Explaining 'about' something

When you explain something to a person, that person is usually introduced with 'a' and often requires an indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, les): 'Ella me explicó el problema' (She explained the problem to me).

Explaining to Whom

To keep the hard 'k' sound found in 'explicar', the 'c' changes to 'qu' when followed by 'e' (like in the 'yo' preterite: 'expliqué', or all subjunctive forms: 'explique').

Spelling Change for Sound

You can follow 'explicar' with 'que' to introduce a whole statement: 'Me explicó que no tenía tiempo' (He explained that he didn't have time).

Common Use with 'Que'

Extremely common word used daily to convey information or reasons.

Confusing Transitive and Reflexive

Adding the little word 'se' (or 'me', 'te', etc.) changes the focus from explaining *a thing* to explaining *your own thoughts* or *yourself*.

The Reflexive Use ('Explicarse')

When something 'no se explica' (doesn't explain itself), it means it 'doesn't make sense' or 'cannot be understood' by anyone.

Impersonal Use

The phrase 'No me expliqué bien' (I didn't explain myself well) is a very common and polite way to apologize for a misunderstanding.

Use for Apologies

Used often in conversation when discussing clarity of communication.

Learn how to use the Spanish verb 'explicar' (to explain, to clarify) in its transitive and reflexive forms. Includes full conjugations, common mistakes, and usage tips for all CEFR levels.

Explicar Meaning, Conjugation & Usage | InkLingo

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The conditional of explicar is regular: explicaría, explicarías, explicaría, explicaríamos, explicaríais, explicarían.

The future tense of explicar is fully regular: explicaré, explicarás, explicará, explicaremos, explicaréis, explicarán.

The affirmative imperative of explicar uses 'explica' (tú) and 'explique' (usted).

The imperfect of explicar is regular: explicaba, explicabas, explicaba, explicábamos, explicabais, explicaban.

The imperfect subjunctive of explicar is regular: explicara, explicaras, explicara, explicáramos, explicarais, explicaran.

The negative imperative of explicar always uses the 'qu' spelling change: no expliques, no explique, no expliquen.

The present tense of explicar is regular: explico, explicas, explica, explicamos, explicáis, explican.

The present subjunctive of explicar features a 'c' to 'qu' spelling change: explique, expliques, explique, expliquemos, expliquéis, expliquen.

The preterite of explicar has a spelling change only in the 'yo' form: expliqué.

explicar

Complete Conjugation Tables

🔄 Conjugations

imperative

affirmative

negative

subjunctive

imperfect

present

indicative

future

preterite

imperfect

conditional

present

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