Spanish Verb Conjugations A Comprehensive Guide
By Robert William
2024-09-01
Table of Contents

Spanish Verb Conjugations A Comprehensive Guide

Verb conjugation lies at the heart of Spanish grammar, serving as a powerful tool for expressing time, mood, and intention. For learners of European Spanish, this system presents both a challenge and an opportunity. It’s a complex web of rules and exceptions that, once understood, unlocks a world of nuanced communication.

We’ll explore the unique features that set European Spanish apart, such as the distinctive “vosotros” form. From the fundamental present tense to the rarely used future subjunctive, we’ll cover the spectrum of tenses and moods that give Spanish its expressive power, including common forms like past tense Spanish conjugation, subjunctive Spanish conjugation, and imperfect Spanish conjugation. By breaking down these linguistic building blocks, we’ll equip you with the knowledge to construct sentences with confidence and precision, utilizing resources like a Spanish conjugation chart to aid your learning journey.

Present Tense

The Present Tense (Presente) is used to describe actions happening now, habitual actions, and general truths. It’s one of the most frequently used tenses in Spanish.

Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs -ER verbs -IR verbs
(hablar - to speak) (comer - to eat) (vivir - to live)
Yo hablo (I speak) como (I eat) vivo (I live)
TĂş hablas (You speak) comes (You eat) vives (You live)
Él/Ella/Usted habla (He/She/You formal speak) come (He/She/You formal eat) vive (He/She/You formal live)
Nosotros/as hablamos (We speak) comemos (We eat) vivimos (We live)
Vosotros/as habláis (You all speak - Spain) coméis (You all eat - Spain) vivís (You all live - Spain)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablan (They/You all speak) comen (They/You all eat) viven (They/You all live)
Common Irregular Verbs
Subject Pronoun Ser Estar Ir
(to be - essential characteristics) (to be - states, locations) (to go)
Yo soy (I am) estoy (I am) voy (I go)
Tú eres (You are) estás (You are) vas (You go)
Él/Ella/Usted es (He/She/You formal are) está (He/She/You formal are) va (He/She/You formal go)
Nosotros/as somos (We are) estamos (We are) vamos (We go)
Vosotros/as sois (You all are - Spain) estáis (You all are - Spain) vais (You all go - Spain)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes son (They/You all are) están (They/You all are) van (They/You all go)
Example Sentences
  1. “Hablo español todos los dĂ­as.” (I speak Spanish every day.)
  2. “ÂżComes carne?” (Do you eat meat?)
  3. “Vivimos en Madrid.” (We live in Madrid.)
  4. “Soy estudiante.” (I am a student.)
  5. “ÂżEstáis listos para la fiesta?” (Are you all ready for the party? - Spain)
  6. “Van al parque los domingos.” (They go to the park on Sundays.)

Remember, the present tense in Spanish can also be used to express the near future, similar to English:

  1. “Mañana voy al mĂ©dico.” (I’m going to the doctor tomorrow.)

This breakdown covers the basics of the Spanish Present Tense, including regular and some common irregular verbs, with examples of how they’re used in sentences.



Preterite

The Preterite tense (Pretérito) is used to describe completed actions in the past. It’s often used for actions that happened at a specific time or had a clear beginning and end. Learning the nuances of the past tense Spanish conjugation, is essential for fluent communication.

Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER verbs (e.g., comer - to eat) -IR verbs (e.g., vivir - to live)
Yo hablé (I spoke) comí (I ate) viví (I lived)
TĂş hablaste (You spoke) comiste (You ate) viviste (You lived)
Él/Ella/Usted habló (He/She/You formal spoke) comió (He/She/You formal ate) vivió (He/She/You formal lived)
Nosotros/as hablamos (We spoke) comimos (We ate) vivimos (We lived)
Vosotros/as hablasteis (You all spoke - Spain) comisteis (You all ate - Spain) vivisteis (You all lived - Spain)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablaron (They/You all spoke) comieron (They/You all ate) vivieron (They/You all lived)
Common Irregular Verbs
Subject Pronoun Ser/Ir (to be/to go) Estar (to be) Hacer (to do/make)
Yo fui estuve hice
TĂş fuiste estuviste hiciste
Él/Ella/Usted fue estuvo hizo
Nosotros/as fuimos estuvimos hicimos
Vosotros/as fuisteis estuvisteis hicisteis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes fueron estuvieron hicieron
Stem-Changing Verbs

Some verbs change their stems in the preterite. For example:

Subject Pronoun Tener (to have)
Yo tuve
TĂş tuviste
Él/Ella/Usted tuvo
Nosotros/as tuvimos
Vosotros/as tuvisteis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes tuvieron
Example Sentences
  1. “Ayer hablĂ© con mi madre por telĂ©fono.” (Yesterday, I spoke with my mother on the phone.)
  2. “ÂżComiste en el nuevo restaurante?” (Did you eat at the new restaurant?)
  3. “Vivieron en ParĂ­s durante cinco años.” (They lived in Paris for five years.)
  4. “Fui al cine el sábado pasado.” (I went to the cinema last Saturday.)
  5. “Estuvimos en la playa todo el dĂ­a.” (We were at the beach all day.)
  6. “ÂżHicisteis los deberes?” (Did you all do the homework? - Spain)
  7. “El año pasado viajĂ© a España.” (Last year, I traveled to Spain.)
  8. “Tuve un dĂ­a muy ocupado ayer.” (I had a very busy day yesterday.)

Remember, the Preterite is often contrasted with the Imperfect Spanish conjugation. While the Preterite is used for completed actions, the Imperfect is used for ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Understanding this distinction is crucial for mastering past tenses in Spanish.



Imperfect

The Imperfect tense (PretĂ©rito Imperfecto) is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, habitual actions, or to set the scene for another action. It’s often translated as “was/were + -ing” or “used to” in English. Learning the imperfect Spanish conjugation helps to differentiate ongoing past actions from completed ones.

Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs -ER verbs / -IR verbs
(hablar - to speak) (comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo hablaba (I was speaking / used to speak) comĂ­a / vivĂ­a (I was eating/living / used to eat/live)
TĂş hablabas (You were speaking / used to speak) comĂ­as / vivĂ­as (You were eating/living / used to eat/live)
Él/Ella/Usted hablaba (He/She/You formal was speaking / used to speak) comía / vivía (He/She/You formal was eating/living / used to eat/live)
Nosotros/as hablábamos (We were speaking / used to speak) comíamos / vivíamos (We were eating/living / used to eat/live)
Vosotros/as hablabais (You all were speaking / used to speak - Spain) comĂ­ais / vivĂ­ais (You all were eating/living / used to eat/live - Spain)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablaban (They/You all were speaking / used to speak) comĂ­an / vivĂ­an (They/You all were eating/living / used to eat/live)
Common Irregular Verbs

There are only three irregular verbs in the imperfect tense:

Subject Pronoun Ser (to be) Ir (to go) Ver (to see)
Yo era iba veĂ­a
TĂş eras ibas veĂ­as
Él/Ella/Usted era iba veía
Nosotros/as Ă©ramos Ă­bamos veĂ­amos
Vosotros/as erais ibais veĂ­ais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes eran iban veĂ­an
Example Sentences
  1. “De niño, hablaba inglĂ©s con mi abuela.” (As a child, I used to speak English with my grandmother.)
  2. “Mientras comĂ­amos, sonĂł el telĂ©fono.” (While we were eating, the phone rang.)
  3. “VivĂ­an en una casa pequeña cuando los conocĂ­.” (They were living in a small house when I met them.)
  4. “Éramos muy buenos amigos en la universidad.” (We were very good friends in university.)
  5. “Iba a la playa todos los veranos.” (I used to go to the beach every summer.)
  6. “ÂżVeĂ­ais mucha televisiĂłn de pequeños?” (Did you all use to watch a lot of TV when you were little? - Spain)
  7. “Siempre estaba cansado despuĂ©s del trabajo.” (He was always tired after work.)
  8. “Los domingos, mi familia y yo comĂ­amos juntos.” (On Sundays, my family and I used to eat together.)

Remember, the Imperfect is often used in contrast with the Preterite. While the Imperfect describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past, the Preterite is used for completed actions. For example:

“LeĂ­a un libro cuando sonĂł el telĂ©fono.” (I was reading a book when the phone rang.)

  • “LeĂ­a” is in the Imperfect because it was an ongoing action.
  • “SonĂł” is in the Preterite because it was a completed action that interrupted the reading.

Understanding this distinction is key to mastering the use of past tenses in Spanish.



Future Simple

The Future Simple (Futuro Simple) tense is used to express actions or states that will occur in the future. It’s relatively easy to form as the endings are the same for all verbs (-ar, -er, -ir), and they’re added to the infinitive form of the verb.

Regular Verbs

For all regular verbs (-AR, -ER, -IR), you simply add these endings to the infinitive:

Subject Pronoun Ending Hablar (to speak) Comer (to eat) Vivir (to live)
Yo -é hablaré (I will speak) comeré (I will eat) viviré (I will live)
Tú -ás hablarás (You will speak) comerás (You will eat) vivirás (You will live)
Él/Ella/Usted -á hablará (He/She/You formal will speak) comerá (He/She/You formal will eat) vivirá (He/She/You formal will live)
Nosotros/as -emos hablaremos (We will speak) comeremos (We will eat) viviremos (We will live)
Vosotros/as -éis hablaréis (You all will speak - Spain) comeréis (You all will eat - Spain) viviréis (You all will live - Spain)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes -án hablarán (They/You all will speak) comerán (They/You all will eat) vivirán (They/You all will live)

Examples:

  • Hablar (to speak): hablarĂ©, hablarás, hablará, hablaremos, hablarĂ©is, hablarán
  • Comer (to eat): comerĂ©, comerás, comerá, comeremos, comerĂ©is, comerán
  • Vivir (to live): vivirĂ©, vivirás, vivirá, viviremos, vivirĂ©is, vivirán
Irregular Verbs

Some common verbs have irregular stems in the future tense, but they still use the same endings. Here are a few:

Subject Pronoun Decir (to say) Hacer (to do/make) Poder (to be able to) Poner (to put) Querer (to want)
Yo diré haré podré pondré querré
Tú dirás harás podrás pondrás querrás
Él/Ella/Usted dirá hará podrá pondrá querrá
Nosotros/as diremos haremos podremos pondremos querremos
Vosotros/as diréis haréis podréis pondréis querréis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes dirán harán podrán pondrán querrán
Subject Pronoun Saber (to know) Salir (to leave/go out) Tener (to have) Venir (to come)
Yo sabré saldré tendré vendré
Tú sabrás saldrás tendrás vendrás
Él/Ella/Usted sabrá saldrá tendrá vendrá
Nosotros/as sabremos saldremos tendremos vendremos
Vosotros/as sabréis saldréis tendréis vendréis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes sabrán saldrán tendrán vendrán
Example Sentences
  1. “Mañana hablarĂ© con mi jefe sobre el proyecto.” (Tomorrow I will speak with my boss about the project.)
  2. “ÂżCuándo vendrás a visitarnos?” (When will you come to visit us?)
  3. “El año que viene viviremos en Barcelona.” (Next year we will live in Barcelona.)
  4. “ÂżQuĂ© harás este fin de semana?” (What will you do this weekend?)
  5. “Los cientĂ­ficos creen que en el futuro podremos viajar a Marte.” (Scientists believe that in the future we will be able to travel to Mars.)
  6. “ÂżSaldrĂ©is esta noche?” (Will you all go out tonight? - Spain)
  7. “Tendremos una reuniĂłn importante el prĂłximo lunes.” (We will have an important meeting next Monday.)
  8. “No sĂ© si sabrĂ© la respuesta, pero lo intentarĂ©.” (I don’t know if I will know the answer, but I will try.)

Remember, in Spanish, the Future Simple can also be used to express probability or conjecture about the present, similar to “must be” in English:

  1. “Son las 10 de la noche, Juan estará en casa ya.” (It’s 10 PM, Juan must be home already.)
  2. “ÂżDĂłnde estará mi libro? No lo encuentro.” (Where could my book be? I can’t find it.)

The Future Simple is a versatile tense that’s essential for discussing future plans and making predictions in Spanish.



Conditional Simple

The Conditional Simple (Condicional Simple) is used to express hypothetical actions or situations, polite requests, and to give advice. It’s often translated as “would” in English.

Formation

For regular verbs, you simply add these endings to the infinitive:

Subject Pronoun Ending Hablar (to speak) Comer (to eat) Vivir (to live)
Yo -Ă­a hablarĂ­a (I would speak) comerĂ­a (I would eat) vivirĂ­a (I would live)
TĂş -Ă­as hablarĂ­as (You would speak) comerĂ­as (You would eat) vivirĂ­as (You would live)
Él/Ella/Usted -ía hablaría (He/She/You formal would speak) comería (He/She/You formal would eat) viviría (He/She/You formal would live)
Nosotros/as -Ă­amos hablarĂ­amos (We would speak) comerĂ­amos (We would eat) vivirĂ­amos (We would live)
Vosotros/as -Ă­ais hablarĂ­ais (You all would speak - Spain) comerĂ­ais (You all would eat - Spain) vivirĂ­ais (You all would live - Spain)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes -Ă­an hablarĂ­an (They/You all would speak) comerĂ­an (They/You all would eat) vivirĂ­an (They/You all would live)
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER/-IR verbs (e.g., comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo hablarĂ­a comerĂ­a/vivirĂ­a
TĂş hablarĂ­as comerĂ­as/vivirĂ­as
Él/Ella/Usted hablaría comería/viviría
Nosotros/as hablarĂ­amos comerĂ­amos/vivirĂ­amos
Vosotros/as hablarĂ­ais comerĂ­ais/vivirĂ­ais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablarĂ­an comerĂ­an/vivirĂ­an
Irregular Verbs

Some verbs have irregular stems in the conditional, but use the same endings:

Verb Meaning Irregular Stem Example (Yo Form)
Decir to say dir- dirĂ­a
Hacer to do/make har- harĂ­a
Poder to be able to podr- podrĂ­a
Querer to want querr- querrĂ­a
Saber to know sabr- sabrĂ­a
Salir to leave/go out saldr- saldrĂ­a
Tener to have tendr- tendrĂ­a
Uses and Examples
  1. Hypothetical situations “Si tuviera dinero, viajarĂ­a por todo el mundo.” (If I had money, I would travel around the world.)
  2. Polite requests “ÂżPodrĂ­as ayudarme con esta tarea?” (Could you help me with this task?)
  3. Giving advice “Yo que tĂş, hablarĂ­a con ella.” (If I were you, I would talk to her.)
  4. Expressing wishes “Me gustarĂ­a visitar ParĂ­s algĂşn dĂ­a.” (I would like to visit Paris someday.)
  5. Speculating about the past “SerĂ­an las diez cuando llegĂł.” (It must have been around ten when he arrived.)
  6. Future in the past “Me dijo que vendrĂ­a hoy.” (He told me he would come today.)
  7. Softening statements “Yo dirĂ­a que es una buena idea.” (I would say it’s a good idea.)
  8. Expressing probability “DeberĂ­an estar en casa ya.” (They should be home by now.)

Remember, the Conditional Simple is often used in conjunction with the Imperfect Subjunctive in “if” clauses to express hypothetical situations:

“Si ganara la loterĂ­a, comprarĂ­a una casa grande.” (If I won the lottery, I would buy a big house.)

The Conditional Simple is a versatile tense that allows you to express nuanced meanings and hypothetical scenarios in Spanish[1][2][3][4].



Present Perfect

The Present Perfect (PretĂ©rito Perfecto Compuesto) is used to describe actions that have been completed in the recent past or that have a connection to the present. It’s formed using the present tense of the auxiliary verb “haber” plus the past participle of the main verb.

Formation
Subject Pronoun Present Tense of “Haber” Past Participle Examples
-AR verbs: -ado (e.g., hablado - spoken)
-ER verbs: -ido (e.g., comido - eaten)
-IR verbs: -ido (e.g., vivido - lived)
Yo he he hablado, he comido, he vivido
TĂş has has hablado, has comido, has vivido
Él/Ella/Usted ha ha hablado, ha comido, ha vivido
Nosotros/as hemos hemos hablado, hemos comido, hemos vivido
Vosotros/as habéis habéis hablado, habéis comido, habéis vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes han han hablado, han comido, han vivido
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER/-IR verbs (e.g., comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo he hablado he comido/vivido
TĂş has hablado has comido/vivido
Él/Ella/Usted ha hablado ha comido/vivido
Nosotros/as hemos hablado hemos comido/vivido
Vosotros/as habéis hablado habéis comido/vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes han hablado han comido/vivido
Irregular Past Participles

Some verbs have irregular past participles:

Verb Meaning Irregular Past Participle
Abrir to open abierto
Decir to say dicho
Escribir to write escrito
Hacer to do/make hecho
Poner to put puesto
Ver to see visto
Volver to return vuelto
Uses and Examples
  1. Actions completed in the recent past “He terminado mi tarea.” (I have finished my homework.)
  2. Experiences in one’s lifetime “ÂżHas visitado alguna vez España?” (Have you ever visited Spain?)
  3. Actions that started in the past and continue in the present “He vivido en Madrid durante diez años.” (I have lived in Madrid for ten years.)
  4. Actions that have just happened “¡El tren ha llegado!” (The train has arrived!)
  5. News or recent events “El presidente ha anunciado nuevas medidas econĂłmicas.” (The president has announced new economic measures.)
  6. With time expressions like “hoy”, “esta semana”, “este mes”, “este año” “Esta semana hemos tenido mucho trabajo.” (We have had a lot of work this week.)
  7. Completed actions with present results “Me he cortado el pelo.” (I have cut my hair. - implying you can see the result now)
  8. With superlatives to describe experiences “Es el mejor libro que he leĂ­do.” (It’s the best book I have read.)
  9. Actions that haven’t happened yet, but are expected “TodavĂ­a no han llegado los invitados.” (The guests haven’t arrived yet.)
  10. In European Spanish, for very recent past actions “ÂżQuĂ© has dicho? No te he oĂ­do bien.” (What did you say? I didn’t hear you well.)

Remember, in some regions of Spain, the Present Perfect is used more frequently than in Latin America, where the Preterite might be used instead for completed actions in the recent past.

The Present Perfect is a crucial tense for expressing recent past actions and experiences in Spanish, especially in European Spanish.



Past Perfect

The Past Perfect(PretĂ©rito Pluscuamperfecto), also known as Pluperfect, is used to describe actions that had been completed before another past action or time. It’s formed using the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb “haber” plus the past participle of the main verb.

Formation
Subject Pronoun Imperfect Tense of “Haber” Past Participle Examples
-AR verbs: -ado (e.g., hablado - spoken)
-ER verbs: -ido (e.g., comido - eaten)
-IR verbs: -ido (e.g., vivido - lived)
Yo habĂ­a habĂ­a hablado, habĂ­a comido, habĂ­a vivido
TĂş habĂ­as habĂ­as hablado, habĂ­as comido, habĂ­as vivido
Él/Ella/Usted había había hablado, había comido, había vivido
Nosotros/as habĂ­amos habĂ­amos hablado, habĂ­amos comido, habĂ­amos vivido
Vosotros/as habĂ­ais habĂ­ais hablado, habĂ­ais comido, habĂ­ais vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habĂ­an habĂ­an hablado, habĂ­an comido, habĂ­an vivido
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER/-IR verbs (e.g., comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo habĂ­a hablado habĂ­a comido/vivido
TĂş habĂ­as hablado habĂ­as comido/vivido
Él/Ella/Usted había hablado había comido/vivido
Nosotros/as habĂ­amos hablado habĂ­amos comido/vivido
Vosotros/as habĂ­ais hablado habĂ­ais comido/vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habĂ­an hablado habĂ­an comido/vivido
Irregular Past Participles

The same irregular past participles used in the Present Perfect are used here:

Verb Meaning Irregular Past Participle
Abrir to open abierto
Decir to say dicho
Escribir to write escrito
Hacer to do/make hecho
Poner to put puesto
Ver to see visto
Volver to return vuelto
Uses and Examples
  1. Actions completed before another past action “Cuando lleguĂ© a la fiesta, MarĂ­a ya se habĂ­a ido.” (When I arrived at the party, MarĂ­a had already left.)
  2. Describing background information in a story “El ladrĂłn habĂ­a entrado por la ventana que alguien habĂ­a dejado abierta.” (The thief had entered through the window that someone had left open.)
  3. Expressing regret about past actions “Si hubiera estudiado más, habrĂ­a aprobado el examen.” (If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.)
  4. Reporting past events in news or narratives “Los cientĂ­ficos anunciaron que habĂ­an descubierto un nuevo planeta.” (The scientists announced that they had discovered a new planet.)
  5. Describing experiences before a certain point in the past “Antes de mudarme a España, nunca habĂ­a probado la paella.” (Before moving to Spain, I had never tried paella.)
  6. Explaining reasons for past situations “Estaba cansado porque habĂ­a trabajado toda la noche.” (I was tired because I had worked all night.)
  7. In conditional sentences about the past “Si hubieras llegado antes, habrĂ­as visto el espectáculo.” (If you had arrived earlier, you would have seen the show.)
  8. Describing unfulfilled wishes or intentions in the past “HabĂ­a querido visitar el museo, pero estaba cerrado.” (I had wanted to visit the museum, but it was closed.)
  9. Emphasizing the completion of an action before another “Para cuando sonĂł la alarma, el ladrĂłn ya habĂ­a escapado.” (By the time the alarm went off, the thief had already escaped.)
  10. In reported speech for actions that were in the past perfect in direct speech “Juan dijo que habĂ­a terminado su trabajo antes de la reuniĂłn.” (Juan said he had finished his work before the meeting.)

The Past Perfect is crucial for establishing a sequence of events in the past and providing background information in narratives. It helps to create a more complex and nuanced understanding of past events in Spanish.



Future Perfect

The Future Perfect (Futuro Compuesto) is used to express actions that will have been completed at a specific point in the future. It’s formed using the future tense of the auxiliary verb “haber” plus the past participle of the main verb.

Formation
Subject Pronoun Future Tense of “Haber” Past Participle Examples
-AR verbs: -ado (e.g., hablado - spoken)
-ER verbs: -ido (e.g., comido - eaten)
-IR verbs: -ido (e.g., vivido - lived)
Yo habré habré hablado, habré comido, habré vivido
Tú habrás habrás hablado, habrás comido, habrás vivido
Él/Ella/Usted habrá habrá hablado, habrá comido, habrá vivido
Nosotros/as habremos habremos hablado, habremos comido, habremos vivido
Vosotros/as habréis habréis hablado, habréis comido, habréis vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habrán habrán hablado, habrán comido, habrán vivido
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER/-IR verbs (e.g., comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo habré hablado habré comido/vivido
Tú habrás hablado habrás comido/vivido
Él/Ella/Usted habrá hablado habrá comido/vivido
Nosotros/as habremos hablado habremos comido/vivido
Vosotros/as habréis hablado habréis comido/vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habrán hablado habrán comido/vivido
Irregular Past Participles

The same irregular past participles used in other compound tenses are used here:

Verb Meaning Irregular Past Participle
Abrir to open abierto
Decir to say dicho
Escribir to write escrito
Hacer to do/make hecho
Poner to put puesto
Ver to see visto
Volver to return vuelto
Uses and Examples
  1. Actions that will be completed by a certain point in the future “Para el prĂłximo mes, habrĂ© terminado mi tesis.” (By next month, I will have finished my thesis.)
  2. Predictions or assumptions about past events “A estas horas, ya habrán llegado a su destino.” (By this time, they will have arrived at their destination.)
  3. Expressing probability about past events “Habrá salido temprano para llegar a tiempo.” (He must have left early to arrive on time.)
  4. In conditional sentences about the future “Si todo va bien, para el año que viene habremos ahorrado suficiente dinero.” (If everything goes well, by next year we will have saved enough money.)
  5. Describing accomplishments by a future date “Cuando me jubile, habrĂ© trabajado en esta empresa durante 40 años.” (When I retire, I will have worked in this company for 40 years.)
  6. Expressing doubts or questions about future completed actions “ÂżCrees que habrán resuelto el problema para mañana?” (Do you think they will have solved the problem by tomorrow?)
  7. In time clauses with “cuando” (when) referring to the future “Cuando hayamos terminado el proyecto, habremos aprendido mucho.” (When we have finished the project, we will have learned a lot.)
  8. Speculating about past events from a future perspective “Para cuando lleguemos, el concierto ya habrá empezado.” (By the time we arrive, the concert will have already started.)
  9. Expressing completed duration in the future “En diciembre, habremos vivido aquĂ­ durante diez años.” (In December, we will have lived here for ten years.)
  10. In reported speech for future perfect statements “Dice que para el viernes habrá entregado el informe.” (He says that by Friday he will have submitted the report.)

The Future Perfect is useful for discussing completed actions in the future and for making assumptions about past events from a future perspective. It adds a layer of complexity to future expressions in Spanish, allowing for more nuanced communication about upcoming events and their completion.



Conditional Perfect

The Conditional Perfect (Condicional Compuesto) is used to express hypothetical actions or situations in the past, or to indicate probability about past events. It’s formed using the conditional tense of the auxiliary verb “haber” plus the past participle of the main verb.

Formation
Subject Pronoun Conditional Tense of “Haber” Past Participle Examples
-AR verbs: -ado (e.g., hablado - spoken)
-ER verbs: -ido (e.g., comido - eaten)
-IR verbs: -ido (e.g., vivido - lived)
Yo habrĂ­a habrĂ­a hablado, habrĂ­a comido, habrĂ­a vivido
TĂş habrĂ­as habrĂ­as hablado, habrĂ­as comido, habrĂ­as vivido
Él/Ella/Usted habría habría hablado, habría comido, habría vivido
Nosotros/as habrĂ­amos habrĂ­amos hablado, habrĂ­amos comido, habrĂ­amos vivido
Vosotros/as habrĂ­ais habrĂ­ais hablado, habrĂ­ais comido, habrĂ­ais vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habrĂ­an habrĂ­an hablado, habrĂ­an comido, habrĂ­an vivido
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER/-IR verbs (e.g., comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo habrĂ­a hablado habrĂ­a comido/vivido
TĂş habrĂ­as hablado habrĂ­as comido/vivido
Él/Ella/Usted habría hablado habría comido/vivido
Nosotros/as habrĂ­amos hablado habrĂ­amos comido/vivido
Vosotros/as habrĂ­ais hablado habrĂ­ais comido/vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes habrĂ­an hablado habrĂ­an comido/vivido
Irregular Past Participles

The same irregular past participles used in other compound tenses are used here:

Verb Meaning Irregular Past Participle
Abrir to open abierto
Decir to say dicho
Escribir to write escrito
Hacer to do/make hecho
Poner to put puesto
Ver to see visto
Volver to return vuelto
Uses and Examples
  1. Expressing hypothetical situations in the past “Si hubiera tenido más tiempo, habrĂ­a terminado el proyecto.” (If I had had more time, I would have finished the project.)
  2. Indicating probability or speculation about past events “Para entonces, ya habrĂ­an llegado a casa.” (By then, they would have already arrived home.)
  3. Expressing regret or criticism about past actions “HabrĂ­as aprobado el examen si hubieras estudiado más.” (You would have passed the exam if you had studied more.)
  4. Polite expressions of past desires or intentions “Me habrĂ­a gustado asistir a tu boda.” (I would have liked to attend your wedding.)
  5. Reported speech for conditional statements about the past “Dijo que habrĂ­a venido si lo hubiera sabido.” (He said he would have come if he had known.)
  6. Expressing doubt about past actions “No sĂ© si habrĂ­an aceptado la oferta.” (I don’t know if they would have accepted the offer.)
  7. Describing imaginary scenarios in the past “Si hubiĂ©ramos ganado la loterĂ­a, habrĂ­amos viajado por todo el mundo.” (If we had won the lottery, we would have traveled around the world.)
  8. Softening statements about past events “HabrĂ­a sido mejor que hubieras venido.” (It would have been better if you had come.)
  9. Expressing missed opportunities “HabrĂ­as disfrutado mucho de la fiesta si hubieras venido.” (You would have enjoyed the party a lot if you had come.)
  10. In complex conditional sentences “Si hubieras llegado a tiempo, habrĂ­amos podido tomar el tren.” (If you had arrived on time, we would have been able to catch the train.)

The Conditional Perfect is particularly useful for discussing hypothetical situations in the past and for speculating about past events. It’s often used in conjunction with the Pluperfect Subjunctive (PretĂ©rito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo) in if-clauses to form complex conditional sentences about the past.

This tense adds a layer of nuance to discussions about past events, allowing speakers to express regret, speculation, and hypothetical scenarios with precision in Spanish.



Present Subjunctive

The Present Subjunctive (Presente de Subjuntivo) is used to express doubt, emotion, wishes, or uncertainty about actions in the present or future. It’s also used in certain dependent clauses after specific conjunctions or expressions.

Formation

To form the Present Subjunctive, start with the yo form of the present indicative, drop the -o, and add the following endings:

Subject Pronoun -AR verbs Ending -ER / -IR verbs Ending
Yo -e -a
TĂş -es -as
Él/Ella/Usted -e -a
Nosotros/as -emos -amos
Vosotros/as -éis -áis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes -en -an
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun Hablar (to speak) Comer (to eat) Vivir (to live)
Yo hable coma viva
TĂş hables comas vivas
Él/Ella/Usted hable coma viva
Nosotros/as hablemos comamos vivamos
Vosotros/as habléis comáis viváis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablen coman vivan
Common Irregular Verbs
Subject Pronoun Ser (to be) Estar (to be) Ir (to go) Haber (to have) Saber (to know)
Yo sea esté vaya haya sepa
Tú seas estés vayas hayas sepas
Él/Ella/Usted sea esté vaya haya sepa
Nosotros/as seamos estemos vayamos hayamos sepamos
Vosotros/as seáis estéis vayáis hayáis sepáis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes sean estén vayan hayan sepan
Uses and Examples
  1. After expressions of doubt or uncertainty “No creo que llueva hoy.” (I don’t think it will rain today.)
  2. With impersonal expressions “Es importante que estudies todos los dĂ­as.” (It’s important that you study every day.)
  3. To express wishes or hopes “Espero que tengas un buen dĂ­a.” (I hope you have a good day.)
  4. After expressions of emotion “Me alegro de que hayas venido.” (I’m glad that you’ve come.)
  5. With certain conjunctions (para que, a menos que, antes de que, etc.) “Te lo explico para que lo entiendas mejor.” (I’m explaining it to you so that you understand it better.)
  6. In relative clauses describing something unknown or nonexistent “Busco un trabajo que sea interesante.” (I’m looking for a job that is interesting.)
  7. After “ojalá” (meaning “I hope” or “If only”) “Ojalá venga pronto.” (I hope he/she comes soon.)
  8. In polite commands or suggestions “Sugiero que vayamos al cine.” (I suggest we go to the cinema.)
  9. After expressions of denial “No es verdad que sepa hablar chino.” (It’s not true that I know how to speak Chinese.)
  10. With impersonal expressions of necessity “Es necesario que todos participen.” (It’s necessary that everyone participates.)
  11. After certain verbs expressing influence or preference “Prefiero que vengas mañana.” (I prefer that you come tomorrow.)
  12. In temporal clauses referring to the future “Cuando llegues a casa, llámame.” (When you arrive home, call me.)

Remember, the subjunctive is used to express subjectivity, uncertainty, or emotions, while the indicative is used for objective facts or certainties. Mastering the use of the subjunctive is crucial for advanced Spanish communication, as it allows for more nuanced expression of thoughts and feelings.



Imperfect Subjunctive

The Imperfect Subjunctive (PretĂ©rito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo) is used in many of the same contexts as the Present Subjunctive, but it’s used when the main clause is in the past tense or conditional. It’s also used in hypothetical situations and polite requests.

Formation

There are two forms of the Imperfect Subjunctive, both equally correct and interchangeable:

  1. -ra form (more common)
  2. -se form (more formal or literary)

To form the Imperfect Subjunctive, start with the third-person plural (ellos/ellas) form of the preterite, remove the -ron ending, and add:

Subject Pronoun -ra Form Ending -se Form Ending
Yo -ra -se
TĂş -ras -ses
Él/Ella/Usted -ra -se
Nosotros/as -ramos -semos
Vosotros/as -rais -seis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes -ran -sen
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun Hablar (to speak) Comer (to eat) Vivir (to live)
Yo hablara / hablase comiera / comiese viviera / viviese
TĂş hablaras / hablases comieras / comieses vivieras / vivieses
Él/Ella/Usted hablara / hablase comiera / comiese viviera / viviese
Nosotros/as habláramos / hablásemos comiéramos / comiésemos viviéramos / viviésemos
Vosotros/as hablarais / hablaseis comierais / comieseis vivierais / vivieseis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablaran / hablasen comieran / comiesen vivieran / viviesen
Common Irregular Verbs
Verb Meaning -ra Form / -se Form
Ser/Ir to be / to go fuera / fuese
Estar to be estuviera / estuviese
Haber to have hubiera / hubiese
Tener to have tuviera / tuviese
Hacer to do/make hiciera / hiciese
Uses and Examples
  1. In conditional sentences (if clauses) “Si tuviera/tuviese más tiempo, estudiarĂ­a más.” (If I had more time, I would study more.)
  2. After expressions of emotion, doubt, or denial in the past “Dudaba que llegara/llegase a tiempo.” (I doubted that he would arrive on time.)
  3. In polite requests or suggestions “Me gustarĂ­a que vinieras/vinieses a la fiesta.” (I would like you to come to the party.)
  4. With “ojalá” for wishes about the present or future “Ojalá nevara/nevase mañana.” (If only it would snow tomorrow.)
  5. In reported speech when the main verb is in the past “Me pidiĂł que le ayudara/ayudase con la tarea.” (He asked me to help him with the homework.)
  6. After certain conjunctions in past contexts “Lo hice para que Ă©l lo entendiera/entendiese.” (I did it so that he would understand.)
  7. In relative clauses describing something unknown or nonexistent in the past “Buscaba un libro que tratara/tratase sobre la historia de España.” (I was looking for a book that dealt with the history of Spain.)
  8. To express hypothetical situations “Aunque lloviera/lloviese, irĂ­amos al parque.” (Even if it rained, we would go to the park.)
  9. After impersonal expressions in the past “Era importante que todos participaran/participasen.” (It was important that everyone participated.)
  10. In temporal clauses referring to the future from a past perspective “EsperĂ© hasta que llegara/llegase.” (I waited until he arrived.)
  11. To soften statements or make them less direct “Quisiera/Quisiese pedirte un favor.” (I would like to ask you a favor.)
  12. In contrary-to-fact statements about the present “Si yo fuera/fuese rico, viajarĂ­a por todo el mundo.” (If I were rich, I would travel around the world.)

The Imperfect Subjunctive is crucial for expressing complex ideas, hypothetical situations, and polite requests in Spanish. It’s often used in combination with the conditional tense to form more sophisticated sentence structures.



Present Perfect Subjunctive

The Present Perfect Subjunctive (PretĂ©rito Perfecto de Subjuntivo) is used to express doubt, emotion, or uncertainty about actions that have been completed in the recent past or that have a connection to the present. It’s formed using the present subjunctive of the auxiliary verb “haber” plus the past participle of the main verb.

Formation
Subject Pronoun Haber (Present Subjunctive) Past Participle
Yo haya -AR verbs: -ado (hablado)
TĂş hayas -ER/-IR verbs: -ido (comido, vivido)
Él/Ella/Usted haya
Nosotros/as hayamos
Vosotros/as hayáis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hayan
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER/-IR verbs (e.g., comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo haya hablado haya comido/vivido
TĂş hayas hablado hayas comido/vivido
Él/Ella/Usted haya hablado haya comido/vivido
Nosotros/as hayamos hablado hayamos comido/vivido
Vosotros/as hayáis hablado hayáis comido/vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hayan hablado hayan comido/vivido
Irregular Past Participles

Some verbs have irregular past participles:

Verb Meaning Irregular Past Participle
Abrir to open abierto
Decir to say dicho
Escribir to write escrito
Hacer to do/make hecho
Poner to put puesto
Ver to see visto
Volver to return vuelto
Uses and Examples
  1. Expressing doubt about completed actions “No creo que haya terminado el informe.” (I don’t think he has finished the report.)
  2. After expressions of emotion about recent events “Me alegro de que hayas aprobado el examen.” (I’m glad that you have passed the exam.)
  3. In temporal clauses referring to the future, but for completed actions “Cuando haya terminado mis estudios, buscarĂ© trabajo.” (When I have finished my studies, I’ll look for a job.)
  4. With impersonal expressions about completed actions “Es posible que hayan llegado ya.” (It’s possible that they have already arrived.)
  5. In relative clauses describing something uncertain “Busco a alguien que haya vivido en el extranjero.” (I’m looking for someone who has lived abroad.)
  6. After certain conjunctions (antes de que, en caso de que, etc.) “En caso de que haya ocurrido un error, avĂ­same.” (In case an error has occurred, let me know.)
  7. Expressing wishes about the recent past “Ojalá haya nevado en la montaña.” (I hope it has snowed in the mountains.)
  8. In polite expressions or requests about completed actions “Espero que hayan disfrutado de la cena.” (I hope you have enjoyed the dinner.)
  9. After expressions of denial about recent events “No es verdad que haya dicho eso.” (It’s not true that I have said that.)
  10. In reported speech for recent events “Dice que no cree que hayamos estudiado lo suficiente.” (He says he doesn’t think we have studied enough.)
  11. With superlatives referring to completed experiences “Es el mejor libro que haya leĂ­do jamás.” (It’s the best book I have ever read.)
  12. Expressing uncertainty about recent news or information “No estoy seguro de que se haya firmado el acuerdo.” (I’m not sure if the agreement has been signed.)

The Present Perfect Subjunctive is useful for discussing recent or completed actions in contexts of doubt, emotion, or uncertainty. It allows for more nuanced expression when talking about events that may or may not have occurred in the recent past or that have relevance to the present moment.



Past Perfect Subjunctive

The Past Perfect Subjunctive (PretĂ©rito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo) also known as the Pluperfect Subjunctive, is used to express hypothetical situations in the past or to talk about actions that might have occurred before another past action. It’s formed using the imperfect subjunctive of the auxiliary verb “haber” plus the past participle of the main verb.

Formation
Subject Pronoun Haber (Imperfect Subjunctive) Past Participle
-ra Form / -se Form
Yo hubiera / hubiese -AR verbs: -ado (hablado)
TĂş hubieras / hubieses -ER/-IR verbs: -ido (comido, vivido)
Él/Ella/Usted hubiera / hubiese
Nosotros/as hubiéramos / hubiésemos
Vosotros/as hubierais / hubieseis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hubieran / hubiesen
Regular Verbs
Subject Pronoun -AR verbs (e.g., hablar - to speak) -ER/-IR verbs (e.g., comer - to eat, vivir - to live)
Yo hubiera/hubiese hablado hubiera/hubiese comido/vivido
TĂş hubieras/hubieses hablado hubieras/hubieses comido/vivido
Él/Ella/Usted hubiera/hubiese hablado hubiera/hubiese comido/vivido
Nosotros/as hubiéramos/hubiésemos hablado hubiéramos/hubiésemos comido/vivido
Vosotros/as hubierais/hubieseis hablado hubierais/hubieseis comido/vivido
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hubieran/hubiesen hablado hubieran/hubiesen comido/vivido
Uses and Examples
  1. Expressing hypothetical situations in the past “Si hubiera/hubiese estudiado más, habrĂ­a aprobado el examen.” (If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.)
  2. Expressing regret or criticism about past actions “Ojalá hubiera/hubiese ahorrado más dinero.” (If only I had saved more money.)
  3. In polite expressions about past events “Me habrĂ­a gustado que hubieras/hubieses venido a la fiesta.” (I would have liked it if you had come to the party.)
  4. After certain expressions of emotion about past events “Lamentaba que no hubieran/hubiesen llegado a tiempo.” (He regretted that they hadn’t arrived on time.)
  5. In reported speech for past perfect subjunctive statements “Dijo que dudaba que hubiĂ©ramos/hubiĂ©semos terminado el proyecto.” (He said he doubted we had finished the project.)
  6. With impersonal expressions about past events “Era imposible que hubiera/hubiese ocurrido asĂ­.” (It was impossible that it had happened like that.)
  7. In complex conditional sentences about the past “Si me lo hubieras/hubieses dicho, te habrĂ­a ayudado.” (If you had told me, I would have helped you.)
  8. Expressing wishes about past events “DesearĂ­a que hubiera/hubiese nevado en Navidad.” (I wish it had snowed on Christmas.)
  9. After certain conjunctions in past contexts “Lo hice como si hubiera/hubiese sido un experto.” (I did it as if I had been an expert.)
  10. To express doubt about past actions “No creĂ­a que hubieran/hubiesen terminado tan pronto.” (I didn’t believe they had finished so soon.)
  11. In temporal clauses referring to hypothetical past situations “Antes de que hubiera/hubiese ocurrido el accidente, todo estaba tranquilo.” (Before the accident had occurred, everything was calm.)
  12. To soften statements about past events “Hubiera/Hubiese preferido no mencionarlo.” (I would have preferred not to mention it.)

The Past Perfect Subjunctive is crucial for discussing hypothetical situations in the past and for expressing complex ideas about events that didn’t occur. It’s often used in conjunction with the conditional perfect tense to form sophisticated conditional sentences about the past.