Inklingo

use

OO-sehˈu.se

use means use in Spanish ((Subjunctive: that I/he/she/you formal use)).

use, Use!

Also: wear
VerbA1regular ar
A close-up illustration of a hand holding a red watering can and watering a small green potted plant.
infinitiveusar
gerundusando
past Participleusado

📝 In Action

Espero que yo use el tiempo sabiamente.

B1

I hope that I use the time wisely.

¡Use la escalera, no el ascensor!

A2

Use the stairs, not the elevator! (Formal command)

Ella sugiere que él use un chaleco en el frío.

B1

She suggests that he wear a vest in the cold.

No creo que usted use ese vocabulario.

A2

I don't think you (formal) use that vocabulary.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • usar la fuerzato use force
  • usar la cabezato use one's head (think)

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedusa
youso
usas
ellos/ellas/ustedesusan
nosotrosusamos
vosotrosusáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedusaba
yousaba
usabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesusaban
nosotrosusábamos
vosotrosusabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedusó
yousé
usaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesusaron
nosotrosusamos
vosotrosusasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/usteduse
youse
uses
ellos/ellas/ustedesusen
nosotrosusemos
vosotrosuséis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedusara/usase
yousara/usase
usaras/usases
ellos/ellas/ustedesusaran/usasent
nosotrosusáramos/usásemos
vosotrosusarais/usaseis

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "use" in Spanish:

i utilizedusewear

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: use

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'use' as a formal command?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

The verb 'usar' comes directly from the Latin verb *usāri*, which meant 'to make use of' or 'to employ.' It has maintained its core meaning consistently throughout Spanish history.

First recorded: 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: usarFrench: user

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'use' pronounced the same as the English word 'use'?

No. In Spanish, 'use' is pronounced with a hard 'oo' sound (like in 'food') followed by 'seh.' The 's' is always sharp, never like a 'z' as in the English word.

How do I know if 'use' means 'I use' or 'he/she uses'?

Since 'use' is the same for 'yo' (I), 'él/ella' (he/she), and 'usted' (you formal) in the present subjunctive, you usually need the pronoun (yo, él, ella, usted) or the surrounding context to know who is doing the action.