The simple present tense of picar is used to describe actions happening now or that occur regularly or habitually. For example, Pico la cebolla para la ensalada. (I chop the onion for the salad.)

Picar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations follow the typical pattern for this verb type in the present tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Picar (to chop) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Picar generally means to prick, sting, or bite, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To prick or sting: for example, Las abejas pican cuando se sienten amenazadas (Bees sting when they feel threatened).

To bite: for example, Los mosquitos pican por la noche (Mosquitoes bite at night).

To cut or chop into pieces: for example, Pico la cebolla antes de cocinarla (I chop the onion before cooking it).

To eat a small amount: for example, Pico algo entre comidas para no tener mucha hambre (I snack on something between meals so I’m not too hungry).

To take a bite: for example, Pico una manzana cada mañana (I take a bite of an apple every morning).

To peck: for example, Las gallinas pican el maíz del suelo (The hens peck at the corn on the ground).

To be spicy or have a kick (colloquial): for example, Esta salsa pica un montón (This sauce has a really strong kick).

To tease or make fun of (colloquial): for example, Mis amigos siempre me pican por mi corte de pelo (My friends always tease me about my haircut).

Examples

Examples of Picar in the Present Tense

Cuando pico la cebolla, me pican los ojos. (When I chop the onion, my eyes sting.)

Mis amigos pican la fruta para hacer una ensalada fresca. (My friends chop the fruit to make a fresh salad.)

En la cocina, picamos los ingredientes antes de cocinar. (In the kitchen, we chop the ingredients before cooking.)

¿Por qué picas la carne tan finamente? (Why do you chop the meat so finely?)

El chef pica las verduras con mucha habilidad. (The chef chops the vegetables with great skill.)

Cuando pico ajo, me lavo bien las manos para quitar el olor. (When I chop garlic, I wash my hands thoroughly to remove the smell.)

En el restaurante, pican los ingredientes frescos cada día. (At the restaurant, they chop fresh ingredients every day.)

Mi abuela pica las hierbas con un cuchillo muy afilado. (My grandmother chops the herbs with a very sharp knife.)

Para hacer salsa, picamos tomates, cebollas y chiles. (To make salsa, we chop tomatoes, onions, and chiles.)

¿Tú picas la carne o prefieres comprarla ya picada? (Do you chop the meat or do you prefer to buy it pre-chopped?)

El cocinero pica rápidamente los ingredientes durante el servicio. (The cook chops the ingredients quickly during service.)

Cuando pico cebollas, uso un cuchillo muy afilado. (When I chop onions, I use a very sharp knife.)

Los chefs profesionales pican con mucha destreza. (Professional chefs chop with great dexterity.)

¿Alguien pica las zanahorias para la ensalada? (Is someone chopping the carrots for the salad?)

En la clase de cocina, picamos todos los ingredientes antes de comenzar. (In the cooking class, we chop all the ingredients before starting.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Picar (to chop) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.