Spanish, with its rich history and global significance, is a language that captivates learners around the world. To truly grasp the intricacies of Spanish grammar, it is essential to understand the diverse array of Spanish tenses the language offers.
In this blog post, we will embark on an enlightening journey through all 18 Spanish tenses, exploring their formation, usage, and key examples. So, let’s dive in and unlock the secrets of Spanish verb conjugation!
Also for you: THE 150 MOST COMMON SPANISH VERBS (IRREGULAR + REGULAR)
1. Present Simple (Presente)
The Present Simple tense expresses ongoing actions, habits, and general truths. It is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the verb stem.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Hablar” |
| Yo | Hablo |
| Tú | Hablas |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habla |
| Nosotros | Hablamos |
| Vosotros | Habláis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hablan |
2. Present Continuous (Presente Progresivo)
The Present Continuous tense denotes actions happening at the present moment. It is formed using the verb “estar” (to be) as an auxiliary verb and the present participle (-ando/-iendo).
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Bailar” |
| Yo | Estoy bailando |
| Tú | Estás bailando |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Está bailando |
| Nosotros | Estamos bailando |
| Vosotros | Estáis bailando |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Están bailando |
3. Present Perfect (Pretérito Perfecto)
The Present Perfect tense expresses completed actions in the recent past or experiences. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have) and the past participle of the main verb.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Comer” |
| Yo | He comido |
| Tú | Has comido |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Ha comido |
| Nosotros | Hemos comido |
| Vosotros | Habéis comido |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Han comido |
4. Present Perfect Continuous (Pretérito Perfecto Progresivo)
The Present Perfect Continuous tense indicates ongoing actions that started in the past and continue in the present. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have), the verb “estar” (to be), and the present participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Dormir” |
| Yo | He estado durmiendo |
| Tú | Has estado durmiendo |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Ha estado durmiendo |
| Nosotros | Hemos estado durmiendo |
| Vosotros | Habéis estado durmiendo |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Han estado durmiendo |
5. Past Simple (Pretérito Indefinido)
The Past Simple tense narrates completed actions in the past. It is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the verb stem.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Hablar” |
| Yo | Hablé |
| Tú | Hablaste |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habló |
| Nosotros | Hablamos |
| Vosotros | Hablasteis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hablaron |
6. Imperfect (Pretérito Imperfecto)
The Imperfect tense describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the verb stem.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Hablar” |
| Yo | Hablaba |
| Tú | Hablabas |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Hablaba |
| Nosotros | Hablábamos |
| Vosotros | Hablabais |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hablaban |
7. Past Continuous (Pretérito Progresivo)
The Past Continuous tense denotes actions that were happening in the past at a specific moment. It is formed using the verb “estar” (to be) as an auxiliary verb and the past participle (-ando/-iendo).
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Bailar” |
| Yo | Estaba bailando |
| Tú | Estabas bailando |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Estaba bailando |
| Nosotros | Estábamos bailando |
| Vosotros | Estabais bailando |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Estaban bailando |
8. Past Perfect (Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto)
The Past Perfect tense expresses actions completed before another past event. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have) and the past participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Comer” |
| Yo | Había comido |
| Tú | Habías comido |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Había comido |
| Nosotros | Habíamos comido |
| Vosotros | Habíais comido |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habían comido |
9. Preterite Perfect (Pretérito Anterior)
The Preterite Perfect tense is a compound tense used to express completed actions in the recent past or experiences that have a connection to the present. It is formed by combining the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have) in the present tense with the past participle of the main verb.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Comprar” |
| Yo | Hube comprado |
| Tú | Hubiste comprado |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Hubo comprado |
| Nosotros | Hubimos comprado |
| Vosotros | Hubieron comprado |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hubieron comprado |
10. Past Perfect Continuous (Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto Progresivo)
The Past Perfect Continuous tense indicates ongoing actions that started and finished before another past event. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have), the verb “estar” (to be), and the past participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Dormir” |
| Yo | Había estado durmiendo |
| Tú | Habías estado durmiendo |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Había estado durmiendo |
| Nosotros | Habíamos estado durmiendo |
| Vosotros | Habíais estado durmiendo |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habían estado durmiendo |
11. Future Simple (Futuro Simple)
The Future Simple tense expresses actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the verb stem.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Hablar” |
| Yo | Hablaré |
| Tú | Hablarás |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Hablará |
| Nosotros | Hablaremos |
| Vosotros | Hablaréis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hablarán |
12. Future Continuous (Futuro Progresivo)
The Future Continuous tense describes actions that will be happening at a specific moment in the future. It is formed using the verb “estar” (to be) as an auxiliary verb and the present participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Bailar” |
| Yo | Estaré bailando |
| Tú | Estarás bailando |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Estará bailando |
| Nosotros | Estaremos bailando |
| Vosotros | Estaréis bailando |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Estarán bailando |
13. Future Perfect (Futuro Perfecto)
The Future Perfect tense expresses actions that will be completed before a specific future time. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have) and the past participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Comer” |
| Yo | Habré comido |
| Tú | Habrás comido |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habrá comido |
| Nosotros | Habremos comido |
| Vosotros | Habréis comido |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habrán comido |
14. Future Perfect Continuous (Futuro Perfecto Progresivo)
The Future Perfect Continuous tense indicates ongoing actions that will be completed before a specific future time. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have), the verb “estar” (to be), and the past participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Dormir” |
| Yo | Habré estado durmiendo |
| Tú | Habrás estado durmiendo |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habrá estado durmiendo |
| Nosotros | Habremos estado durmiendo |
| Vosotros | Habréis estado durmiendo |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habrán estado durmiendo |
15. Conditional Simple (Condicional Simple)
The Conditional Simple tense expresses hypothetical actions or events. It is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the verb stem.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Hablar” |
| Yo | Hablaría |
| Tú | Hablarías |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Hablaría |
| Nosotros | Hablaríamos |
| Vosotros | Hablaríais |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hablarían |
16. Conditional Continuous (Condicional Progresivo)
The Conditional Continuous tense describes ongoing actions that would be happening under certain conditions. It is formed using the verb “estar” (to be) as an auxiliary verb and the present participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Bailar” |
| Yo | Estaría bailando |
| Tú | Estarías bailando |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Estaría bailando |
| Nosotros | Estaríamos bailando |
| Vosotros | Estaríais bailando |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Estarían bailando |
17. Conditional Perfect (Condicional Perfecto)
The Conditional Perfect tense expresses actions that would have been completed under specific conditions. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have) and the past participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Comer” |
| Yo | Habría comido |
| Tú | Habrías comido |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habría comido |
| Nosotros | Habríamos comido |
| Vosotros | Habríais comido |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habrían comido |
18. Conditional Perfect Continuous (Condicional Perfecto Progresivo)
The Conditional Perfect Continuous tense indicates ongoing actions that would have been completed under specific conditions. It is formed using the auxiliary verb “haber” (to have), the verb “estar” (to be), and the past participle.
Example:
| Subject | Spanish “Dormir” |
| Yo | Habría estado durmiendo |
| Tú | Habrías estado durmiendo |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habría estado durmiendo |
| Nosotros | Habríamos estado durmiendo |
| Vosotros | Habríais estado durmiendo |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habrían estado durmiendo |
Let’s Practice Spanish Tenses!
Congratulations! You’ve reached the end of our comprehensive guide to all 18 Spanish tenses. By understanding the nuances and usage of each tense, you can confidently navigate conversations, comprehend Spanish literature, and express yourself fluently in the language. Remember, practice makes perfect, so make sure to apply your knowledge by engaging in conversations, reading, and writing in Spanish. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)Interested in learning Spanish? Our expert staff will get in touch within 24 hours, and you can start practicing your Spanish right away. Or sign up for a group class (online or in person) or test your level for free with our free quizzes.
