Inklingo
A person using a wooden spoon to stir a large pot of soup.

emplear

to use

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

The Spanish verb emplear means to use.

Present tense:

yoempleo
empleas
él/ella/ustedemplea
nosotrosempleamos
vosotrosempleáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesemplean

Complete Conjugation Tables

Reference all tenses and moods

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesemplearan
yoempleara
emplearas
vosotrosemplearais
nosotrosempleáramos
él/ella/ustedempleara

The imperfect subjunctive of emplear (empleara/emplease) expresses past hypotheticals or wishes.

Forms, examples & usage →

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesempleen
yoemplee
emplees
vosotrosempleéis
nosotrosempleemos
él/ella/ustedemplee

The present subjunctive of emplear (emplee, emplees, empleemos, etc.) follows expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, and uncertainty.

Forms, examples & usage →

imperative

negative

no emplees
vosotrosno empleéis
ustedesno empleen
nosotrosno empleemos
ustedno emplee

Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive: ¡no emplees!, ¡no emplee!, ¡no empleemos!, ¡no empleen!, ¡no empleéis!

Forms, examples & usage →

affirmative

emplea
vosotrosemplead
ustedesempleen
nosotrosempleemos
ustedemplee

Use the imperative of emplear for direct commands: ¡emplea!, ¡emplee!, ¡empleemos!, ¡empleen!, ¡emplead!

Forms, examples & usage →

indicative

conditional

ellos/ellas/ustedesemplearían
yoemplearía
emplearías
vosotrosemplearíais
nosotrosemplearíamos
él/ella/ustedemplearía

The conditional of emplear (emplearía, emplearías...) expresses hypotheticals, polite requests, and future-in-the-past.

Forms, examples & usage →

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesemplearon
yoempleé
empleaste
vosotrosempleasteis
nosotrosempleamos
él/ella/ustedempleó

The preterite of emplear is regular: empleé, empleaste, empleó, empleamos, empleasteis, emplearon.

Forms, examples & usage →

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesempleaban
yoempleaba
empleabas
vosotrosempleabais
nosotrosempleábamos
él/ella/ustedempleaba

The imperfect of emplear (empleaba, empleabas...) describes past habits or ongoing situations.

Forms, examples & usage →

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesemplean
yoempleo
empleas
vosotrosempleáis
nosotrosempleamos
él/ella/ustedemplea

The present tense of emplear (empleo, empleas, emplea...) is used for current actions, habits, and general truths.

Forms, examples & usage →

future

ellos/ellas/ustedesemplearán
yoemplearé
emplearás
vosotrosemplearéis
nosotrosemplearemos
él/ella/ustedempleará

The future tense of emplear (emplearé, emplearás...) indicates actions that will happen.

Forms, examples & usage →

Practice Conjugations

Test your knowledge with interactive exercises

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Take emplear from tables to real Spanish

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