calificar
“calificar” means “to grade” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to grade, to score
Also: to mark
📝 In Action
El profesor todavía tiene que calificar nuestros exámenes de historia.
A2The teacher still has to grade our history exams.
Me calificaron con un ocho en el proyecto final.
B1They gave me a score of eight on the final project.
Es difícil calificar el desempeño de un artista.
B2It is difficult to score an artist's performance.
to describe as, to call
Also: to characterize
📝 In Action
Muchos califican su decisión como un error.
B1Many describe his decision as a mistake.
No puedes calificar a todo el mundo de mentiroso.
B1You cannot call everyone a liar.
La prensa calificó el evento de histórico.
B2The press described the event as historic.
to qualify, to be eligible
Also: to make the cut
📝 In Action
México calificó para el Mundial.
A2Mexico qualified for the World Cup.
No todos califican para el préstamo bancario.
B1Not everyone is eligible for the bank loan.
Solo los mejores diez califican para la siguiente ronda.
B1Only the top ten qualify for the next round.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "calificar" in Spanish:
to call→to characterize→to grade→to mark→to qualify→to score→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: calificar
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I graded' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'qualificare', which combines 'qualis' (of what kind) and 'facere' (to make or do).
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does calificar always mean to give a grade?
No, it can also mean to qualify for a competition (like the World Cup) or to describe something as a certain way (like calling a movie 'boring').
Is it califiqué or calificé?
It is always 'califiqué'. In Spanish, a 'c' before an 'e' makes an 's' sound, so we swap it for 'qu' to keep the hard 'k' sound.
Is calificar the same as 'to qualify' in the sense of adding details?
Not usually. In English, 'to qualify a statement' means to add nuance. In Spanish, you would use 'matizar' for that. 'Calificar' is more about grading, describing, or eligibility.