Are you ready to sing your way through Spanish? Check out this grammar guide for the “cantar” conjugation in Spanish!

Cantar is the Spanish verb for “to sing”.It is a regular AR verb, which means it follows the usual structure. Whether you’re aiming to belt out your favorite Spanish songs or simply want to sound more fluent, mastering the conjugation of “cantar” is key.

In today’s blog post, you’ll learn all about the verb conjugation for “Cantar” in the different modes of Indicative, Subjunctive, and Imperative!

Are you ready? Let’s start learning!

Read more: THE 150 MOST COMMON SPANISH VERBS (IRREGULAR + REGULAR)

“Cantar” Conjugation in Spanish Indicative / Indicativo

The indicative tense (el modo indicativo) is one of the three grammatical moods used to express different attitudes or purposes in speech. The indicative mood is used to make factual statements, ask questions, and express opinions about actions or events that are considered real or certain.

Present Tense Cantar Conjugation / Presente

The present tense is used to describe actions happening in the present or to express general truths or habitual actions.

Yo	Canto
Tú	Cantas
Él/Ella/Usted	Canta
Nosotros	Cantamos
Vosotros	Cantáis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Cantan

Examples:

1. Tú cantas muy bien en la ducha. (You sing very well in the shower.)
2. Yo canto en el coro de la iglesia. (I sing in the church choir.)
3. Nosotros cantamos juntos en la fiesta. (We sing together at the party.)

Simple Past Cantar Conjugation / Pasado 

The simple past tense (preterite) is used to describe completed actions in the past, often with specific time frames or events.

Yo	Canté
Tú	Cantaste
Él/Ella/Usted	Cantó
Nosotros	Cantamos
Vosotros	Cantasteis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Cantaron

Examples:

1. Ayer canté mi canción favorita en el concierto. (Yesterday, I sang my favorite song at the concert.)
2. Ellos cantaron juntos en la boda. (They sang together at the wedding.)
3. Vosotros cantasteis muy bien en el karaoke. (You all sang very well at the karaoke.)

Imperfect Cantar Conjugation / Imperfecto

Spanish imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing, repeated, or habitual actions in the past, as well as to set the stage or provide background information

Yo	Cantaba
Tú	Cantabas
Él/Ella/Usted	Cantaba
Nosotros	Cantábamos
Vosotros	Cantabais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Cantaban

Examples:

1. Cuando éramos niños, vosotros cantabais juntos en el parque. (When we were kids, you all sang together in the park.)
2. Siempre cantabas en la ducha cuando vivías en casa. (You always sang in the shower when you lived at home.)
3. Cuando era pequeña, yo cantaba canciones de Disney todo el tiempo. (When I was little, I sang Disney songs all the time.)

Present Continuous Cantar Conjugation / Presente Continuo

The present continuous tense (also known as “estar + gerundio”) is used to describe actions that are currently happening in the present moment or to express temporary situations.

Yo	Estoy cantando
Tú	Estás cantando
Él/Ella/Usted	Está cantando
Nosotros	Estamos cantando
Vosotros	Estáis cantando
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Están cantando

Examples:

1. ¡Estás cantando muy bonito! (You are singing very beautifully!)
2. Ahora estoy cantando mi canción favorita. (Right now, I am singing my favorite song.)
3. Nosotros estamos cantando juntos en el coro. (We are singing together in the choir.)

Future Tense / Futuro

The Spanish future tense is used to express actions or events that will happen in the future, indicating something that has not yet occurred.

Yo	Cantaré
Tú	Cantarás
Él/Ella/Usted	Cantará
Nosotros	Cantaremos
Vosotros	Cantaréis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Cantarán

Examples:

1. María cantará en el concierto mañana. (María will sing at the concert tomorrow.)
2. Ellos cantarían una canción especial en la boda. (They will sing a special song at the wedding.)
3. Nosotros cantaremos juntos en la fiesta de fin de año. (We will sing together at the New Year’s party.)

Conditional Cantar Conjugation / Condicional

The conditional tense is used to express hypothetical or speculative actions or events that would happen under certain conditions in the present or future.

Yo	Cantaría
Tú	Cantarías
Él/Ella/Usted	Cantaría
Nosotros	Cantaríamos
Vosotros	Cantaríais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Cantarían

Examples:

1. Yo cantaría en el concierto si tuviera tiempo. (I would sing at the concert if I had time.)
2. Tú cantarías mejor si practicases más. (You would sing better if you practiced more.)
3. Vosotros cantaríais una canción hermosa si estuvierais aquí. (You all would sing a beautiful song if you were here.)

Present Perfect / Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto

Spanish present perfect tense (also known as “pretérito perfecto compuesto”) is used to express actions that have occurred in the past but have a connection to the present, emphasizing the result or consequences of those actions.

Yo	He cantado
Tú	Has cantado
Él/Ella/Usted	Ha cantado
Nosotros	Hemos cantado
Vosotros	Habéis cantado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Han cantado

Examples:

1. Ellos han cantado muchas canciones durante el evento. (They have sung many songs during the event.)
2. Nosotros hemos cantado en todos los conciertos este año. (We have sung at all the concerts this year.)
3. Yo he cantado mi canción favorita varias veces hoy. (I have sung my favorite song several times today.)

Past Perfect Cantar Conjugation / Pretérico Pluscuamperfecto

Spanish past perfect tense (also known as “pretérito pluscuamperfecto”) is used to describe actions that occurred before another past action or event, expressing a past-in-the-past relationship.

Yo	Había cantado
Tú	Habías cantado
Él/Ella/Usted	Había cantado
Nosotros	Habíamos cantado
Vosotros	Habíais cantado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Habían cantado

Examples:

1. Antes de la fiesta, tú ya habías cantado varias canciones. (Before the party, you had already sung several songs.)
2. Cuando llegué, él ya había cantado su parte. (When I arrived, he had already sung his part.)
3. Nosotros ya habíamos cantado cuando comenzó la lluvia. (We had already sung when the rain started.)

Future Perfect / Futuro Perfecto

The Spanish future perfect tense is used to express actions that will have been completed in the future, indicating an action that will be finished before another specified future time or event.

Yo	Habré cantado
Tú	Habrás cantado
Él/Ella/Usted	Habrá cantado
Nosotros	Habremos cantado
Vosotros	Habréis cantado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Habrán cantado

Examples:

1. Para cuando lleguemos, ellos ya habrán cantado todas las canciones. (By the time we arrive, they will have sung all the songs.)
2. Mañana a esta hora, tú habrás cantado en el concierto. (By this time tomorrow, you will have sung at the concert.)
3. Para las 8 de la noche, yo habré cantado mi canción favorita. (By 8 PM, I will have sung my favorite song.)

Conditional Perfect / Condicional Perfect

The conditional perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or speculative actions that would have been completed in the past, indicating an action that would have happened prior to another past event.

Yo	Habría cantado
Tú	Habrías cantado
Él/Ella/Usted	Habría cantado
Nosotros	Habríamos cantado
Vosotros	Habríais cantado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Habrían cantado

Examples:

1. Si hubieras llegado antes, habrías cantado en el evento. (If you had arrived earlier, you would have sung at the event.)
2. Nosotros habríamos cantado si no hubiera llovido. (We would have sung if it hadn’t rained.)
3. Ellos habrían cantado en la fiesta si no estuvieran tan cansados. (They would have sung at the party if they weren’t so tired.)

“Cantar” Conjugation in Spanish Subjunctive / Subjuntivo

The subjunctive tense (el modo subjuntivo) is one of the three grammatical moods used to express different attitudes or purposes in speech. The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, emotion, and hypothetical situations.

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Present Tense / Presente

The Spanish subjunctive present tense is used to express subjective actions, desires, doubts, recommendations, or possibilities, often introduced by certain triggers such as expressions of doubt, necessity, or influence.

Yo	Cante
Tú	Cantes
Él/Ella/Usted	Cante
Nosotros	Cantemos
Vosotros	Cantéis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Canten

Examples:

1. Espero que vosotros cantéis en el concierto mañana. (I hope that you all sing at the concert tomorrow.)
2. Es importante que yo cante bien en la audición. (It’s important that I sing well in the audition.)
3. Es posible que tú cantes en el evento esta noche. (It’s possible that you sing at the event tonight.)

Imperfect / Imperfecto

This tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the past, often introduced by certain triggers such as expressions of doubt, uncertainty, or unreal conditions.

Yo	Cantara
Tú	Cantaras
Él/Ella/Usted	Cantara
Nosotros	Cantaramos
Vosotros	Cantarais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Cantaran

Examples:

1. Si tú cantaras en el coro, sería increíble. (If you sang in the choir, it would be amazing.)
2. Era importante que él cantara con emoción. (It was important that he sang with emotion.)
3. Ojalá que ellos cantaran en la fiesta el sábado. (I wish they sang at the party on Saturday.)

Present Perfect / Pretérito Perfecto

Spanish subjunctive present perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the present with a connection to the past, indicating actions that would have been completed prior to the present moment.

Yo	Haya cantado
Tú	Hayas cantado
Él/Ella/Usted	Haya cantado
Nosotros	Hayamos cantado
Vosotros	Hayáis cantado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Hayan cantado

Examples:

1. Es posible que él haya cantado en el concierto sin que lo sepamos. (It’s possible that he has sung at the concert without us knowing.)
2. Espero que hayamos cantado lo suficiente para impresionar al jurado. (I hope that we have sung enough to impress the judges.)
3. Espero que vosotros hayáis cantado con mucha energía en el concierto. (I hope that you all have sung with a lot of energy at the concert.)

Past Perfect / Pretérico Pluscuamperfecto

Spanish subjunctive past perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the past with a connection to a previous past event, indicating actions that would have been completed before that past event.

Yo	Hubiera cantado
Tú	Hubieras cantado
Él/Ella/Usted	Hubiera cantado
Nosotros	Hubiéramos cantado
Vosotros	Hubierais cantado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Hubieran cantado

Examples:

1. Si yo hubiera cantado en la audición, habría tenido más confianza. (If I had sung at the audition, I would have had more confidence.)
2. Ojalá que tú hubieras cantado en el evento, habría sido increíble. (I wish you had sung at the event, it would have been amazing.)
3. Si ellos hubieran cantado mejor, habrían ganado el concurso. (If they had sung better, they would have won the contest.)

Future Perfect / Futuro Perfecto

The future perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the future with a connection to a future event, indicating actions that would have been completed before that future event.

Yo	Hubiere cantado
Tú	Hubieres cantado
Él/Ella/Usted	Hubiere cantado
Nosotros	Hubiéremos cantado
Vosotros	Hubiereis cantado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Hubieren cantado

Examples:

1. Si tú hubieres cantado en el coro, habrías impresionado a todos. (If you had sung in the choir, you would have impressed everyone.)
2. Cuando lleguemos, ya habríamos cantado nuestra canción. (By the time we arrive, we will have already sung our song.)
3. Si ellos hubieren cantado mejor, habrían ganado el primer lugar. (If they had sung better, they would have won first place.)

“Cantar” Conjugation in Spanish Imperative / Imperativo

The imperative tense (el modo imperativo) is one of the verb moods used to express commands, orders, or requests. It is used to tell someone what to do or what not to do.

Affirmative / Afirmativos

Spanish affirmative refers to the use of positive statements or expressions that indicate agreement, confirmation, or positive response to a question or statement.

Yo	–
Tú	Canta
Él/Ella/Usted	Cante
Nosotros	Cantemos
Vosotros	Cantad
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Canten

Examples:

1. ¡Cantemos todos juntos en el coro! (Let’s sing together in the choir!)
2. Cante con más emoción, por favor. (Sing with more emotion, please.)
3. ¡Cantad esta canción con alegría! (Sing this song with joy!)

Negative / Negativos

Spanish negative refers to the use of negative statements or expressions that indicate negation, denial, or disagreement with a question or statement.

Yo	–
Tú	No cantes
Él/Ella/Usted	No cante
Nosotros	No cantemos
Vosotros	No cantéis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	No canten

Examples:

1. ¡No cantéis tan fuerte, estamos en una biblioteca! (Don’t sing so loudly, we are in a library!)
2. No cantemos ahora, es tarde. (Let’s not sing now, it’s late.)
3. No cantes en clase, por favor. (Don’t sing in class, please.)

Take Your Spanish Learning to the Next Level!

In conclusion, understanding the conjugation of the verb “Cantar” in Spanish is a fundamental step in mastering the language. 

Learning the conjugation of “Cantar” not only improves our ability to communicate effectively, but also allows us to immerse ourselves more deeply in the rich and diverse Spanish-speaking cultures. 

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