Non-finite forms
Infinitivo and Gerundio
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitivo | acicalar | Dictionary form and base form for many compound structures. |
| Gerundio | acicalando | Used with estar for progressive forms, for example estar acicalando. |
acicalar is a regular Spanish -AR verb meaning spruce up. In the present tense: yo acicalo, tú acicalas, él/ella acicala, nosotros acicalamos, vosotros acicaláis, ellos acicalan. Full conjugation across 18 tenses below.
Infinitivo and Gerundio
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitivo | acicalar | Dictionary form and base form for many compound structures. |
| Gerundio | acicalando | Used with estar for progressive forms, for example estar acicalando. |
Present
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicalo | Yo acicalo al caballo blanco antes del desfile.I spruce up the white horse before the parade. |
| tú | acicalas | A menudo, tú acicalas tu chaqueta azul para la boda del sábado.You often spruce up your blue jacket for Saturday's wedding. |
| él | acicala | La cuidadora de animales del barrio acicala al perro del portal con un cepillo fino.The local animal groomer spruces up the dog by the doorway with a fine brush. |
| nosotros | acicalamos | A veces, nosotros acicalamos la barba del actor antes de salir a escena.At times, we spruce up the actor's beard before he goes on stage. |
| vosotros | acicaláis | Vosotros acicaláis vuestros zapatos negros con grasa nueva.You all spruce up your black shoes with fresh polish. |
| ellos | acicalan | Muchas veces, los mozos del establo acicalan las monturas del concurso desde temprano.Many times, the stable hands spruce up the competition saddles from early morning. |
Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | he acicalado | Este año, yo he acicalado el uniforme de gala con un paño seco.This year, I have spruced up the dress uniform with a dry cloth. |
| tú | has acicalado | Últimamente, tú has acicalado tu pelo rebelde antes de la foto.Lately, you have spruced up your unruly hair before the photograph. |
| él | ha acicalado | En estos meses, la cuidadora de animales del barrio ha acicalado al gato viejo con mucha paciencia.In these months, the local animal groomer has spruced up the old cat with a great deal of patience. |
| nosotros | hemos acicalado | Hasta ahora, nosotros hemos acicalado la mesa de plata para la visita oficial.So far, we have spruced up the silver table for the official visit. |
| vosotros | habéis acicalado | En estas semanas, vosotros habéis acicalado vuestros trajes de fiesta en la pensión.In these weeks, you all have spruced up your party clothes at the boarding house. |
| ellos | han acicalado | En este tiempo, los mozos del establo han acicalado las crines de los potros en el patio.During this time, the stable hands have spruced up the foals' manes in the yard. |
Preterite
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicalé | Ayer, yo acicalé el cuchillo de monte hasta dejarlo brillante.Yesterday, I spruced up the hunting knife until it shines. |
| tú | acicalaste | Hace un rato, tú acicalaste tu mochila para el viaje de mañana.A little while ago, you spruced up your backpack for tomorrow's trip. |
| él | acicaló | Esta mañana, la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicaló al burro del huerto con peine ancho.This morning, the local animal groomer spruced up the orchard donkey with a wide comb. |
| nosotros | acicalamos | Anoche, nosotros acicalamos la bicicleta roja antes de venderla.Last night, we spruced up the red bicycle before selling it. |
| vosotros | acicalasteis | El sábado, vosotros acicalasteis vuestros sombreros con una cinta limpia.On Saturday, you all spruced up your hats with a clean ribbon. |
| ellos | acicalaron | Hace poco, los mozos del establo acicalaron las botas del regimiento al amanecer.Not long ago, the stable hands spruced up the regiment's boots at daybreak. |
Imperfect
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicalaba | Antes, yo acicalaba la navaja del abuelo con aceite fino.Before, I used to spruce up grandfather's razor with fine oil. |
| tú | acicalabas | Por entonces, tú acicalabas tu vestido claro para la cena larga.Back then, you used to spruce up your light dress for the long dinner. |
| él | acicalaba | En esa época, la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicalaba al poni del circo detrás de la carpa.At that time, the local animal groomer used to spruce up the circus pony behind the tent. |
| nosotros | acicalábamos | Cuando eso era normal, nosotros acicalábamos la silla de montar con cuero nuevo.When that was normal, we used to spruce up the saddle with fresh leather. |
| vosotros | acicalabais | Hace años, vosotros acicalabais vuestros uniformes junto al lavadero.Years ago, you all used to spruce up your uniforms beside the washhouse. |
| ellos | acicalaban | En aquellos días, los mozos del establo acicalaban las espadas del museo antes de abrir.In those days, the stable hands used to spruce up the swords in the museum before opening. |
Past Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | había acicalado | Cuando llegaste, yo ya había acicalado el perro de caza después del barro.When you arrived, I had already spruced up the hunting dog after the mud. |
| tú | habías acicalado | Para entonces, tú ya habías acicalado tu abrigo oscuro con el rodillo pequeño.By then, you had already spruced up your dark coat with the small roller. |
| él | había acicalado | Al volver, la cuidadora de animales del barrio ya había acicalado al caballo cansado tras la carrera.When we came back, the local animal groomer had already spruced up the tired horse after the race. |
| nosotros | habíamos acicalado | Antes de hablarlo, nosotros ya habíamos acicalado la vitrina de plata para la fiesta del pueblo.Before talking it through, we had already spruced up the silver display case for the town festival. |
| vosotros | habíais acicalado | Cuando mirasteis otra vez, vosotros ya habíais acicalado vuestros chalecos antes del acto oficial.When you looked again, you all had already spruced up your waistcoats before the official event. |
| ellos | habían acicalado | Para ese momento, los mozos del establo ya habían acicalado las hebillas del arnés con un trapo suave.By that moment, the stable hands had already spruced up the harness buckles with a soft rag. |
Preterite Anterior
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hube acicalado | Apenas yo hube acicalado el casco del ciclista al pie del podio, todo cambió.As soon as I had spruced up the cyclist's helmet at the foot of the podium, everything changed. |
| tú | hubiste acicalado | En cuanto tú hubiste acicalado tu barba corta antes de la entrevista, se notó.The moment you had spruced up your short beard before the interview, it showed. |
| él | hubo acicalado | No bien la cuidadora de animales del barrio hubo acicalado al mastín del corral con agua templada, hubo ruido.As soon as the local animal groomer had spruced up the yard mastiff with warm water, there was trouble. |
| nosotros | hubimos acicalado | Tan pronto como nosotros hubimos acicalado la bota de vino para el convite, seguimos adelante.Once we had spruced up the wineskin for the banquet, we moved on. |
| vosotros | hubisteis acicalado | Apenas vosotros hubisteis acicalado vuestros trajes regionales en la casa grande, mirasteis el resultado.As soon as you all had spruced up your regional costumes in the big house, you checked the result. |
| ellos | hubieron acicalado | En cuanto los mozos del establo hubieron acicalado las monturas viejas para la subasta, el ambiente cambió.The moment the stable hands had spruced up the old saddles for the auction, the mood changed. |
Future
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicalaré | Mañana, yo acicalaré el sable del desfile con brillo parejo.Tomorrow, I will spruce up the parade saber with an even shine. |
| tú | acicalarás | Dentro de poco, tú acicalarás tu falda de domingo con un cepillo blando.Soon, you will spruce up your Sunday skirt with a soft brush. |
| él | acicalará | Esta tarde, la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicalará al caballo tordo antes de la romería.This afternoon, the local animal groomer will spruce up the gray horse before the pilgrimage fair. |
| nosotros | acicalaremos | La semana que viene, nosotros acicalaremos la mesa de nogal para la visita del notario.Next week, we will spruce up the walnut table for the notary's visit. |
| vosotros | acicalaréis | Pronto, vosotros acicalaréis vuestros pañuelos de gala si vuelve la banda.Before long, you all will spruce up your formal scarves if the band comes back. |
| ellos | acicalarán | Más adelante, los mozos del establo acicalarán las riendas nuevas junto a la puerta del establo.Later on, the stable hands will spruce up the new reins by the stable door. |
Future Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | habré acicalado | Para entonces, yo ya habré acicalado al caballo blanco antes del desfile, cuando el aire ya pesaba.By then, I will already have spruced up the white horse before the parade, as the air was already getting heavy. |
| tú | habrás acicalado | Antes del cierre, tú ya habrás acicalado tu chaqueta azul para la boda del sábado, aunque nadie daba mas pistas.Before closing time, you will already have spruced up your blue jacket for Saturday's wedding, although nobody was giving any more clues. |
| él | habrá acicalado | Al final del día, la cuidadora de animales del barrio ya habrá acicalado al perro del portal con un cepillo fino, con margen cada vez mas corto.By the end of the day, the local animal groomer will already have spruced up the dog by the doorway with a fine brush, with less and less room to spare. |
| nosotros | habremos acicalado | Para mañana, nosotros ya habremos acicalado la barba del actor antes de salir a escena, mientras seguia la misma fila.By tomorrow, we will already have spruced up the actor's beard before he goes on stage, while the same line kept moving. |
| vosotros | habréis acicalado | Antes de iros, vosotros ya habréis acicalado vuestros zapatos negros con grasa nueva, antes de que cerraran todo.Before leaving, you all will already have spruced up your black shoes with fresh polish, before everything shut down. |
| ellos | habrán acicalado | Para esa hora, los mozos del establo ya habrán acicalado las monturas del concurso desde temprano, despues de una espera larguisima.By that hour, the stable hands will already have spruced up the competition saddles from early morning, after an extremely long wait. |
Conditional
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicalaría | En un caso así, yo acicalaría el uniforme de gala con un paño seco, con todo el mundo mirando.In a case like that, I would spruce up the dress uniform with a dry cloth, with everyone watching. |
| tú | acicalarías | Con un poco más de tiempo, tú acicalarías tu pelo rebelde antes de la foto, aunque quedaba trabajo pendiente.With a little more time, you would spruce up your unruly hair before the photograph, although there was still work left. |
| él | acicalaría | En esa situación, la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicalaría al gato viejo con mucha paciencia, sin dejarlo para mas tarde.In that situation, the local animal groomer would spruce up the old cat with a great deal of patience, without putting it off any longer. |
| nosotros | acicalaríamos | Con ese panorama, nosotros acicalaríamos la mesa de plata para la visita oficial, con el reloj ya apretando.With that outlook, we would spruce up the silver table for the official visit, with the clock already pressing. |
| vosotros | acicalaríais | Llegado el caso, vosotros acicalaríais vuestros trajes de fiesta en la pensión, aunque el sitio seguia revuelto.If it came to that, you all would spruce up your party clothes at the boarding house, although the place was still a mess. |
| ellos | acicalarían | En un día así, los mozos del establo acicalarían las crines de los potros en el patio, mientras todos iban con prisa.On a day like that, the stable hands would spruce up the foals' manes in the yard, while everyone was in a hurry. |
Conditional Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | habría acicalado | En otro momento, yo habría acicalado el cuchillo de monte hasta dejarlo brillante, antes de que llamaran otra vez.At another moment, I would have spruced up the hunting knife until it shines, before they called again. |
| tú | habrías acicalado | Con un poco más de margen, tú habrías acicalado tu mochila para el viaje de mañana, despues del primer aviso.With a little more margin, you would have spruced up your backpack for tomorrow's trip, after the first warning. |
| él | habría acicalado | A esas alturas, la cuidadora de animales del barrio habría acicalado al burro del huerto con peine ancho, sin mirar a los lados.By then, the local animal groomer would have spruced up the orchard donkey with a wide comb, without looking to either side. |
| nosotros | habríamos acicalado | Con ese giro, nosotros habríamos acicalado la bicicleta roja antes de venderla, cuando ya caia la tarde.With that turn, we would have spruced up the red bicycle before selling it, as evening was already falling. |
| vosotros | habríais acicalado | Llegados ahí, vosotros habríais acicalado vuestros sombreros con una cinta limpia, porque no habia otra salida.At that point, you all would have spruced up your hats with a clean ribbon, because there was no other way out. |
| ellos | habrían acicalado | En ese punto, los mozos del establo habrían acicalado las botas del regimiento al amanecer, con la puerta medio abierta.From there, the stable hands would have spruced up the regiment's boots at daybreak, with the door half open. |
Present Subjunctive
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicale | Es mejor que yo acicale la navaja del abuelo con aceite fino, tras otro cambio de planes.It is better that I spruce up grandfather's razor with fine oil, after another change of plan. |
| tú | acicales | Hace falta que tú acicales tu vestido claro para la cena larga, aunque el suelo seguia humedo.It is necessary that you spruce up your light dress for the long dinner, although the ground was still damp. |
| él | acicale | Conviene que la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicale al poni del circo detrás de la carpa, mientras el ruido no paraba.It is wise that the local animal groomer spruce up the circus pony behind the tent, while the noise would not stop. |
| nosotros | acicalemos | Importa que nosotros acicalemos la silla de montar con cuero nuevo, antes del siguiente turno.It matters that we spruce up the saddle with fresh leather, before the next shift. |
| vosotros | acicaléis | Puede ser útil que vosotros acicaléis vuestros uniformes junto al lavadero, con una calma bastante falsa.It may help if you all spruce up your uniforms beside the washhouse, with a very false sense of calm. |
| ellos | acicalen | Es posible que los mozos del establo acicalen las espadas del museo antes de abrir, sin perder otro minuto.It is possible that the stable hands spruce up the swords in the museum before opening, without losing another minute. |
Present Perfect Subjunctive
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | haya acicalado | Ojalá yo haya acicalado el perro de caza después del barro, cuando el aire ya pesaba a tiempo.Hopefully I have spruced up the hunting dog after the mud, as the air was already getting heavy in time. |
| tú | hayas acicalado | Puede que tú ya hayas acicalado tu abrigo oscuro con el rodillo pequeño, aunque nadie daba mas pistas sin contarlo.Maybe you already have spruced up your dark coat with the small roller, although nobody was giving any more clues without saying so. |
| él | haya acicalado | Tal vez la cuidadora de animales del barrio haya acicalado al caballo cansado tras la carrera, con margen cada vez mas corto antes de venir.Perhaps the local animal groomer has spruced up the tired horse after the race, with less and less room to spare before coming over. |
| nosotros | hayamos acicalado | Quizá nosotros ya hayamos acicalado la vitrina de plata para la fiesta del pueblo, mientras seguia la misma fila por nuestra cuenta.Maybe we already have spruced up the silver display case for the town festival, while the same line kept moving on our own. |
| vosotros | hayáis acicalado | Es probable que vosotros hayáis acicalado vuestros chalecos antes del acto oficial, antes de que cerraran todo mejor de lo esperado.It is likely that you all have spruced up your waistcoats before the official event, before everything shut down better than expected. |
| ellos | hayan acicalado | Puede ser que los mozos del establo ya hayan acicalado las hebillas del arnés con un trapo suave, despues de una espera larguisima desde temprano.It may be that the stable hands already have spruced up the harness buckles with a soft rag, after an extremely long wait since early on. |
Imperfect Subjunctive
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicalara | Si yo acicalara el casco del ciclista al pie del podio, con todo el mundo mirando, se notaría enseguida.If I spruced up the cyclist's helmet at the foot of the podium, with everyone watching, it would show right away. |
| tú | acicalaras | Si tú acicalaras tu barba corta antes de la entrevista, aunque quedaba trabajo pendiente, costaría ocultarlo.If you spruced up your short beard before the interview, although there was still work left, it would be hard to hide. |
| él | acicalara | Si la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicalara al mastín del corral con agua templada, sin dejarlo para mas tarde, daría mucho que hablar.If the local animal groomer spruced up the yard mastiff with warm water, without putting it off any longer, it would give people plenty to talk about. |
| nosotros | acicaláramos | Si nosotros acicaláramos la bota de vino para el convite, con el reloj ya apretando, todo iría por otro lado.If we spruced up the wineskin for the banquet, with the clock already pressing, everything would go another way. |
| vosotros | acicalarais | Si vosotros acicalarais vuestros trajes regionales en la casa grande, aunque el sitio seguia revuelto, cambiaría el ambiente.If you all spruced up your regional costumes in the big house, although the place was still a mess, the mood would change. |
| ellos | acicalaran | Si los mozos del establo acicalaran las monturas viejas para la subasta, mientras todos iban con prisa, la escena sería otra.If the stable hands spruced up the old saddles for the auction, while everyone was in a hurry, the whole scene would be different. |
Past Perfect Subjunctive
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hubiera acicalado | Si yo hubiera acicalado el sable del desfile con brillo parejo, antes de que llamaran otra vez, aún se recordaría.If I had spruced up the parade saber with an even shine, before they called again, it would still be remembered. |
| tú | hubieras acicalado | Si tú hubieras acicalado tu falda de domingo con un cepillo blando, despues del primer aviso, eso habría dejado marca.If you had spruced up your Sunday skirt with a soft brush, after the first warning, that would have left a mark. |
| él | hubiera acicalado | Si la cuidadora de animales del barrio hubiera acicalado al caballo tordo antes de la romería, sin mirar a los lados, todavía se hablaría de eso.If the local animal groomer had spruced up the gray horse before the pilgrimage fair, without looking to either side, people would still be talking about it. |
| nosotros | hubiéramos acicalado | Si nosotros hubiéramos acicalado la mesa de nogal para la visita del notario, cuando ya caia la tarde, el día habría seguido otro rumbo.If we had spruced up the walnut table for the notary's visit, as evening was already falling, the day would have gone another way. |
| vosotros | hubierais acicalado | Si vosotros hubierais acicalado vuestros pañuelos de gala si vuelve la banda, porque no habia otra salida, el cambio se habría notado antes.If you all had spruced up your formal scarves if the band comes back, because there was no other way out, the change would have shown earlier. |
| ellos | hubieran acicalado | Si los mozos del establo hubieran acicalado las riendas nuevas junto a la puerta del establo, con la puerta medio abierta, nada habría quedado igual.If the stable hands had spruced up the new reins by the stable door, with the door half open, nothing would have stayed the same. |
Future Subjunctive
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | acicalare | Si yo acicalare al caballo blanco antes del desfile, tras una manana bastante larga, se notará enseguida.If I spruce up the white horse before the parade, after a fairly long morning, it will show right away. |
| tú | acicalares | Si tú acicalares tu chaqueta azul para la boda del sábado, aunque seguia el mismo desorden, costará ignorarlo.If you spruce up your blue jacket for Saturday's wedding, although the same disorder was still there, it will be hard to ignore. |
| él | acicalare | Si la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicalare al perro del portal con un cepillo fino, mientras alguien pedia otra cosa, dará mucho que hablar.If the local animal groomer spruces up the dog by the doorway with a fine brush, while someone else was asking for something new, it will give people plenty to talk about. |
| nosotros | acicaláremos | Si nosotros acicaláremos la barba del actor antes de salir a escena, antes de que llegara mas gente, todo irá por otro camino.If we spruce up the actor's beard before he goes on stage, before more people arrived, everything will go another way. |
| vosotros | acicalareis | Si vosotros acicalareis vuestros zapatos negros con grasa nueva, con una tension dificil de esconder, el ambiente cambiará rápido.If you all spruce up your black shoes with fresh polish, with a tension that was hard to hide, the mood will change fast. |
| ellos | acicalaren | Si los mozos del establo acicalaren las monturas del concurso desde temprano, sin volver sobre lo mismo, la escena será distinta.If the stable hands spruce up the competition saddles from early morning, without going back over the same point, the whole scene will be different. |
Future Perfect Subjunctive
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hubiere acicalado | Cuando yo hubiere acicalado el uniforme de gala con un paño seco, cuando el pasillo seguia lleno, ya se notará.When I have spruced up the dress uniform with a dry cloth, while the hallway was still crowded, it will already show. |
| tú | hubieres acicalado | En cuanto tú hubieres acicalado tu pelo rebelde antes de la foto, aunque nadie lo puso facil, será difícil no verlo.As soon as you have spruced up your unruly hair before the photograph, although nobody made it easy, it will be hard not to see. |
| él | hubiere acicalado | Cuando la cuidadora de animales del barrio hubiere acicalado al gato viejo con mucha paciencia, con muy poco hueco para maniobrar, se verá de inmediato.When the local animal groomer has spruced up the old cat with a great deal of patience, with very little room to manoeuvre, it will show at once. |
| nosotros | hubiéremos acicalado | Si para entonces nosotros hubiéremos acicalado la mesa de plata para la visita oficial, mientras se torcia el plan del dia, todo irá de otra manera.If by then we have spruced up the silver table for the official visit, while the day's plan was coming apart, everything will move differently. |
| vosotros | hubiereis acicalado | Cuando vosotros hubiereis acicalado vuestros trajes de fiesta en la pensión, antes de que cambiara el turno, el ambiente sonará distinto.When you all have spruced up your party clothes at the boarding house, before the shift changed, the mood will sound different. |
| ellos | hubieren acicalado | En cuanto los mozos del establo hubieren acicalado las crines de los potros en el patio, despues de otra llamada incomoda, el cambio quedará claro.As soon as the stable hands have spruced up the foals' manes in the yard, after another awkward call, the change will be clear. |
Affirmative Imperative
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | - | - |
| tú | acicala | acicala tu mochila para el viaje de mañana, aunque seguia faltando tiempo.Spruce up your backpack for tomorrow's trip, although time was still running short. |
| él | acicale | Que la cuidadora de animales del barrio acicale al burro del huerto con peine ancho, sin hacer mas comentarios.Let the local animal groomer spruce up the orchard donkey with a wide comb, without making any more comments. |
| nosotros | acicalemos | acicalemos la bicicleta roja antes de venderla, con el cuerpo ya cansado.Spruce up the red bicycle before selling it, with the body already tired. |
| vosotros | acicalad | acicalad vuestros sombreros con una cinta limpia, aunque el dia venia torcido.Spruce up your hats with a clean ribbon, although the day had started badly. |
| ellos | acicalen | Que los mozos del establo acicalen las botas del regimiento al amanecer, mientras el resto seguia dentro.Let the stable hands spruce up the regiment's boots at daybreak, while the others stayed inside. |
Negative Imperative
| Pronoun | Form | Context |
|---|---|---|
| yo | - | - |
| tú | no acicales | No no acicales tu vestido claro para la cena larga, despues de moverlo todo otra vez.Do not spruce up your light dress for the long dinner, after moving everything around again. |
| él | no acicale | Que la cuidadora de animales del barrio no no acicale al poni del circo detrás de la carpa, sin cambiar de idea a mitad.Let the local animal groomer not spruce up the circus pony behind the tent, without changing course halfway through. |
| nosotros | no acicalemos | No no acicalemos la silla de montar con cuero nuevo, cuando la luz ya bajaba.Let us not spruce up the saddle with fresh leather, as the light was already fading. |
| vosotros | no acicaléis | No no acicaléis vuestros uniformes junto al lavadero, porque hacia falta resolverlo ya.Do not spruce up your uniforms beside the washhouse, because it had to be dealt with at once. |
| ellos | no acicalen | Que los mozos del establo no no acicalen las espadas del museo antes de abrir, con la ventana todavia abierta.Let the stable hands not spruce up the swords in the museum before opening, with the window still open. |
1 / 1
Yo ___ al caballo blanco antes del desfile.
I spruce up the white horse before the parade.
Use Presente for facts, habits, current states, and regular actions.
Formation
Pattern
Examples
Presente is the base system. Master the endings first, then handle irregular yo forms and stem changes.
Concepts that come up every time you conjugate acicalar. Each is a short, focused guide.
Short, direct answers to what learners search most about acicalar.
Continue with verbs that share the same ending and difficulty band.