aproximar — Spanish conjugation

to approximate

Frequency#400Regular

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

PronounSpanishEnglish
yoaproximoI approximate
aproximasyou approximate
vosaproximásyou approximate
él/ella/Ud.aproximahe/she/it approximates
nosotrosaproximamoswe approximate
vosotrosaproximáisyou (pl.) approximate
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximanthey approximate

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

PronounSpanishEnglish
yoaproximéI approximated
aproximasteyou approximated
vosaproximasteyou approximated
él/ella/Ud.aproximóhe/she/it approximated
nosotrosaproximamoswe approximated
vosotrosaproximasteisyou (pl.) approximated
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximaronthey approximated

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
yoaproximaba
aproximabas
vosaproximabas
él/ella/Ud.aproximaba
nosotrosaproximábamos
vosotrosaproximabais
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximaban

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?

PronounSpanishEnglish
yoaproximaríaI would approximate
aproximaríasyou would approximate
vosaproximaríasyou would approximate
él/ella/Ud.aproximaríahe/she/it would approximate
nosotrosaproximaríamoswe would approximate
vosotrosaproximaríaisyou (pl.) would approximate
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximaríanthey would approximate

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

PronounSpanishEnglish
yoaproximaréI will approximate
aproximarásyou will approximate
vosaproximarásyou will approximate
él/ella/Ud.aproximaráhe/she/it will approximate
nosotrosaproximaremoswe will approximate
vosotrosaproximaréisyou (pl.) will approximate
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximaránthey will approximate

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

PronounSpanishEnglish
yohe aproximadoI have approximated
has aproximadoyou have approximated
voshas aproximadoyou have approximated
él/ella/Ud.ha aproximadohe/she/it has approximated
nosotroshemos aproximadowe have approximated
vosotroshabéis aproximadoyou (pl.) have approximated
ellos/ellas/Uds.han aproximadothey have approximated

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

PronounSpanishEnglish
yohabía aproximadoI had approximated
habías aproximadoyou had approximated
voshabías aproximadoyou had approximated
él/ella/Ud.había aproximadohe/she/it had approximated
nosotroshabíamos aproximadowe had approximated
vosotroshabíais aproximadoyou (pl.) had approximated
ellos/ellas/Uds.habían aproximadothey had approximated

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
yohabría aproximado
habrías aproximado
voshabrías aproximado
él/ella/Ud.habría aproximado
nosotroshabríamos aproximado
vosotroshabríais aproximado
ellos/ellas/Uds.habrían aproximado

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

PronounSpanishEnglish
yohabré aproximadoI will have approximated
habrás aproximadoyou will have approximated
voshabrás aproximadoyou will have approximated
él/ella/Ud.habrá aproximadohe/she/it will have approximated
nosotroshabremos aproximadowe will have approximated
vosotroshabréis aproximadoyou (pl.) will have approximated
ellos/ellas/Uds.habrán aproximadothey will have approximated

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
yoaproxime
aproximes
vosaproximes
él/ella/Ud.aproxime
nosotrosaproximemos
vosotrosaproximéis
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximen

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
yoaproximara
aproximaras
vosaproximaras
él/ella/Ud.aproximara
nosotrosaproximáramos
vosotrosaproximarais
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximaran

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
yoaproximase
aproximases
vosaproximases
él/ella/Ud.aproximase
nosotrosaproximásemos
vosotrosaproximaseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.aproximasen

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
yohaya aproximado
hayas aproximado
voshayas aproximado
él/ella/Ud.haya aproximado
nosotroshayamos aproximado
vosotroshayáis aproximado
ellos/ellas/Uds.hayan aproximado

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
yohubiera aproximado
hubieras aproximado
voshubieras aproximado
él/ella/Ud.hubiera aproximado
nosotroshubiéramos aproximado
vosotroshubierais aproximado
ellos/ellas/Uds.hubieran aproximado

Other forms

Imperative (affirmative) (Imperativo afirmativo) Regular

Direct commands and instructions. The imperative only exists for tú, usted, nosotros, vosotros and ustedes — yo has no command form. Affirmative and negative forms use different conjugations.

Habla más despacio — Speak more slowly

PronounSpanish
aproxima
vosaproximá
él/ella/Ud.aproxime
nosotrosaproximemos
vosotrosaproximad
ustedesaproximen

Imperative (negative) (Imperativo negativo) Regular

Negative commands use the subjunctive forms for all persons. Formed with no + present subjunctive. This applies to all persons including tú where the affirmative uses a different form.

No hables tan rápido — Do not speak so fast

PronounSpanish
no aproximes
vosno aproximes
él/ella/Ud.no aproxime
nosotrosno aproximemos
vosotrosno aproximéis
ustedesno aproximen

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
yoestoy aproximando
estás aproximando
vosestás aproximando
él/ella/Ud.está aproximando
nosotrosestamos aproximando
vosotrosestáis aproximando
ellos/ellas/Uds.están aproximando

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
yoestuve aproximando
estuviste aproximando
vosestuviste aproximando
él/ella/Ud.estuvo aproximando
nosotrosestuvimos aproximando
vosotrosestuvisteis aproximando
ellos/ellas/Uds.estuvieron aproximando

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
yoestaba aproximando
estabas aproximando
vosestabas aproximando
él/ella/Ud.estaba aproximando
nosotrosestábamos aproximando
vosotrosestabais aproximando
ellos/ellas/Uds.estaban aproximando

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
yoestaría aproximando
estarías aproximando
vosestarías aproximando
él/ella/Ud.estaría aproximando
nosotrosestaríamos aproximando
vosotrosestaríais aproximando
ellos/ellas/Uds.estarían aproximando

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
yoestaré aproximando
estarás aproximando
vosestarás aproximando
él/ella/Ud.estará aproximando
nosotrosestaremos aproximando
vosotrosestaréis aproximando
ellos/ellas/Uds.estarán aproximando