The Spanish verb "cantar" means "to sing" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "cantar" across all 5 tenses. New to Spanish verbs? Start with the Spanish verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "cantar" in the Present Tense
Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | canto |
| tú | you (informal) | cantas |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | canta |
| nosotros | we | cantamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | cantáis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | cantan |
Ella canta en el coro local.
say it EH-yah KAHN-tah
She sings in the local choir.
In other languages
- French Elle chante dans la chorale locale.
- German Sie singt im örtlichen Chor.
- Dutch Zij zingt in het plaatselijke koor.
Yo canto en la ducha siempre.
say it YOH KAHN-toh
I always sing in the shower.
In other languages
- French Je chante toujours sous la douche.
- German Ich singe immer unter der Dusche.
- Dutch Ik zing altijd onder de douche.
How to Conjugate "cantar" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | canté |
| tú | you (informal) | cantaste |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | cantó |
| nosotros | we | cantamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | cantasteis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | cantaron |
Ella cantó en la fiesta anoche.
say it kan-TOH
She sang at the party last night.
In other languages
- French Elle a chanté à la fête hier soir.
- German Sie sang gestern Abend auf der Party.
- Dutch Zij zong gisteravond op het feest.
Yo canté una canción muy bonita.
say it kan-TEH
I sang a very pretty song.
In other languages
- French J'ai chanté une très jolie chanson.
- German Ich sang ein sehr schönes Lied.
- Dutch Ik zong een heel mooi lied.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "cantar" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | cantaba |
| tú | you (informal) | cantabas |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | cantaba |
| nosotros | we | cantábamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | cantabais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | cantaban |
Ella cantaba mientras cocinaba.
say it EH-yah kan-TAH-bah
She used to sing while she cooked.
In other languages
- French Elle chantait pendant qu'elle cuisinait.
- German Sie sang früher, während sie kochte.
- Dutch Zij zong vroeger terwijl ze kookte.
Yo cantaba en el coro escolar.
say it YOH kan-TAH-bah
I used to sing in the school choir.
In other languages
- French Je chantais dans la chorale de l'école.
- German Ich sang früher im Schulchor.
- Dutch Ik zong vroeger in het schoolkoor.
How to Conjugate "cantar" in the Future Tense
Futuro simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | cantaré |
| tú | you (informal) | cantarás |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | cantará |
| nosotros | we | cantaremos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | cantaréis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | cantarán |
Ella cantará muy bien.
say it EH-yah kahn-tah-RAH
She will sing very well.
In other languages
- French Elle chantera très bien.
- German Sie wird sehr gut singen.
- Dutch Zij zal heel goed zingen.
Yo cantaré una canción hoy.
say it yo kahn-tah-REH
I will sing a song today.
In other languages
- French Je chanterai une chanson aujourd'hui.
- German Ich werde heute ein Lied singen.
- Dutch Ik zal vandaag een lied zingen.
How to Conjugate "cantar" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional simple Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | cantaría |
| tú | you (informal) | cantarías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | cantaría |
| nosotros | we | cantaríamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | cantaríais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | cantarían |
Ella cantaría en la boda mañana.
say it EH-yah kahn-TAH-ree-ah
She would sing at the wedding tomorrow.
In other languages
- French Elle chanterait au mariage demain.
- German Sie würde morgen auf der Hochzeit singen.
- Dutch Zij zou morgen op de bruiloft zingen.
Yo cantaría una canción en público.
say it yo kahn-TAH-ree-ah
I would sing a song in public.
In other languages
- French Je chanterais une chanson en public.
- German Ich würde öffentlich ein Lied singen.
- Dutch Ik zou in het openbaar een lied zingen.
Frequently Asked Questions About "cantar"
Is "cantar" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Cantar" is a regular Spanish verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "cantar" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "cantar" means "to sing" in English.
How do you conjugate "cantar" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → canto, tú → cantas, él/ella/usted → canta, nosotros → cantamos, vosotros → cantáis, ellos/ustedes → cantan.
How many tenses does "cantar" have in Spanish?
"Cantar" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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