tardar — Spanish conjugation
to take time
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 |
|---|---|
| yo | tardo |
| tú | tardas |
| vos | tardás |
| él/ella/Ud. | tarda |
| nosotros | tardamos |
| vosotros | tardáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tardan |
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 |
|---|---|
| yo | tardé |
| tú | tardaste |
| vos | tardaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | tardó |
| nosotros | tardamos |
| vosotros | tardasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tardaron |
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 | tardaba |
| tú | tardabas |
| vos | tardabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | tardaba |
| nosotros | tardábamos |
| vosotros | tardabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tardaban |
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 |
|---|---|
| yo | tardaría |
| tú | tardarías |
| vos | tardarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | tardaría |
| nosotros | tardaríamos |
| vosotros | tardaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tardarían |
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 |
|---|---|
| yo | tardaré |
| tú | tardarás |
| vos | tardarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | tardará |
| nosotros | tardaremos |
| vosotros | tardaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tardarán |
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 |
|---|---|
| yo | he tardado |
| tú | has tardado |
| vos | has tardado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha tardado |
| nosotros | hemos tardado |
| vosotros | habéis tardado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han tardado |
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 |
|---|---|
| yo | había tardado |
| tú | habías tardado |
| vos | habías tardado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había tardado |
| nosotros | habíamos tardado |
| vosotros | habíais tardado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían tardado |
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 tardado |
| tú | habrías tardado |
| vos | habrías tardado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría tardado |
| nosotros | habríamos tardado |
| vosotros | habríais tardado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían tardado |
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 |
|---|---|
| yo | habré tardado |
| tú | habrás tardado |
| vos | habrás tardado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá tardado |
| nosotros | habremos tardado |
| vosotros | habréis tardado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán tardado |
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 | tarde |
| tú | tardes |
| vos | tardes |
| él/ella/Ud. | tarde |
| nosotros | tardemos |
| vosotros | tardéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tarden |
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 | tardara |
| tú | tardaras |
| vos | tardaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | tardara |
| nosotros | tardáramos |
| vosotros | tardarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tardaran |
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 | tardase |
| tú | tardases |
| vos | tardases |
| él/ella/Ud. | tardase |
| nosotros | tardásemos |
| vosotros | tardaseis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tardasen |
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 tardado |
| tú | hayas tardado |
| vos | hayas tardado |
| él/ella/Ud. | haya tardado |
| nosotros | hayamos tardado |
| vosotros | hayáis tardado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hayan tardado |
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 tardado |
| tú | hubieras tardado |
| vos | hubieras tardado |
| él/ella/Ud. | hubiera tardado |
| nosotros | hubiéramos tardado |
| vosotros | hubierais tardado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hubieran tardado |
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 | tarda |
| vos | tardá |
| él/ella/Ud. | tarde |
| nosotros | tardemos |
| vosotros | tardad |
| ustedes | tarden |
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 tardes |
| vos | no tardes |
| él/ella/Ud. | no tarde |
| nosotros | no tardemos |
| vosotros | no tardéis |
| ustedes | no tarden |
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 tardando |
| tú | estás tardando |
| vos | estás tardando |
| él/ella/Ud. | está tardando |
| nosotros | estamos tardando |
| vosotros | estáis tardando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | están tardando |
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 tardando |
| tú | estuviste tardando |
| vos | estuviste tardando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estuvo tardando |
| nosotros | estuvimos tardando |
| vosotros | estuvisteis tardando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estuvieron tardando |
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 tardando |
| tú | estabas tardando |
| vos | estabas tardando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estaba tardando |
| nosotros | estábamos tardando |
| vosotros | estabais tardando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estaban tardando |
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 tardando |
| tú | estarías tardando |
| vos | estarías tardando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estaría tardando |
| nosotros | estaríamos tardando |
| vosotros | estaríais tardando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estarían tardando |
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 tardando |
| tú | estarás tardando |
| vos | estarás tardando |
| él/ella/Ud. | estará tardando |
| nosotros | estaremos tardando |
| vosotros | estaréis tardando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estarán tardando |