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SPANISH VERB

aprobar

to pass an exam; to approve

  • #442 most used
  • Irregular -ar verb
  • Gerund: aprobando
  • Past participle: aprobado

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. yo I pass an exam
  2. tú you pass an exam
  3. usted, él, ella he/she passes an exam
  4. nosotros we pass an exam
  5. vosotros Spain you all pass an exam
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they pass an exam

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

  1. yo I passed an exam
  2. tú you passed an exam
  3. usted, él, ella he/she passed an exam
  4. nosotros we passed an exam
  5. vosotros Spain you all passed an exam
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they passed an exam

Imperfect

Pretérito imperfecto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. yo I used to pass an exam
  2. tú you used to pass an exam
  3. usted, él, ella he/she used to pass an exam
  4. nosotros we used to pass an exam
  5. vosotros Spain you all used to pass an exam
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they used to pass an exam

Future

Futuro · plans and promises; in speech, “voy a hablar” is just as common

  1. yo I will pass an exam
  2. tú you will pass an exam
  3. usted, él, ella he/she will pass an exam
  4. nosotros we will pass an exam
  5. vosotros Spain you all will pass an exam
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they will pass an exam

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

  1. yo I would pass an exam
  2. tú you would pass an exam
  3. usted, él, ella he/she would pass an exam
  4. nosotros we would pass an exam
  5. vosotros Spain you all would pass an exam
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas they would pass an exam

Present subjunctive

Presente de subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. yo (that) I pass an exam
  2. tú (that) you pass an exam
  3. usted, él, ella (that) he/she pass an exam
  4. nosotros (that) we pass an exam
  5. vosotros Spain (that) you all pass an exam
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas (that) they pass an exam

Past subjunctive

Imperfecto de subjuntivo · “if I were”, “si …”

  1. yo (if) I passed an exam
  2. tú (if) you passed an exam
  3. usted, él, ella (if) he/she passed an exam
  4. nosotros (if) we passed an exam
  5. vosotros Spain (if) you all passed an exam
  6. ustedes, ellos, ellas (if) they passed an exam

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders; a negative one uses the subjunctive (no hables)

  1. tú pass an exam!
  2. usted pass an exam! (formal)
  3. nosotros pass an exam! (let’s)
  4. vosotros Spain pass an exam! (all of you)
  5. ustedes pass an exam! (all of you)

How to use aprobar

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Mi hijo aprueba todo sin estudiar demasiado.

    My son passes everything without studying too much.

  2. Past

    ¡Aprobé el examen de conducir a la primera!

    I passed my driving test first time!

  3. Imperfect

    En el instituto aprobaba matemáticas por los pelos.

    At secondary school I scraped through maths.

  4. Future

    Si estudias un poco más, aprobarás seguro.

    If you study a bit more, you'll pass for sure.

  5. Conditional

    Yo aprobaría ese proyecto, me parece una buena idea.

    I'd approve that project, I think it's a good idea.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Ojalá apruebe el examen de español de mañana.

    I hope I pass tomorrow's Spanish exam.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Mis padres me prometieron una moto si aprobara todo.

    My parents promised me a motorbike if I passed everything.

  8. Imperative

    Aprueba este curso y te invito a cenar.

    Pass this course and I'll take you out to dinner.

Good to know

  • "Aprobar" is to pass; to fail is "suspender".

Where you hear aprobar

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Spanish · Advanced Level 1

  • Siempre apruebo los exámenes. I always pass the exams.
  • Iván aprobó todas las asignaturas. Ivan passed all his subjects.
  • Vas a aprobar si sigues estudiando. You're going to pass if you keep studying.

Spanish · Fluency Level 1

  • Si apruebas a la primera, invitas tú. If you pass first time, the drinks are on you.
  • Aprobé en el noventa y uno, a la primera. I passed in ninety-one, first time.
  • El año que viene aprobaré el examen nacional. Next year I'll pass the national exam.
24
When Are You Due?

Advanced Level 1 · aprobó

Needs a subscription 2
Had I Known

Fluency Level 1 · ¿Y si no apruebas?

Free 10
Not Goodbye

Fluency Level 1 · Cuando apruebes.

Needs a subscription 11
Nothing's Going In

Fluency Level 1 · aprobé por los pelos

Needs a subscription 30
Said Out Loud

Fluency Level 1 · si aprobara en enero

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -ar verb.