The Spanish verb "proteger" means "to protect" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "proteger" across all 5 tenses. New to Spanish verbs? Start with the Spanish verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "proteger" in the Present Tense
Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | protejo |
| tú | you (informal) | proteges |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | protege |
| nosotros | we | protegemos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | protegéis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | protegen |
Ella protege a los animales.
say it proh-TEH-heh
She protects the animals.
In other languages
- French Elle protège les animaux.
- German Sie schützt die Tiere.
- Dutch Zij beschermt de dieren.
Yo protejo a mi familia.
say it proh-TEH-hoh
I protect my family.
In other languages
- French Je protège ma famille.
- German Ich schütze meine Familie.
- Dutch Ik bescherm mijn familie.
How to Conjugate "proteger" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | protegí |
| tú | you (informal) | protegiste |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | protegió |
| nosotros | we | protegimos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | protegisteis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | protegieron |
Ella protegió al perro pequeño.
say it proh-teh-HYOH
She protected the small dog.
In other languages
- French Elle a protégé le petit chien.
- German Sie hat den kleinen Hund geschützt.
- Dutch Zij heeft de kleine hond beschermd.
Yo protegí a mi familia.
say it proh-teh-HEE
I protected my family.
In other languages
- French J'ai protégé ma famille.
- German Ich habe meine Familie geschützt.
- Dutch Ik heb mijn familie beschermd.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "proteger" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | protegía |
| tú | you (informal) | protegías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | protegía |
| nosotros | we | protegíamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | protegíais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | protegían |
Él protegía sus secretos bien.
say it ehl proh-teh-HEE-ah
He was protecting his secrets well.
In other languages
- French Il protégeait bien ses secrets.
- German Er schützte seine Geheimnisse gut.
- Dutch Hij was zijn geheimen goed aan het beschermen.
Yo protegía a mi familia.
say it yo proh-teh-HEE-ah
I was protecting my family.
In other languages
- French Je protégeais ma famille.
- German Ich schützte meine Familie.
- Dutch Ik was mijn familie aan het beschermen.
How to Conjugate "proteger" in the Future Tense
Futuro simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | protegeré |
| tú | you (informal) | protegerás |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | protegerá |
| nosotros | we | protegeremos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | protegeréis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | protegerán |
Él protegerá sus derechos hoy.
say it proh-teh-heh-RAH
He will protect his rights today.
In other languages
- French Il protégera ses droits aujourd'hui.
- German Er wird heute seine Rechte schützen.
- Dutch Hij zal vandaag zijn rechten beschermen.
Yo protegeré a mi familia.
say it proh-teh-heh-REH
I will protect my family.
In other languages
- French Je protégerai ma famille.
- German Ich werde meine Familie schützen.
- Dutch Ik zal mijn familie beschermen.
How to Conjugate "proteger" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional simple Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | protegería |
| tú | you (informal) | protegerías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | protegería |
| nosotros | we | protegeríamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | protegeríais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | protegerían |
Él protegería los derechos humanos.
say it el proh-teh-heh-REE-ah
He would protect human rights.
In other languages
- French Il protégerait les droits de l'homme.
- German Er würde die Menschenrechte schützen.
- Dutch Hij zou de mensenrechten beschermen.
Yo protegería a mi familia.
say it yo proh-teh-heh-REE-ah
I would protect my family.
In other languages
- French Je protégerais ma famille.
- German Ich würde meine Familie schützen.
- Dutch Ik zou mijn familie beschermen.
Frequently Asked Questions About "proteger"
Is "proteger" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Proteger" is an irregular Spanish verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "proteger" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "proteger" means "to protect" in English.
How do you conjugate "proteger" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → protejo, tú → proteges, él/ella/usted → protege, nosotros → protegemos, vosotros → protegéis, ellos/ustedes → protegen.
How many tenses does "proteger" have in Spanish?
"Proteger" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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