The Spanish verb "esperar" means "to wait/hope" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "esperar" across all 5 tenses. New to Spanish verbs? Start with the Spanish verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "esperar" in the Present Tense
Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | espero |
| tú | you (informal) | esperas |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | espera |
| nosotros | we | esperamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | esperáis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | esperan |
Usted espera en la fila.
You wait in the line.
How to Conjugate "esperar" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | esperé |
| tú | you (informal) | esperaste |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | esperó |
| nosotros | we | esperamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | esperasteis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | esperaron |
Él esperó una respuesta clara.
He waited for a clear answer.
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Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | esperaba |
| tú | you (informal) | esperabas |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | esperaba |
| nosotros | we | esperábamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | esperabais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | esperaban |
Ella esperaba una carta importante.
She used to wait for an important letter.
How to Conjugate "esperar" in the Future Tense
Futuro simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | esperaré |
| tú | you (informal) | esperarás |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | esperará |
| nosotros | we | esperaremos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | esperaréis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | esperarán |
Ella esperará una buena noticia.
She will hope for good news.
How to Conjugate "esperar" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional simple Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | esperaría |
| tú | you (informal) | esperarías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | esperaría |
| nosotros | we | esperaríamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | esperaríais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | esperarían |
Usted esperaría en la fila.
You would wait in the line.
Frequently Asked Questions About "esperar"
Is "esperar" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Esperar" is a regular Spanish verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "esperar" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "esperar" means "to wait/hope" in English.
How do you conjugate "esperar" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → espero, tú → esperas, él/ella/usted → espera, nosotros → esperamos, vosotros → esperáis, ellos/ustedes → esperan.
How many tenses does "esperar" have in Spanish?
"Esperar" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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