encarcelar Present Conjugation
encarcelar — to imprison
The present tense of encarcelar means 'to imprison' or 'is imprisoning,' like 'Yo encarcielo' (I imprison).
encarcelar Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense of encarcelar for actions happening right now, habitual actions, or general truths related to imprisonment. For example, 'The law imprisons criminals' or 'He currently imprisons many people.'
Notes on encarcelar in the Present
Encarcelar is regular in the present tense. The 'yo' form has a spelling change from 'c' to 'z' before 'e' to maintain the soft 'c' sound: 'encarcielo'. All other forms are regular.
Example Sentences
El sistema judicial encarciela a los delincuentes.
The judicial system imprisons criminals.
él/ella/usted
Yo encarcielo a los que rompen las reglas en mi juego.
I imprison those who break the rules in my game.
yo
Actualmente, ellos encarcielan a muchos prisioneros políticos.
Currently, they imprison many political prisoners.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
¿Vosotros encarceláis a los que llegan tarde?
Do you all imprison those who arrive late?
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'encarcéla' instead of 'encarciela' for él/ella/usted.
Correct: The correct third-person singular present form is 'encarciela'.
Why: This is a regular conjugation; the stem doesn't change in this form.
Mistake: Forgetting the 'yo' form spelling change to 'z', writing 'encarcelo'.
Correct: The 'yo' form is 'encarcielo'.
Why: The 'c' changes to 'z' before 'e' to maintain the /s/ sound (in Latin America) or /θ/ sound (in Spain) of the 'c' in other forms like 'encarcelas'.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: encarcelé
The preterite of encarcelar is regular: encarcelé, encarcelaste, encarceló, encarcelamos, encarcelasteis, encarcelaron.
Imperfect
yo: encarcelaba
The imperfect of encarcelar describes ongoing or habitual past imprisonment, like 'Yo encarcelaba' (I used to imprison).
Future
yo: encarcelaré
The future tense of encarcelar indicates future actions, like 'Yo encarcelaré' (I will imprison).
Conditional
yo: encarcelaría
The conditional of encarcelar expresses hypothetical actions, like 'Yo encarcelaría' (I would imprison).
Present Subjunctive
yo: encarciele
The present subjunctive of encarcelar is used for wishes, doubts, and emotions, like 'Espero que encarcieles' (I hope you imprison).
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: encarcelara
The imperfect subjunctive of encarcelar expresses past hypotheticals or wishes, like 'si encarcelara' (if I were to imprison).
Affirmative Imperative
yo: encarciela
The imperative of encarcelar has commands like '¡Encarcela!' (you, singular) and '¡Encarcelad!' (you, plural, Spain).
Negative Imperative
yo: no encarcieles
Negative commands with encarcelar use the present subjunctive, like '¡No encarceles!' (you, singular).