We hope you enjoy the grammar lesson for “esperar” conjugation in Spanish!

Esperar is the Spanish verb for “to wait, to hope”. It is a regular AR verb, so it follows all the AR conjugation rules for all tenses. 

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

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

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“Esperar” 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 Esperar Conjugation / Presente

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

Yo	Espero
Tú	Esperas
Él/Ella/Usted	Espera
Nosotros	Esperamos
Vosotros	Esperáis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperan

Examples:

1. Yo espero el autobús. (I wait for the bus.)
2. Tú esperas una llamada. (You wait for a call.)
3. Ustedes esperan a sus amigos. (You all wait for your friends.)

Simple Past Esperar Conjugation / Pasado 

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

Yo	Esperé
Tú	Esperaste
Él/Ella/Usted	Esperó
Nosotros	Esperamos
Vosotros	Esperasteis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperaron

Examples:

1. Tú esperaste el tren. (You waited for the train.)
2. Él esperó su turno. (He waited for their turn.)
3. Vosotros esperasteis una respuesta. (You all waited for an answer.)

Imperfect Esperar 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	Esperaba
Tú	Esperabas
Él/Ella/Usted	Esperaba
Nosotros	Esperábamos
Vosotros	Esperabais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperaban

Examples:

1. Yo esperaba buenas noticias. (I was waiting for good news.)
2. Tú esperabas el correo. (You were waiting for the mail.)
3. Nosotras esperábamos en la sala. (We were waiting in the living room.)

Present Continuous Esperar 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 esperando
Tú	Estás esperando
Él/Ella/Usted	Está esperando
Nosotros	Estamos esperando
Vosotros	Estáis esperando
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Están esperando

Examples:

1. Yo estoy esperando el autobús. (I am waiting for the bus.)
2. Usted está esperando su turno. (You are waiting for their turn.)
3. Vosotros estáis esperando una respuesta. (You all are waiting for an answer.)

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	Esperaré
Tú	Esperarás
Él/Ella/Usted	Esperará
Nosotros	Esperaremos
Vosotros	Esperaréis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperarán

Examples:

1. Tú esperarás buenas noticias. (You will wait for good news.)
2. Ellas esperarán el autobús. (They will wait for the bus.)
3. Él esperará su turno. (He will wait for their turn.)

Conditional Esperar 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	Esperaría
Tú	Esperarías
Él/Ella/Usted	Esperaría
Nosotros	Esperaríamos
Vosotros	Esperaríais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperarían

Examples:

1. Yo esperaría una llamada. (I would wait for a call.)
2. Tú esperarías el tren. (You would wait for the train.)
3. Nosotras esperaríamos en la sala. (We would wait in the living room.)

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 esperado
Tú	Has esperado
Él/Ella/Usted	Ha esperado
Nosotros	Hemos esperado
Vosotros	Habéis esperado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Han esperado

Examples:

1. Yo he esperado el autobús. (I have waited for the bus.)
2. Ella ha esperado su turno. (She has waited for their turn.)
3. Tú has esperado una respuesta. (You have waited for an answer.)

Past Perfect Esperar 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 esperado
Tú	Habías esperado
Él/Ella/Usted	Había esperado
Nosotros	Habíamos esperado
Vosotros	Habíais esperado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Habían esperado

Examples:

1. Yo había esperado el tren. (I had waited for the train.)
2. Usted había esperado el correo. (You had waited for the mail.)
3. Nosotros habíamos esperado en la sala. (We had waited in the living room.)

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 esperado
Tú	Habrás esperado
Él/Ella/Usted	Habrá esperado
Nosotros	Habremos esperado
Vosotros	Habréis esperado
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Habrán esperado

Examples:

1. Ellos habrán esperado el autobús. (They will have waited for the bus.)
2. Nosotros habremos esperado la respuesta. (We will have waited for the answer.)
3. Vosotros habréis esperado mucho tiempo. (You all will have waited a long time.)

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

Examples:

1. Tú habrías esperado el tren. (You would have waited for the train.)
2. Ellas habrían esperado el correo. (They would have waited for the mail.)
3. Nosotros habríamos esperado en la sala. (We would have waited in the living room.)

“Esperar” 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	Espere
Tú	Esperes
Él/Ella/Usted	Espere
Nosotros	Esperemos
Vosotros	Esperéis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperen

Examples:

1. Espero que yo espere pacientemente. (I hope that I wait patiently.)
2. Espero que tú esperes una respuesta. (I hope that you wait for an answer.)
3. Espero que nosotros esperemos juntos. (I hope that we wait together.)

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	Esperara
Tú	Esperaras
Él/Ella/Usted	Esperara
Nosotros	Esperaramos
Vosotros	Esperarais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperaran

Examples:

1. Ojalá que ella esperara su turno. (I wish that she waited for her turn.)
2. Ojalá que ustedes esperaran hasta mañana. (I wish that you all waited until tomorrow.)
3. Si tú esperaras un poco más, recibirías la noticia. (If you waited a little longer, you would receive the news.)

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

Examples:

1. Espero que yo haya esperado lo suficiente. (I hope that I have waited long enough.)
2. Espero que tú hayas esperado pacientemente. (I hope that you have waited patiently.)
3. Espero que vosotros hayáis esperado en el lugar correcto. (I hope that you all have waited in the right place.)

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

Examples:

1. Ojalá que yo hubiera esperado más tiempo. (I wish that I had waited longer.)
2. Ojalá que él hubiera esperado hasta el final. (I wish that he had waited until the end.)
3. Si tú hubieras esperado un poco más, habrías visto el resultado. (If you had waited a little longer, you would have seen the result.)

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

Examples:

1. Es posible que tú hubieres esperado demasiado tiempo. (It is possible that you will have waited too long.)
2. Es posible que nosotros hubiéremos esperado en vano. (It is possible that we will have waited in vain.)
3. Es posible que vosotros hubiereis esperado hasta la noche. (It is possible that you all will have waited until the evening.)

“Esperar” 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	Espera
Él/Ella/Usted	Espere
Nosotros	Esperemos
Vosotros	Esperad
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	Esperen

Examples:

1. Esperad aquí. (Wait here.)
2. Espera un momento. (Wait a moment.)
3. Esperemos juntos. (Let’s wait together.)

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 esperes
Él/Ella/Usted	No espere
Nosotros	No esperemos
Vosotros	No esperéis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	No esperen

Examples:

1. No esperemos más. (Let’s not wait any longer.)
2. No esperen aquí. (Do not wait here.)
3. No esperes afuera. (Do not wait outside.)

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

Learning the conjugation of “esperar” 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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