adelantarse — Spanish conjugation

to move ahead; to get ahead of (adelantarse a); to arrive early

RegularReflexiveadelantar → adelantarse

Indicative

Present (Presente) Regular

The present tense is the most versatile tense in Spanish. It covers actions happening right now, habitual actions, and even near-future plans. One form does the work of three English constructions.

Ella habla inglés — She speaks / is speaking English

PronounSpanish
yome adelanto
te adelantas
voste adelantás
él/ella/Ud.se adelanta
nosotrosnos adelantamos
vosotrosos adelantáis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelantan

Preterite (Pretérito indefinido) Regular

Used for completed past actions with a defined endpoint — a single event, a series of events, or an action that interrupted another. Common with time expressions like ayer, el lunes, una vez.

Ella habló de ti ayer — She spoke about you yesterday

PronounSpanish
yome adelanté
te adelantaste
voste adelantaste
él/ella/Ud.se adelantó
nosotrosnos adelantamos
vosotrosos adelantasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelantaron

Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto) Regular

Describes ongoing or habitual past states — what things were like, background context, what used to happen. Contrasts with the preterite which marks completed events.

Cuando era niño vivía en Valencia — When I was a child I lived in Valencia

PronounSpanish
yome adelantaba
te adelantabas
voste adelantabas
él/ella/Ud.se adelantaba
nosotrosnos adelantábamos
vosotrosos adelantabais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelantaban

Conditional (Condicional) Regular

Expresses hypothetical actions, polite requests, and what would happen under certain conditions. Also used for reported speech about the future from a past perspective.

¿Podrías ayudarme? — Could you help me?

PronounSpanish
yome adelantaría
te adelantarías
voste adelantarías
él/ella/Ud.se adelantaría
nosotrosnos adelantaríamos
vosotrosos adelantaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelantarían

Future (Futuro) Regular

Expresses future actions, predictions, and probability about the present. Formed with the full infinitive as stem for most verbs. In spoken Spanish, ir a + infinitive is often preferred for near future.

Ella hablará en conferencia mañana — She will speak at the conference tomorrow

PronounSpanish
yome adelantaré
te adelantarás
voste adelantarás
él/ella/Ud.se adelantará
nosotrosnos adelantaremos
vosotrosos adelantaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelantarán

Present perfect (Pretérito perfecto) Regular

A compound past tense linking a past action to the present moment — something that has happened and still feels recent or relevant. More common in Spain than Latin America where preterite is preferred.

Hoy he hablado con el jefe — Today I have spoken with the boss

PronounSpanish
yome he adelantado
te has adelantado
voste has adelantado
él/ella/Ud.se ha adelantado
nosotrosnos hemos adelantado
vosotrosos habéis adelantado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se han adelantado

Pluperfect (Pretérito pluscuamperfecto) Regular

The past of the past — describes an action that was already completed before another past event happened. Always implies a reference point in the past.

Ya había hablado cuando llegaste — She had already spoken when you arrived

PronounSpanish
yome había adelantado
te habías adelantado
voste habías adelantado
él/ella/Ud.se había adelantado
nosotrosnos habíamos adelantado
vosotrosos habíais adelantado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habían adelantado

Conditional perfect (Condicional perfecto) Regular

Expresses what would have happened — actions that were possible but did not occur, or regrets about the past. Formed with conditional of haber + past participle.

Habría hablado, pero no me dejaron — I would have spoken, but they did not let me

PronounSpanish
yome habría adelantado
te habrías adelantado
voste habrías adelantado
él/ella/Ud.se habría adelantado
nosotrosnos habríamos adelantado
vosotrosos habríais adelantado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrían adelantado

Future perfect (Futuro perfecto) Regular

Describes an action that will have been completed by a certain point in the future, or expresses probability about a recent past action.

Para el lunes habré terminado — By Monday I will have finished

PronounSpanish
yome habré adelantado
te habrás adelantado
voste habrás adelantado
él/ella/Ud.se habrá adelantado
nosotrosnos habremos adelantado
vosotrosos habréis adelantado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrán adelantado

Subjunctive

Present subjunctive (Subjuntivo presente) Regular

Used in subordinate clauses after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, necessity, or impersonal statements. Triggered by a change of subject between the main and subordinate clause.

Espero que hable — I hope she speaks

PronounSpanish
yome adelante
te adelantes
voste adelantes
él/ella/Ud.se adelante
nosotrosnos adelantemos
vosotrosos adelantéis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelanten

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-ra)) Regular

The past subjunctive used after past main verbs, in if-clauses with conditional, and for polite softening. The -ra form is more common in everyday speech than the -se form.

Si pudiera, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome adelantara
te adelantaras
voste adelantaras
él/ella/Ud.se adelantara
nosotrosnos adelantáramos
vosotrosos adelantarais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelantaran

Imperfect subjunctive (-se) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-se)) Regular

The alternative past subjunctive form. Interchangeable with -ra in most contexts but slightly more literary or formal. Both forms are grammatically correct in all regions.

Si pudiese, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome adelantase
te adelantases
voste adelantases
él/ella/Ud.se adelantase
nosotrosnos adelantásemos
vosotrosos adelantaseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se adelantasen

Perfect subjunctive (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

A compound subjunctive that expresses completed actions in a subjunctive context — used after present or future main verbs expressing doubt, emotion or desire.

Dudo que ya haya llegado — I doubt she has already arrived

PronounSpanish
yome haya adelantado
te hayas adelantado
voste hayas adelantado
él/ella/Ud.se haya adelantado
nosotrosnos hayamos adelantado
vosotrosos hayáis adelantado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hayan adelantado

Pluperfect subjunctive (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

Expresses what had happened in hypothetical or unreal past contexts — the subjunctive equivalent of the pluperfect. Common in contrary-to-fact past conditions.

Si hubiera hablado, lo habrían creído — If she had spoken, they would have believed her

PronounSpanish
yome hubiera adelantado
te hubieras adelantado
voste hubieras adelantado
él/ella/Ud.se hubiera adelantado
nosotrosnos hubiéramos adelantado
vosotrosos hubierais adelantado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hubieran adelantado

Other forms

Present progressive (Presente progresivo) Regular

Emphasises that an action is happening right now at this very moment. Less common than in English since the present tense already covers ongoing actions in Spanish.

Estoy hablando contigo — I am speaking with you

PronounSpanish
yome estoy adelantando
te estás adelantando
voste estás adelantando
él/ella/Ud.se está adelantando
nosotrosnos estamos adelantando
vosotrosos estáis adelantando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se están adelantando

Preterite progressive (Pretérito indefinido progresivo) Regular

Describes an action that was in progress throughout a completed past period. Uses the preterite of estar + gerund to emphasise the ongoing nature within a defined timeframe.

Estuvo hablando toda la tarde — He was talking all afternoon

PronounSpanish
yome estuve adelantando
te estuviste adelantando
voste estuviste adelantando
él/ella/Ud.se estuvo adelantando
nosotrosnos estuvimos adelantando
vosotrosos estuvisteis adelantando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estuvieron adelantando

Imperfect progressive (Pretérito imperfecto progresivo) Regular

Emphasises an ongoing background action using the imperfect of estar + gerund. Layered on top of the imperfect which already conveys continuity — used for extra emphasis on the progressive nature.

Estaba hablando cuando entró — I was speaking when he came in

PronounSpanish
yome estaba adelantando
te estabas adelantando
voste estabas adelantando
él/ella/Ud.se estaba adelantando
nosotrosnos estábamos adelantando
vosotrosos estabais adelantando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estaban adelantando

Conditional progressive (Condicional progresivo) Regular

Expresses what would be in progress under hypothetical conditions. Uses the conditional of estar + gerund. Less common but used for emphasis on the ongoing nature of a hypothetical action.

Estaría hablando ahora si pudiera — I would be speaking now if I could

PronounSpanish
yome estaría adelantando
te estarías adelantando
voste estarías adelantando
él/ella/Ud.se estaría adelantando
nosotrosnos estaríamos adelantando
vosotrosos estaríais adelantando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarían adelantando

Future progressive (Futuro progresivo) Regular

Describes an action that will be in progress at a future point, or expresses probability about an ongoing present action. Uses the future of estar + gerund.

Mañana a esta hora estaré viajando — At this time tomorrow I will be travelling

PronounSpanish
yome estaré adelantando
te estarás adelantando
voste estarás adelantando
él/ella/Ud.se estará adelantando
nosotrosnos estaremos adelantando
vosotrosos estaréis adelantando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarán adelantando