quejarse — Spanish conjugation

to complain

RegularReflexivequejar → quejarse

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 quejo
te quejas
voste quejás
él/ella/Ud.se queja
nosotrosnos quejamos
vosotrosos quejáis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejan

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 quejé
te quejaste
voste quejaste
él/ella/Ud.se quejó
nosotrosnos quejamos
vosotrosos quejasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejaron

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 quejaba
te quejabas
voste quejabas
él/ella/Ud.se quejaba
nosotrosnos quejábamos
vosotrosos quejabais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejaban

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 quejaría
te quejarías
voste quejarías
él/ella/Ud.se quejaría
nosotrosnos quejaríamos
vosotrosos quejaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejarían

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 quejaré
te quejarás
voste quejarás
él/ella/Ud.se quejará
nosotrosnos quejaremos
vosotrosos quejaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejarán

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

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

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

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

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 queje
te quejes
voste quejes
él/ella/Ud.se queje
nosotrosnos quejemos
vosotrosos quejéis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejen

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 quejara
te quejaras
voste quejaras
él/ella/Ud.se quejara
nosotrosnos quejáramos
vosotrosos quejarais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejaran

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 quejase
te quejases
voste quejases
él/ella/Ud.se quejase
nosotrosnos quejásemos
vosotrosos quejaseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se quejasen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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