Confusing Transitive and Reflexive

This verb follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -AR, so once you know the pattern, you know how to use 'quemar' in every tense!

Regular Verb

Use 'incendiar' only when talking about starting a large, destructive fire (like a building or forest). Use 'quemar' for smaller, controllable fires or damage.

Use 'Incendiar' for Big Fires

The most common, literal meaning: to damage or destroy something using fire or intense heat.

In these contexts, 'quemar' means 'to use or spend,' similar to how we might say 'burn through cash' in English, but it is much more common in Spanish for calories and energy.

Figurative Use

When referring to time, 'quemar el tiempo' often implies wasting it, although 'perder el tiempo' (to lose time) is also very common.

Burning Time

Used very often to describe the consumption or expenditure of energy, calories, or time.

Think of this meaning as causing severe, irreparable damage to something non-physical, like a reputation or a secret.

Figurative Damage

This meaning is often used when discussing media (movies/books) or secrets. If you hear 'quemar' applied to a person or a plan, it usually means 'to ruin' them.

Context is Key

Used figuratively in informal speech, usually meaning to spoil a surprise or ruin someone's reputation by exposing secrets.

Learn the comprehensive meanings of the Spanish verb 'quemar' (A1), covering physical burning, consuming calories/energy, and the informal sense of spoiling a surprise. Includes full regular conjugations.

quemar

Complete Conjugation Tables

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

future

imperfect

conditional

preterite

imperative

negative

affirmative

subjunctive

present

imperfect

Practice Conjugations