clavar

Asturian

Etymology

From clavu or from Late Latin clāvāre, from Latin clāvus.

Verb

clavar (first-person singular indicative present clavo, past participle claváu)

1. (transitive) to nail (employ a nail as a fastener)

Conjugation

Conjugation of clavar

infinitive		clavar
gerund		clavando
past participle		m claváu, f clavada, n clavao, m pl clavaos, f pl clavaes
person		first singular yo	second singular tu	third singular él/elli	first plural nosotros/nós	second plural vosotros/vós	third plural ellos
indicative	present	clavo	claves	clava	clavamos	claváis	claven
	imperfect	clavaba	clavabes	clavaba	clavábemos, clavábamos	clavabeis, clavabais	clavaben
	preterite	clavé	clavasti, clavesti	clavó	clavemos	clavastis, clavestis	clavaron
	pluperfect	clavare, clavara	clavares, clavaras	clavare, clavara	claváremos, claváramos	clavareis, clavarais	clavaren, clavaran
	future	clavaré	clavarás	clavará	clavaremos	clavaréis	clavarán
	conditional	clavaría	clavaríes	clavaría	clavaríemos, clavaríamos	clavaríeis, clavaríais	clavaríen
subjunctive	present	clave	claves, clavas	clave	clavemos	clavéis	claven, clavan
	imperfect	clavare, clavara	clavares, clavaras	clavare, clavara	claváremos, claváramos	clavareis, clavarais	clavaren, clavaran
imperative		—	clava	—	—	clavái	—

Related terms

• clavu

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Late Latin clāvāre (compare Occitan clavar, Spanish clavar, Portuguese cravar, French clouer, Italian chiavare), from Latin clāvus. Equivalent to, but not synchronically derivable from, clau (“[a] nail”) +‎ -ar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [kləˈβa]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [kləˈva]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [klaˈvaɾ]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Verb

clavar (first-person singular present clavo, first-person singular preterite claví, past participle clavat)

1. (transitive) to nail
2. (transitive) to pin
3. (transitive) to attach, stick

   Synonym: fixar

Conjugation

    Conjugation of clavar (first conjugation)

infinitive			clavar
gerund			clavant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		clavat		clavada
		plural		clavats		clavades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	clavo	claves	clava	clavem	claveu	claven
	imperfect	clavava	clavaves	clavava	clavàvem	clavàveu	clavaven
	future	clavaré	clavaràs	clavarà	clavarem	clavareu	clavaran
	preterite	claví	clavares	clavà	clavàrem	clavàreu	clavaren
	conditional	clavaria	clavaries	clavaria	clavaríem	clavaríeu	clavarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	clavi	clavis	clavi	clavem	claveu	clavin
	imperfect	clavés	clavessis	clavés	clavéssim	clavéssiu	clavessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	clava	clavi	clavem	claveu	clavin
	negative (no)	—	no clavis	no clavi	no clavem	no claveu	no clavin

Related terms

• clau

Further reading

• “clavar”, 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
• “clavar” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
• “clavar”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026

Occitan

Etymology

clau +‎ -ar. Clau reverts back to its Latin root clav, from clāvis (“key”). Alternatively (through Old Occitan [Term?]), from Late Latin clāvāre, from Latin clāvus.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Béarn):

  (file)

Verb

clavar

1. to lock
2. (figuratively) to lock; to close
3. to nail

Conjugation

    Lengadocian (Central Occitan)

		simple			compound
infinitive		clavar			aver clavat
gerund		clavant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		clavat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	clavi	clavas	clava	clavam	clavatz	clavan
	imperfect	clavavi	clavavas	clavava	clavàvem	clavàvetz	clavavan
	preterite	clavèri	clavères	clavèt	clavèrem	clavèretz	clavèron
	future	clavarai	clavaràs	clavarà	clavarem	clavaretz	clavaràn
	conditional	clavariái	clavariás	clavariá	clavariam	clavariatz	clavarián
	conditional 2nd form1	clavèra	clavèras	clavèra	claveram	claveratz	clavèran
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	clave	claves	clave	clavem	clavetz	claven
	imperfect	clavèssi	clavèsses	clavèsse	clavèssem	clavèssetz	clavèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			clava		clavem	clavatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Auvernhàs

		simple			compound
infinitive		clavar			aver clavat
gerund		clavant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		clavat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	clave	claves	clava	clavam	clavatz	clavon
	imperfect	clavave	clavaves	clavava	clavaviam	clavaviatz	clavavon
	preterite	clavere	claveres	clavet	clavem	clavetz	claveron
	future	clavarai	clavaràs	clavará	clavarem	clavaretz	clavarán
	conditional	clavariá	clavariás	clavariá	clavariam	clavariatz	clavarián
	conditional 2nd form1	clavèra	clavèras	clavèra	claveram	claveratz	clavèran
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	clave	claves	clave	clavassiam	clavassiatz	clavon
	imperfect	clavesse	clavesses	clavesse	clavessiam	clavessiatz	clavesson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			clava		clavassiam	clavatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Gascon

		simple			compound
infinitive		clavar			aver clavat
gerund		clavant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		clavat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	clavi	clavas	clava	clavam	clavatz	clavan
	imperfect	clavavi	clavavas	clavava	clavàvam	clavàvatz	clavavan
	preterite	clavèi	clavès	clavè	clavèm	clavètz	clavèn
	future	clavarèi	clavaràs	clavarà	clavaram	clavaratz	clavaràn
	conditional	clavarí	clavarés	clavaré	clavarem	clavaretz	clavarén
	conditional 2nd form1	clavèra	clavèras	clavèra	claveram	claveratz	clavèran
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	clavi	claves	clave	clavem	clavetz	claven
	imperfect	clavèssi	clavèsses	clavèsse	clavèssem	clavèssetz	clavèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			clava		clavem	clavatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Lemosin

		simple			compound
infinitive		clavar			aver clavat
gerund		clavant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		clavat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	clave	clavas	clava	clavam	clavatz	clavan
	imperfect	clavava	clavavas	clavava	clavàvam	clavàvatz	clavavan
	preterite	clavei	claveras	clavet	clavèram	clavèratz	claveran
	future	clavarai	clavaràs	clavará	clavarem	clavaretz	clavarán
	conditional	clavariá	clavariàs	clavariá	clavariam	clavariatz	clavarián
	conditional 2nd form1	clavèra	clavèras	clavèra	claveram	claveratz	clavèran
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	clave	claves	clave	clavem	clavetz	claven
	imperfect	clavèsse	clavèsses	clavèsse	clavèssem	clavèssetz	clavèssen
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			clava		clavem	clavatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

    Provençau

		simple			compound
infinitive		clavar			aver clavat
gerund		clavant			use gerund of aver + past participle
past participle		clavat			—
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		ieu	tu	el	nosautres	vosautres	eles
	present	clave	claves	clava	clavam	clavatz	clavan
	imperfect	clavavi	clavavas	clavava	clavàvem	clavàvetz	clavavan
	preterite	clavère	clavères	clavèt	claveriam	claveriatz	clavèron
	future	clavarai	clavaràs	clavarà	clavarem	clavaretz	clavaràn
	conditional	clavariáu	clavariás	clavariá	clavariam	clavariatz	clavarián
	conditional 2nd form1	clavèra	clavèras	clavèra	claveram	claveratz	clavèran
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	clave	claves	clave	clavem	clavetz	clavan
	imperfect	clavèsse	clavèsses	clavèsse	clavessiam	clavessiatz	clavèsson
compound tenses	past	use the present subjunctive of aver + past participle
	pluperfect	use the imperfect subjunctive of aver + past participle
imperative		—	tu	—	nosautres	vosautres	—
			clava		clavem	clavatz	1Now chiefly obsolete, still in use in some Limousin and Vivaro-Alpin dialects

Spanish

Etymology

From clavo or from Late Latin clāvāre, from Latin clāvus. Compare Portuguese cravar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klaˈbaɾ/ [klaˈβ̞aɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: cla‧var

Verb

clavar (first-person singular present clavo, first-person singular preterite clavé, past participle clavado)

1. to nail, to pin, to stick

Conjugation

    Conjugation of clavar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			clavar
gerund			clavando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		clavado		clavada
		plural		clavados		clavadas
		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	clavo	clavastú clavásvos	clava	clavamos	claváis	clavan
	imperfect	clavaba	clavabas	clavaba	clavábamos	clavabais	clavaban
	preterite	clavé	clavaste	clavó	clavamos	clavasteis	clavaron
	future	clavaré	clavarás	clavará	clavaremos	clavaréis	clavarán
	conditional	clavaría	clavarías	clavaría	clavaríamos	clavaríais	clavarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	clave	clavestú clavésvos2	clave	clavemos	clavéis	claven
	imperfect (ra)	clavara	clavaras	clavara	claváramos	clavarais	clavaran
	imperfect (se)	clavase	clavases	clavase	clavásemos	clavaseis	clavasen
	future1	clavare	clavares	clavare	claváremos	clavareis	clavaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		clavatú clavávos	clave	clavemos	clavad	claven
	negative		no claves	no clave	no clavemos	no clavéis	no claven

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

    Selected combined forms of clavar

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 clavar	dative	clavarme	clavarte	clavarle, clavarse	clavarnos	clavaros	clavarles, clavarse
	accusative	clavarme	clavarte	clavarlo, clavarla, clavarse	clavarnos	clavaros	clavarlos, clavarlas, clavarse
with gerund clavando	dative	clavándome	clavándote	clavándole, clavándose	clavándonos	clavándoos	clavándoles, clavándose
	accusative	clavándome	clavándote	clavándolo, clavándola, clavándose	clavándonos	clavándoos	clavándolos, clavándolas, clavándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative clava	dative	clávame	clávate	clávale	clávanos	not used	clávales
	accusative	clávame	clávate	clávalo, clávala	clávanos	not used	clávalos, clávalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative clavá	dative	clavame	clavate	clavale	clavanos	not used	clavales
	accusative	clavame	clavate	clavalo, clavala	clavanos	not used	clavalos, clavalas
with formal second-person singular imperative clave	dative	cláveme	not used	clávele, clávese	clávenos	not used	cláveles
	accusative	cláveme	not used	clávelo, clávela, clávese	clávenos	not used	clávelos, clávelas
with first-person plural imperative clavemos	dative	not used	clavémoste	clavémosle	clavémonos	clavémoos	clavémosles
	accusative	not used	clavémoste	clavémoslo, clavémosla	clavémonos	clavémoos	clavémoslos, clavémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative clavad	dative	clavadme	not used	clavadle	clavadnos	clavaos	clavadles
	accusative	clavadme	not used	clavadlo, clavadla	clavadnos	clavaos	clavadlos, clavadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative claven	dative	clávenme	not used	clávenle	clávennos	not used	clávenles, clávense
	accusative	clávenme	not used	clávenlo, clávenla	clávennos	not used	clávenlos, clávenlas, clávense

Derived terms

• clavársela

Related terms

• clavo

Further reading

• “clavar”, 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