aplicar

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin applicāre. Doublet of aplegar, which was inherited.

Pronunciation

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

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Verb

aplicar (first-person singular present aplico, first-person singular preterite apliquí, past participle aplicat)

1. (transitive) to apply
2. (reflexive) to apply oneself

   Jo era l'únic que m'aplicava una mica.

   I was the only one who applied myself a little.

Conjugation

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

infinitive			aplicar
gerund			aplicant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		aplicat		aplicada
		plural		aplicats		aplicades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	aplico	apliques	aplica	apliquem	apliqueu	apliquen
	imperfect	aplicava	aplicaves	aplicava	aplicàvem	aplicàveu	aplicaven
	future	aplicaré	aplicaràs	aplicarà	aplicarem	aplicareu	aplicaran
	preterite	apliquí	aplicares	aplicà	aplicàrem	aplicàreu	aplicaren
	conditional	aplicaria	aplicaries	aplicaria	aplicaríem	aplicaríeu	aplicarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	apliqui	apliquis	apliqui	apliquem	apliqueu	apliquin
	imperfect	apliqués	apliquessis	apliqués	apliquéssim	apliquéssiu	apliquessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	aplica	apliqui	apliquem	apliqueu	apliquin
	negative (no)	—	no apliquis	no apliqui	no apliquem	no apliqueu	no apliquin

Derived terms

• aplicable
• aplicador
• aplicament

Related terms

• aplicació

Further reading

• “aplicar”, 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
• “aplicar”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
• “aplicar” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “aplicar” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Galician

Etymology

14th century. Learned borrowing from Latin applicāre. Compare the inherited doublet achegar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /apliˈkaɾ/

Verb

aplicar (first-person singular present aplico, first-person singular preterite apliquei, past participle aplicado)

1. to apply
2. (pronominal) to commit (to); to dedicate oneself to (to pursue a course of action with great effort)
3. to save (to store for future use)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of aplicar (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	aplicar
Personal	aplicar	aplicares	aplicar	aplicarmos	aplicardes	aplicaren
Gerund
	aplicando
Past participle
Masculine	aplicado			aplicados
Feminine	aplicada			aplicadas
Indicative
Present	aplico	aplicas	aplica	aplicamos	aplicades	aplican
Imperfect	aplicaba	aplicabas	aplicaba	aplicabamos	aplicabades	aplicaban
Preterite	apliquei	aplicaches	aplicou	aplicamos	aplicastes	aplicaron
Pluperfect	aplicara	aplicaras	aplicara	aplicaramos	aplicarades	aplicaran
Future	aplicarei	aplicarás	aplicará	aplicaremos	aplicaredes	aplicarán
Conditional	aplicaría	aplicarías	aplicaría	aplicariamos	aplicariades	aplicarían
Subjunctive
Present	aplique	apliques	aplique	apliquemos	apliquedes	apliquen
Imperfect	aplicase	aplicases	aplicase	aplicásemos	aplicásedes	aplicasen
Future	aplicar	aplicares	aplicar	aplicarmos	aplicardes	aplicaren
Imperative
Affirmative		aplica	aplique	apliquemos	aplicade	apliquen
Negative (non)		non apliques	non aplique	non apliquemos	non apliquedes	non apliquen

    Reintegrated conjugation of aplicar (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	aplicar
Personal	aplicar	aplicares	aplicar	aplicarmos	aplicardes	aplicarem
Gerund
	aplicando
Past participle
Masculine	aplicado			aplicados
Feminine	aplicada			aplicadas
Indicative
Present	aplico	aplicas	aplica	aplicamos	aplicades, aplicais	aplicam
Imperfect	aplicava	aplicavas	aplicava	aplicávamos	aplicávades, aplicáveis, aplicávais1	aplicavam
Preterite	apliquei	aplicaste, aplicache1	aplicou	aplicamos	aplicastes	aplicárom, aplicaram
Pluperfect	aplicara	aplicaras	aplicara	aplicáramos	aplicárades, aplicáreis, aplicárais1	aplicaram
Future	aplicarei	aplicarás	aplicará	aplicaremos	aplicaredes, aplicareis	aplicarám, aplicarão
Conditional	aplicaria	aplicarias	aplicaria	aplicaríamos	aplicaríades, aplicaríeis, aplicaríais1	aplicariam
Subjunctive
Present	aplique	apliques	aplique	apliquemos	apliquedes, apliqueis	apliquem
Imperfect	aplicasse	aplicasses	aplicasse	aplicássemos	aplicássedes, aplicásseis	aplicassem
Future	aplicar	aplicares	aplicar	aplicarmos	aplicardes	aplicarem
Imperative
Affirmative		aplica	aplique	apliquemos	aplicade, aplicai	apliquem
Negative (nom)		nom apliques	nom aplique	nom apliquemos	nom apliquedes, nom apliqueis	nom apliquem

¹Less recommended.

Derived terms

• aplicábel
• aplicación
• aplicado
• aplicador
• aplicativo

References

• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018), “aplicad”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “aplicar”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “aplicar”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• “aplicar” in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (2014).
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “aplicar”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• applicar (pre-reform spelling)

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin applicāre. Compare the inherited doublet achegar.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [a.pliˈka(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [a.pliˈka(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /a.pliˈka(ɾ)/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /a.pliˈka(ʁ)/ [a.pliˈka(χ)]
  • (Porto Alegre) IPA^(key): /a.pliˈka(ɻ)/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ.pliˈkaɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ.pliˈkaɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ.pliˈka.ɾi/

• (Northeast Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.pli.ˈka(h)/
• Hyphenation: a‧pli‧car

Verb

aplicar (first-person singular present aplico, first-person singular preterite apliquei, past participle aplicado)

1. (transitive) to apply (to put on) [with direct object ‘something’, along with em or other positional preposition ‘onto someone/something’]

   Aplique xampu no seu cabelo até que ele fique macio.

   Apply shampoo onto your hair until it gets soft.

   • 1940 January 7, “Conselhos para cuidar da pelle das creanças [Advice for taking care of children’s skin]”, in Correio da Manhã‎, volume 115, number 5, Recife, page 12:

     Se bem que as crianças não possam fazer uso dos mesmos preparados que os adultos contra as rachaduras da pelle, não quer dizer que não se deva applicar outros apropriados.

     Although children cannot make use of the same preparations as adults against cracked skin, this does not mean one should not apply other appropriate ones.

2. (transitive) to apply (to put to use for a purpose) [with direct object ‘something’ and a ‘to someone/something’]

   O juiz aplicou a pena de morte ao psicopata.

   The judge applied the death sentence to the psychopath.

3. (pronominal) to apply (to be relevant to) [with a ‘to someone/something’]

   Lógica matemática nem sempre se aplica à vida real.

   Mathematical logic doesn’t always apply to real life.

4. (reflexive) to commit; to dedicate oneself (to pursue a course of action with great effort) [with a ‘to something’]

   Estes pirralhos não se querem aplicar aos estudos.

   These brats don’t want to commit to their studies.

Conjugation

    Conjugation of aplicar (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	aplicar
Personal	aplicar	aplicares	aplicar	aplicarmos	aplicardes	aplicarem
Gerund
	aplicando
Past participle
Masculine	aplicado			aplicados
Feminine	aplicada			aplicadas
Indicative
Present	aplico	aplicas	aplica	aplicamos	aplicais	aplicam
Imperfect	aplicava	aplicavas	aplicava	aplicávamos	aplicáveis	aplicavam
Preterite	apliquei	aplicaste	aplicou	aplicamos1, aplicámos2	aplicastes	aplicaram
Pluperfect	aplicara	aplicaras	aplicara	aplicáramos	aplicáreis	aplicaram
Future	aplicarei	aplicarás	aplicará	aplicaremos	aplicareis	aplicarão
Conditional	aplicaria	aplicarias	aplicaria	aplicaríamos	aplicaríeis	aplicariam
Subjunctive
Present	aplique	apliques	aplique	apliquemos	apliqueis	apliquem
Imperfect	aplicasse	aplicasses	aplicasse	aplicássemos	aplicásseis	aplicassem
Future	aplicar	aplicares	aplicar	aplicarmos	aplicardes	aplicarem
Imperative
Affirmative		aplica	aplique	apliquemos	aplicai	apliquem
Negative (não)		não apliques	não aplique	não apliquemos	não apliqueis	não apliquem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Derived terms

• aplicação
• aplicado
• aplicador
• aplicante
• aplicativo
• aplicável

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin applicāre. Doublet of aplegar and allegar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /apliˈkaɾ/ [a.pliˈkaɾ]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

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

Verb

aplicar (first-person singular present aplico, first-person singular preterite apliqué, past participle aplicado)

1. to use, to apply

   El presidente aplicó medidas especiales.

   The president used special measures.

2. to smear, to put something above another thing or in contact with another thing

   Synonym: untar

   Aplicó la mermelada a la tostada.

   He spread the marmalade on the toast.

   Aplicó la pomada a la rodilla.

   He smeared the cream on his knee.

3. (Belize) to apply for a job
4. (reflexive) to apply oneself
5. (reflexive) to apply, to hold true

Conjugation

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

infinitive			aplicar
gerund			aplicando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		aplicado		aplicada
		plural		aplicados		aplicadas
		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	aplico	aplicastú aplicásvos	aplica	aplicamos	aplicáis	aplican
	imperfect	aplicaba	aplicabas	aplicaba	aplicábamos	aplicabais	aplicaban
	preterite	apliqué	aplicaste	aplicó	aplicamos	aplicasteis	aplicaron
	future	aplicaré	aplicarás	aplicará	aplicaremos	aplicaréis	aplicarán
	conditional	aplicaría	aplicarías	aplicaría	aplicaríamos	aplicaríais	aplicarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	aplique	apliquestú apliquésvos2	aplique	apliquemos	apliquéis	apliquen
	imperfect (ra)	aplicara	aplicaras	aplicara	aplicáramos	aplicarais	aplicaran
	imperfect (se)	aplicase	aplicases	aplicase	aplicásemos	aplicaseis	aplicasen
	future1	aplicare	aplicares	aplicare	aplicáremos	aplicareis	aplicaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		aplicatú aplicávos	aplique	apliquemos	aplicad	apliquen
	negative		no apliques	no aplique	no apliquemos	no apliquéis	no apliquen

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of aplicar (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 aplicar	dative	aplicarme	aplicarte	aplicarle, aplicarse	aplicarnos	aplicaros	aplicarles, aplicarse
	accusative	aplicarme	aplicarte	aplicarlo, aplicarla, aplicarse	aplicarnos	aplicaros	aplicarlos, aplicarlas, aplicarse
with gerund aplicando	dative	aplicándome	aplicándote	aplicándole, aplicándose	aplicándonos	aplicándoos	aplicándoles, aplicándose
	accusative	aplicándome	aplicándote	aplicándolo, aplicándola, aplicándose	aplicándonos	aplicándoos	aplicándolos, aplicándolas, aplicándose
with informal second-person singular tú imperative aplica	dative	aplícame	aplícate	aplícale	aplícanos	not used	aplícales
	accusative	aplícame	aplícate	aplícalo, aplícala	aplícanos	not used	aplícalos, aplícalas
with informal second-person singular vos imperative aplicá	dative	aplicame	aplicate	aplicale	aplicanos	not used	aplicales
	accusative	aplicame	aplicate	aplicalo, aplicala	aplicanos	not used	aplicalos, aplicalas
with formal second-person singular imperative aplique	dative	aplíqueme	not used	aplíquele, aplíquese	aplíquenos	not used	aplíqueles
	accusative	aplíqueme	not used	aplíquelo, aplíquela, aplíquese	aplíquenos	not used	aplíquelos, aplíquelas
with first-person plural imperative apliquemos	dative	not used	apliquémoste	apliquémosle	apliquémonos	apliquémoos	apliquémosles
	accusative	not used	apliquémoste	apliquémoslo, apliquémosla	apliquémonos	apliquémoos	apliquémoslos, apliquémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative aplicad	dative	aplicadme	not used	aplicadle	aplicadnos	aplicaos	aplicadles
	accusative	aplicadme	not used	aplicadlo, aplicadla	aplicadnos	aplicaos	aplicadlos, aplicadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative apliquen	dative	aplíquenme	not used	aplíquenle	aplíquennos	not used	aplíquenles, aplíquense
	accusative	aplíquenme	not used	aplíquenlo, aplíquenla	aplíquennos	not used	aplíquenlos, aplíquenlas, aplíquense

Derived terms

• aplicable
• aplicado
• aplicador
• aplicante
• aplicativo
• autoaplicarse

Related terms

• aplicación
• aplique

Further reading

• “aplicar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024