negarse — Spanish conjugation

to refuse

IrregularReflexivenegar → negarse

Indicative

Present (Presente) Irregular

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 niego
te niegas
voste negás
él/ella/Ud.se niega
nosotrosnos negamos
vosotrosos negáis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se niegan

Preterite (Pretérito indefinido) Irregular

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 negué
te negaste
voste negaste
él/ella/Ud.se negó
nosotrosnos negamos
vosotrosos negasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se negaron

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 negaba
te negabas
voste negabas
él/ella/Ud.se negaba
nosotrosnos negábamos
vosotrosos negabais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se negaban

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 negaría
te negarías
voste negarías
él/ella/Ud.se negaría
nosotrosnos negaríamos
vosotrosos negaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se negarían

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 negaré
te negarás
voste negarás
él/ella/Ud.se negará
nosotrosnos negaremos
vosotrosos negaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se negarán

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 negado
te has negado
voste has negado
él/ella/Ud.se ha negado
nosotrosnos hemos negado
vosotrosos habéis negado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se han negado

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

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

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 negado
te habrás negado
voste habrás negado
él/ella/Ud.se habrá negado
nosotrosnos habremos negado
vosotrosos habréis negado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrán negado

Subjunctive

Present subjunctive (Subjuntivo presente) Irregular

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 niegue
te niegues
voste niegues
él/ella/Ud.se niegue
nosotrosnos neguemos
vosotrosos neguéis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se nieguen

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 negara
te negaras
voste negaras
él/ella/Ud.se negara
nosotrosnos negáramos
vosotrosos negarais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se negaran

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 negase
te negases
voste negases
él/ella/Ud.se negase
nosotrosnos negásemos
vosotrosos negaseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se negasen

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

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

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 negando
te estás negando
voste estás negando
él/ella/Ud.se está negando
nosotrosnos estamos negando
vosotrosos estáis negando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se están negando

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 negando
te estuviste negando
voste estuviste negando
él/ella/Ud.se estuvo negando
nosotrosnos estuvimos negando
vosotrosos estuvisteis negando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estuvieron negando

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

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

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 negando
te estarás negando
voste estarás negando
él/ella/Ud.se estará negando
nosotrosnos estaremos negando
vosotrosos estaréis negando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarán negando