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SPANISH VERB

pagar

to pay

  • #78 most used
  • Regular -ar verb
  • Gerund: pagando
  • Past participle: pagado

Conjugation

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

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

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

Imperfect

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

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Past subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

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

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

How to use pagar

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

  1. Present

    ¿Pagan con tarjeta o en efectivo?

    Are you paying by card or in cash?

  2. Past

    Ya pagué la cuenta, no te preocupes.

    I already paid the check, don't worry.

  3. Imperfect

    Antes pagábamos menos de renta.

    We used to pay less rent.

  4. Future

    Esta vez pagaré yo, tú pagaste la última.

    This time I will pay, you paid last time.

  5. Conditional

    Yo no pagaría tanto por un celular.

    I wouldn't pay that much for a phone.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Es raro que el jefe pague la comida.

    It's unusual for the boss to pay for lunch.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Me pidió que pagara en la caja de enfrente.

    He asked me to pay at the register across the way.

  8. Imperative

    Paguen en la entrada, por favor.

    Pay at the entrance, please.

Good to know

  • Pagar en efectivo or pagar con tarjeta; la cuenta, por favor is how you ask for the check.

Where you hear pagar

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

Spanish · Beginner Level 1

  • Hoy pago yo. Today I'm paying.
  • Ayer pagué ochocientos pesos. Yesterday I paid eight hundred pesos.
  • Voy a pagar con tarjeta. I'm going to pay by card.

Spanish · Beginner Level 2

  • ¿Y te pagan en la clínica? And do they pay you at the clinic?
  • Pagué la chamarra con tarjeta. I paid for the jacket by card.
  • Voy a pagar en efectivo. I am going to pay in cash.
13
What Time Is It?

Beginner Level 1 · pagar · Voy a pagar.

Needs a subscription 25
What Did You See?

Beginner Level 1 · pagué

Needs a subscription 7
I'd Like to Help

Beginner Level 2 · te pagan

Needs a subscription 5
It's My Treat

Beginner Level 3 · lo pago · pagó

Needs a subscription 11
Renting a Car

Beginner Level 3 · pagado

Needs a subscription 14
I Forgot My Wallet

Beginner Level 3 · te pago

Needs a subscription 20
The Whole Trip

Beginner Level 3 · pagó · pagaste

Needs a subscription 13
The Contract

Intermediate Level 1 · y pague el depósito · se paga

Needs a subscription 26
Whatever You Decide

Intermediate Level 1 · que pagara

Needs a subscription 27
Not Even If They Paid Me

Advanced Level 2 · ni aunque me paguen

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

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