separarse — Spanish conjugation

to separate oneself

RegularReflexiveseparar → separarse

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 separo
te separas
voste separás
él/ella/Ud.se separa
nosotrosnos separamos
vosotrosos separáis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separan

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 separé
te separaste
voste separaste
él/ella/Ud.se separó
nosotrosnos separamos
vosotrosos separasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separaron

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 separaba
te separabas
voste separabas
él/ella/Ud.se separaba
nosotrosnos separábamos
vosotrosos separabais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separaban

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 separaría
te separarías
voste separarías
él/ella/Ud.se separaría
nosotrosnos separaríamos
vosotrosos separaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separarían

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 separaré
te separarás
voste separarás
él/ella/Ud.se separará
nosotrosnos separaremos
vosotrosos separaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separarán

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

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

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

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

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 separe
te separes
voste separes
él/ella/Ud.se separe
nosotrosnos separemos
vosotrosos separéis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separen

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 separara
te separaras
voste separaras
él/ella/Ud.se separara
nosotrosnos separáramos
vosotrosos separarais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separaran

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 separase
te separases
voste separases
él/ella/Ud.se separase
nosotrosnos separásemos
vosotrosos separaseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se separasen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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