explicar

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin explicāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [əks.pliˈka]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [eks.pliˈkaɾ]

• Audio (Catalonia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

explicar (first-person singular present explico, first-person singular preterite expliquí, past participle explicat)(transitive)

1. to explain
2. to tell, to narrate (a story)

   Synonym: (less common) contar

Conjugation

    Conjugation of explicar (first conjugation, c-qu alternation)

infinitive			explicar
gerund			explicant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		explicat		explicada
		plural		explicats		explicades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	explico	expliques	explica	expliquem	expliqueu	expliquen
	imperfect	explicava	explicaves	explicava	explicàvem	explicàveu	explicaven
	future	explicaré	explicaràs	explicarà	explicarem	explicareu	explicaran
	preterite	expliquí	explicares	explicà	explicàrem	explicàreu	explicaren
	conditional	explicaria	explicaries	explicaria	explicaríem	explicaríeu	explicarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	expliqui	expliquis	expliqui	expliquem	expliqueu	expliquin
	imperfect	expliqués	expliquessis	expliqués	expliquéssim	expliquéssiu	expliquessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	explica	expliqui	expliquem	expliqueu	expliquin
	negative (no)	—	no expliquis	no expliqui	no expliquem	no expliqueu	no expliquin

Related terms

• explic
• explicable
• explicació
• explicador
• explicatiu

Further reading

• “explicar”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “explicar”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “explicar” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “explicar”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Galician

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin explicāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ekspliˈkaɾ/ [eks̺.pliˈkɑɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ

Verb

explicar (first-person singular present explico, first-person singular preterite expliquei, past participle explicado)

1. to explain

Conjugation

    Conjugation of explicar (c-qu alternation)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	explicar
Personal	explicar	explicares	explicar	explicarmos	explicardes	explicaren
Gerund
	explicando
Past participle
Masculine	explicado			explicados
Feminine	explicada			explicadas
Indicative
Present	explico	explicas	explica	explicamos	explicades	explican
Imperfect	explicaba	explicabas	explicaba	explicabamos	explicabades	explicaban
Preterite	expliquei	explicaches	explicou	explicamos	explicastes	explicaron
Pluperfect	explicara	explicaras	explicara	explicaramos	explicarades	explicaran
Future	explicarei	explicarás	explicará	explicaremos	explicaredes	explicarán
Conditional	explicaría	explicarías	explicaría	explicariamos	explicariades	explicarían
Subjunctive
Present	explique	expliques	explique	expliquemos	expliquedes	expliquen
Imperfect	explicase	explicases	explicase	explicásemos	explicásedes	explicasen
Future	explicar	explicares	explicar	explicarmos	explicardes	explicaren
Imperative
Affirmative		explica	explique	expliquemos	explicade	expliquen
Negative (non)		non expliques	non explique	non expliquemos	non expliquedes	non expliquen

    Reintegrated conjugation of explicar (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	explicar
Personal	explicar	explicares	explicar	explicarmos	explicardes	explicarem
Gerund
	explicando
Past participle
Masculine	explicado			explicados
Feminine	explicada			explicadas
Indicative
Present	explico	explicas	explica	explicamos	explicades, explicais	explicam
Imperfect	explicava	explicavas	explicava	explicávamos	explicávades, explicáveis, explicávais1	explicavam
Preterite	expliquei	explicaste, explicache1	explicou	explicamos	explicastes	explicárom, explicaram
Pluperfect	explicara	explicaras	explicara	explicáramos	explicárades, explicáreis, explicárais1	explicaram
Future	explicarei	explicarás	explicará	explicaremos	explicaredes, explicareis	explicarám, explicarão
Conditional	explicaria	explicarias	explicaria	explicaríamos	explicaríades, explicaríeis, explicaríais1	explicariam
Subjunctive
Present	explique	expliques	explique	expliquemos	expliquedes, expliqueis	expliquem
Imperfect	explicasse	explicasses	explicasse	explicássemos	explicássedes, explicásseis	explicassem
Future	explicar	explicares	explicar	explicarmos	explicardes	explicarem
Imperative
Affirmative		explica	explique	expliquemos	explicade, explicai	expliquem
Negative (nom)		nom expliques	nom explique	nom expliquemos	nom expliquedes, nom expliqueis	nom expliquem

¹Less recommended.

Related terms

• explicable
• explicación

Further reading

• “explicar”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026
• “explicar”, in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (in Galician), 2014–2026

Interlingua

Etymology

From Latin explicāre.

Verb

explicar

1. to explain

Conjugation

    Conjugation of explicar

infinitive		explicar
participle		present	perfect
		explicante	explicate
active		simple	perfect
	present	explica	ha explicate
	past	explicava	habeva explicate
	future	explicara	habera explicate
	conditional	explicarea	haberea explicate
	imperative	explica	—
passive		simple	perfect
	present	es explicate	ha essite explicate
	past	esseva explicate	habeva essite explicate
	future	essera explicate	habera essite explicate
	conditional	esserea explicate	haberea essite explicate
	imperative	sia explicate	—

Occitan

Alternative forms

• esplicar (misspelling)

Etymology

Inherited from Old Occitan explicar, from Latin explicāre.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Béarn):

  (file)

Verb

explicar (Languedoc, Limousin, Provençal)

1. to explain

Conjugation

    Lengadocian (Central Occitan)

		simple			compound
infinitive		explicar			aver explicat
gerund		explicant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		explicat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	expliqui	explicas	explica	explicam	explicatz	explican
	imperfect	explicavi	explicavas	explicava	explicàvem	explicàvetz	explicavan
	preterite	expliquèri	expliquères	expliquèt	expliquèrem	expliquèretz	expliquèron
	future	explicarai	explicaràs	explicarà	explicarem	explicaretz	explicaràn
	conditional	explicariái	explicariás	explicariá	explicariam	explicariatz	explicarián
	conditional 2nd form1	expliquèra	expliquèras	expliquèra	expliqueram	expliqueratz	expliquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	explique	expliques	explique	expliquem	expliquetz	expliquen
	imperfect	expliquèssi	expliquèsses	expliquèsse	expliquèssem	expliquèssetz	expliquèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			explica		expliquem	explicatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Auvernhàs

		simple			compound
infinitive		explicar			aver explicat
gerund		explicant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		explicat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	explique	expliques	explica	explicam	explicatz	explicon
	imperfect	explicave	explicaves	explicava	explicaviam	explicaviatz	explicavon
	preterite	expliquere	expliqueres	expliquet	expliquem	expliquetz	expliqueron
	future	explicarai	explicaràs	explicará	explicarem	explicaretz	explicarán
	conditional	explicariá	explicariás	explicariá	explicariam	explicariatz	explicarián
	conditional 2nd form1	expliquèra	expliquèras	expliquèra	expliqueram	expliqueratz	expliquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	explique	expliques	explique	explicassiam	explicassiatz	explicon
	imperfect	expliquesse	expliquesses	expliquesse	expliquessiam	expliquessiatz	expliquesson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			explica		explicassiam	explicatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Gascon

		simple			compound
infinitive		explicar			aver explicat
gerund		explicant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		explicat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	expliqui	explicas	explica	explicam	explicatz	explican
	imperfect	explicavi	explicavas	explicava	explicàvam	explicàvatz	explicavan
	preterite	expliquèi	expliquès	expliquè	expliquèm	expliquètz	expliquèn
	future	explicarèi	explicaràs	explicarà	explicaram	explicaratz	explicaràn
	conditional	explicarí	explicarés	explicaré	explicarem	explicaretz	explicarén
	conditional 2nd form1	expliquèra	expliquèras	expliquèra	expliqueram	expliqueratz	expliquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	expliqui	expliques	explique	expliquem	expliquetz	expliquen
	imperfect	expliquèssi	expliquèsses	expliquèsse	expliquèssem	expliquèssetz	expliquèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			explica		expliquem	explicatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Lemosin

		simple			compound
infinitive		explicar			aver explicat
gerund		explicant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		explicat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	explique	explicas	explica	explicam	explicatz	explican
	imperfect	explicava	explicavas	explicava	explicàvam	explicàvatz	explicavan
	preterite	expliquei	expliqueras	expliquet	expliquèram	expliquèratz	expliqueran
	future	explicarai	explicaràs	explicará	explicarem	explicaretz	explicarán
	conditional	explicariá	explicariàs	explicariá	explicariam	explicariatz	explicarián
	conditional 2nd form1	expliquèra	expliquèras	expliquèra	expliqueram	expliqueratz	expliquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	explique	expliques	explique	expliquem	expliquetz	expliquen
	imperfect	expliquèsse	expliquèsses	expliquèsse	expliquèssem	expliquèssetz	expliquèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			explica		expliquem	explicatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Provençau

		simple			compound
infinitive		explicar			aver explicat
gerund		explicant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		explicat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	explique	expliques	explica	explicam	explicatz	explican
	imperfect	explicavi	explicavas	explicava	explicàvem	explicàvetz	explicavan
	preterite	expliquère	expliquères	expliquèt	expliqueriam	expliqueriatz	expliquèron
	future	explicarai	explicaràs	explicarà	explicarem	explicaretz	explicaràn
	conditional	explicariáu	explicariás	explicariá	explicariam	explicariatz	explicarián
	conditional 2nd form1	expliquèra	expliquèras	expliquèra	expliqueram	expliqueratz	expliquèran
compound tenses	present perfect	use the present tense of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect tense of aver + past participle
	past anterior	use the preterite tense of aver + past participle
	future perfect	use the future tense of aver + past participle
	conditional perfect	use the conditional tense of aver + past participle
subjunctive		que ieu	que tu	que el	que nosautres	que vosautres	que eles
	present	explique	expliques	explique	expliquem	expliquetz	explican
	imperfect	expliquèsse	expliquèsses	expliquèsse	expliquessiam	expliquessiatz	expliquèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			explica		expliquem	explicatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

Related terms

• explicable
• explicacion
• explicatiu

Further reading

• "explicar", in dicodòc: multidiccionari occitan (oc→fr)
• Joan de Cantalausa (2006), Diccionari general occitan a partir dels parlars lengadocians‎^[1], 2nd edition, →ISBN, page 464
• Diccionari General de la Lenga Occitana‎^[2], L’Academia occitana – Consistòri del Gai Saber, 2008-2025, page 308
• Yves Lavalade (2010), Dictionnaire d'usage occitan/français - Limousin, Marche, Périgord (in French), Institut d'Estudis Occitans dau Lemosin, →ISBN, page 286.

Old Occitan

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin explicāre.

Verb

explicar

1. to explain

References

• “explicar”, in Dictionnaire de l’occitan médiéval en ligne (in German and French), Munich: LMU, 2013–2026

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin explicāre.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /is.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [is.pliˈka(h)], /es.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [es.pliˈka(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /is.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [is.pliˈka(h)], /es.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [es.pliˈka(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /is.pliˈka(ɾ)/, /es.pliˈka(ɾ)/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /iʃ.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [iʃ.pliˈka(χ)], /eʃ.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [eʃ.pliˈka(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /is.pliˈka(ɻ)/, /es.pliˈka(ɻ)/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /es.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [es.pliˈka(h)]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /(i)ʃ.pliˈkaɾ/, /ɐjʃ.pliˈkaɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /(i)ʃ.pliˈkaɾ/, /ɐjʃ.pliˈkaɾ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /(i)ʃ.pliˈkaɾ/, /ejʃ.pliˈkaɾ/
  • (Central Portugal) IPA^(key): /(i)ʃ.pliˈkaɾ/, /ejʃ.pliˈkaɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /(i)ʃ.pliˈka.ɾi/, /eʃ.pliˈka.ɾi/

• Audio (Portugal):

  (file)

• Audio (Portugal):

  (file)

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ex‧pli‧car

Verb

explicar (first-person singular present explico, first-person singular preterite expliquei, past participle explicado)

1. (transitive) to explain

   Synonym: (less common) explanar

Conjugation

    Conjugation of explicar (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	explicar
Personal	explicar	explicares	explicar	explicarmos	explicardes	explicarem
Gerund
	explicando
Past participle
Masculine	explicado			explicados
Feminine	explicada			explicadas
Indicative
Present	explico	explicas	explica	explicamos	explicais	explicam
Imperfect	explicava	explicavas	explicava	explicávamos	explicáveis	explicavam
Preterite	expliquei	explicaste	explicou	explicamos1, explicámos2	explicastes	explicaram
Pluperfect	explicara	explicaras	explicara	explicáramos	explicáreis	explicaram
Future	explicarei	explicarás	explicará	explicaremos	explicareis	explicarão
Conditional	explicaria	explicarias	explicaria	explicaríamos	explicaríeis	explicariam
Subjunctive
Present	explique	expliques	explique	expliquemos	expliqueis	expliquem
Imperfect	explicasse	explicasses	explicasse	explicássemos	explicásseis	explicassem
Future	explicar	explicares	explicar	explicarmos	explicardes	explicarem
Imperative
Affirmative		explica	explique	expliquemos	explicai	expliquem
Negative (não)		não expliques	não explique	não expliquemos	não expliqueis	não expliquem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Related terms

• explicação
• explicador
• explicável

Further reading

• “explicar”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “explicar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Alternative forms

• esplicar (eye dialect, colloquial)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin explicāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /eɡspliˈkaɾ/ [eɣ̞s.pliˈkaɾ]
• IPA^(key): /espliˈkaɾ/ [es.pliˈkaɾ] (common)

  • Audio (Colombia); [eh.pliˈkaɾ]:

    (file)

• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: ex‧pli‧car

Verb

explicar (first-person singular present explico, first-person singular preterite expliqué, past participle explicado)

1. (transitive) to explain

   Synonym: explanar (literary)

   Near-synonyms: aclarar, describir, detallar, desglosar, simplificar

2. (reflexive) to explain oneself

Conjugation

    Conjugation of explicar (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			explicar
gerund			explicando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		explicado		explicada
		plural		explicados		explicadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	explico	explicastú explicásvos	explica	explicamos	explicáis	explican
	imperfect	explicaba	explicabas	explicaba	explicábamos	explicabais	explicaban
	preterite	expliqué	explicaste	explicó	explicamos	explicasteis	explicaron
	future	explicaré	explicarás	explicará	explicaremos	explicaréis	explicarán
	conditional	explicaría	explicarías	explicaría	explicaríamos	explicaríais	explicarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	explique	expliquestú expliquésvos2	explique	expliquemos	expliquéis	expliquen
	imperfect (ra)	explicara	explicaras	explicara	explicáramos	explicarais	explicaran
	imperfect (se)	explicase	explicases	explicase	explicásemos	explicaseis	explicasen
	future1	explicare	explicares	explicare	explicáremos	explicareis	explicaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		explicatú explicávos	explique	expliquemos	explicad	expliquen
	negative		no expliques	no explique	no expliquemos	no expliquéis	no expliquen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of explicar (c-qu alternation)

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive explicar	dative	explicarme	explicarte	explicarle, explicarse	explicarnos	explicaros	explicarles, explicarse
	accusative	explicarme	explicarte	explicarlo, explicarla, explicarse	explicarnos	explicaros	explicarlos, explicarlas, explicarse
with gerund explicando	dative	explicándome	explicándote	explicándole, explicándose	explicándonos	explicándoos	explicándoles, explicándose
	accusative	explicándome	explicándote	explicándolo, explicándola, explicándose	explicándonos	explicándoos	explicándolos, explicándolas, explicándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative explica	dative	explícame	explícate	explícale	explícanos	not used	explícales
	accusative	explícame	explícate	explícalo, explícala	explícanos	not used	explícalos, explícalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative explicá	dative	explicame	explicate	explicale	explicanos	not used	explicales
	accusative	explicame	explicate	explicalo, explicala	explicanos	not used	explicalos, explicalas
with formal second-person singular imperative explique	dative	explíqueme	not used	explíquele, explíquese	explíquenos	not used	explíqueles
	accusative	explíqueme	not used	explíquelo, explíquela, explíquese	explíquenos	not used	explíquelos, explíquelas
with first-person plural imperative expliquemos	dative	not used	expliquémoste	expliquémosle	expliquémonos	expliquémoos	expliquémosles
	accusative	not used	expliquémoste	expliquémoslo, expliquémosla	expliquémonos	expliquémoos	expliquémoslos, expliquémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative explicad	dative	explicadme	not used	explicadle	explicadnos	explicaos	explicadles
	accusative	explicadme	not used	explicadlo, explicadla	explicadnos	explicaos	explicadlos, explicadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative expliquen	dative	explíquenme	not used	explíquenle	explíquennos	not used	explíquenles, explíquense
	accusative	explíquenme	not used	explíquenlo, explíquenla	explíquennos	not used	explíquenlos, explíquenlas, explíquense

    Conjugation of explicarse (c-qu alternation) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			explicarse
gerund			explicándose
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		explicado		explicada
		plural		explicados		explicadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
personal non-finite		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	infinitive	explicarme	explicarte	explicarse	explicarnos	explicaros	explicarse
	gerund	explicándome	explicándote	explicándose	explicándonos	explicándoos	explicándose
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me explico	te explicastú te explicásvos	se explica	nos explicamos	os explicáis	se explican
	imperfect	me explicaba	te explicabas	se explicaba	nos explicábamos	os explicabais	se explicaban
	preterite	me expliqué	te explicaste	se explicó	nos explicamos	os explicasteis	se explicaron
	future	me explicaré	te explicarás	se explicará	nos explicaremos	os explicaréis	se explicarán
	conditional	me explicaría	te explicarías	se explicaría	nos explicaríamos	os explicaríais	se explicarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me explique	te expliquestú te expliquésvos2	se explique	nos expliquemos	os expliquéis	se expliquen
	imperfect (ra)	me explicara	te explicaras	se explicara	nos explicáramos	os explicarais	se explicaran
	imperfect (se)	me explicase	te explicases	se explicase	nos explicásemos	os explicaseis	se explicasen
	future1	me explicare	te explicares	se explicare	nos explicáremos	os explicareis	se explicaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		explícatetú explicatevos	explíquese	expliquémonos	explicaos	explíquense
	negative		no te expliques	no se explique	no nos expliquemos	no os expliquéis	no se expliquen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

Related terms

• explanador (Spain)
• explicable
• explicación

Further reading

• “explicar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025