditional

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetectarían
yodetectaría
detectarías
vosotrosdetectaríais
nosotrosdetectaríamos
él/ella/usteddetectaría

The conditional (detectaría, detectarías, etc.) expresses hypotheticals ('would') and polite requests.

Forms, examples & usage →

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetectaron
yodetecté
detectaste
vosotrosdetectasteis
nosotrosdetectamos
él/ella/usteddetectó

The preterite of detectar is regular: detecté, detectaste, detectó, detectamos, detectasteis, detectaron.

Forms, examples & usage →

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetectaban
yodetectaba
detectabas
vosotrosdetectabais
nosotrosdetectábamos
él/ella/usteddetectaba

The imperfect (detectaba, detectabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past actions and background.

Forms, examples & usage →

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetectan
yodetecto
detectas
vosotrosdetectáis
nosotrosdetectamos
él/ella/usteddetecta

The present tense (detecto, detectas, etc.) describes current actions, habits, and general truths.

Forms, examples & usage →

future

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetectarán
yodetectaré
detectarás
vosotrosdetectaréis
nosotrosdetectaremos
él/ella/usteddetectará

The future tense (detectaré, detectarás, etc.) is used for actions that will happen.

Forms, examples & usage →

Practice Conjugations

Test your knowledge with interactive exercises

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Take detectar from tables to real Spanish

Conjugation tables are the start. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see 'detectar' in action across real sentences — and build the instinct that native speakers have.