Skip to content
fluentbyear

SPANISH VERB

soler

to usually do, to be in the habit of

  • #135 most used
  • Irregular -er verb
  • Gerund: soliendo
  • Past participle: solido

Conjugation

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

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

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

Imperfect

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

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Past subjunctive

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

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

How to use soler

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

  1. Present

    Suelo desayunar en el bar de la esquina.

    I usually have breakfast at the corner bar.

  2. Past

    Aquel verano solimos cenar en la terraza.

    That summer we usually had dinner on the terrace.

  3. Imperfect

    Mi abuelo solía pasear por el río cada tarde.

    My grandad used to walk along the river every afternoon.

  4. Future

    Con el tiempo, solerás echarte la siesta como todos.

    In time you'll usually take a siesta like everyone.

  5. Conditional

    Sin el trabajo, solería levantarme mucho más tarde.

    Without work, I'd usually get up much later.

  6. Present subjunctive

    No creo que Marta suela llegar tan tarde.

    I don't think Marta usually arrives this late.

  7. Past subjunctive

    No sabía que solieras ir al cine solo.

    I didn't know you usually went to the cinema alone.

Good to know

  • Soler goes with another verb: suelo madrugar is "I usually get up early".
  • You will hear it in the present and the imperfect; the other tenses are almost never used.

Where you hear soler

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

Spanish · Advanced Level 3

  • Suelo desayunar en el bar. I usually have breakfast at the bar.
  • Los días de guardia solía levantarme a las cinco. On shift days I used to get up at five.
  • Mañana, como suelo hacer, me levantaré a las cinco. Tomorrow, as I usually do, I'll get up at five.
11
The East Wind

Advanced Level 3 · solía levantarme a las cinco · lo que se suele hacer · suelo desayunar · solemos comer

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

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