formar — Spanish conjugation
to form
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
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | formo | I form |
| tú | formas | you form |
| vos | formás | you form |
| él/ella/Ud. | forma | he/she/it forms |
| nosotros | formamos | we form |
| vosotros | formáis | you (pl.) form |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | forman | they form |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | formé | I formed |
| tú | formaste | you formed |
| vos | formaste | you formed |
| él/ella/Ud. | formó | he/she/it formed |
| nosotros | formamos | we formed |
| vosotros | formasteis | you (pl.) formed |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formaron | they formed |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | formaba |
| tú | formabas |
| vos | formabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | formaba |
| nosotros | formábamos |
| vosotros | formabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formaban |
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?
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | formaría | I would form |
| tú | formarías | you would form |
| vos | formarías | you would form |
| él/ella/Ud. | formaría | he/she/it would form |
| nosotros | formaríamos | we would form |
| vosotros | formaríais | you (pl.) would form |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formarían | they would form |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | formaré | I will form |
| tú | formarás | you will form |
| vos | formarás | you will form |
| él/ella/Ud. | formará | he/she/it will form |
| nosotros | formaremos | we will form |
| vosotros | formaréis | you (pl.) will form |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formarán | they will form |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | he formado | I have formed |
| tú | has formado | you have formed |
| vos | has formado | you have formed |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha formado | he/she/it has formed |
| nosotros | hemos formado | we have formed |
| vosotros | habéis formado | you (pl.) have formed |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han formado | they have formed |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | había formado | I had formed |
| tú | habías formado | you had formed |
| vos | habías formado | you had formed |
| él/ella/Ud. | había formado | he/she/it had formed |
| nosotros | habíamos formado | we had formed |
| vosotros | habíais formado | you (pl.) had formed |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían formado | they had formed |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | habría formado |
| tú | habrías formado |
| vos | habrías formado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría formado |
| nosotros | habríamos formado |
| vosotros | habríais formado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían formado |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | habré formado | I will have formed |
| tú | habrás formado | you will have formed |
| vos | habrás formado | you will have formed |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá formado | he/she/it will have formed |
| nosotros | habremos formado | we will have formed |
| vosotros | habréis formado | you (pl.) will have formed |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán formado | they will have formed |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | forme |
| tú | formes |
| vos | formes |
| él/ella/Ud. | forme |
| nosotros | formemos |
| vosotros | forméis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formen |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | formara |
| tú | formaras |
| vos | formaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | formara |
| nosotros | formáramos |
| vosotros | formarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formaran |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | formase |
| tú | formases |
| vos | formases |
| él/ella/Ud. | formase |
| nosotros | formásemos |
| vosotros | formaseis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | formasen |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | haya formado |
| tú | hayas formado |
| vos | hayas formado |
| él/ella/Ud. | haya formado |
| nosotros | hayamos formado |
| vosotros | hayáis formado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hayan formado |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiera formado |
| tú | hubieras formado |
| vos | hubieras formado |
| él/ella/Ud. | hubiera formado |
| nosotros | hubiéramos formado |
| vosotros | hubierais formado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hubieran formado |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| tú | forma |
| vos | formá |
| él/ella/Ud. | forme |
| nosotros | formemos |
| vosotros | formad |
| ustedes | formen |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| tú | no formes |
| vos | no formes |
| él/ella/Ud. | no forme |
| nosotros | no formemos |
| vosotros | no forméis |
| ustedes | no formen |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | estoy formando |
| tú | estás formando |
| vos | estás formando |
| él/ella/Ud. | está formando |
| nosotros | estamos formando |
| vosotros | estáis formando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | están formando |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | estuve formando |
| tú | estuviste formando |
| vos | estuviste formando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estuvo formando |
| nosotros | estuvimos formando |
| vosotros | estuvisteis formando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estuvieron formando |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | estaba formando |
| tú | estabas formando |
| vos | estabas formando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estaba formando |
| nosotros | estábamos formando |
| vosotros | estabais formando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estaban formando |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | estaría formando |
| tú | estarías formando |
| vos | estarías formando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estaría formando |
| nosotros | estaríamos formando |
| vosotros | estaríais formando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estarían formando |
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
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | estaré formando |
| tú | estarás formando |
| vos | estarás formando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estará formando |
| nosotros | estaremos formando |
| vosotros | estaréis formando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estarán formando |