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SPANISH VERB

tapar

to block, to cover

  • Regular -ar verb
  • Gerund: tapando
  • Past participle: tapado

Conjugation

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

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

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

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

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

Imperfect

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

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

Future

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

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

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

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

Present subjunctive

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

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

Past subjunctive

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

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

Imperative

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

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

How to use tapar

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

  1. Present

    Ese edificio nuevo tapa la vista al mar.

    That new building blocks the view of the sea.

  2. Past

    Tapé la olla para que hirviera más rápido.

    I covered the pot so it would boil faster.

  3. Imperfect

    Mi abuela tapaba los muebles con sábanas en verano.

    My grandma covered the furniture with sheets in summer.

  4. Future

    Las nubes taparán el eclipse esta tarde.

    Clouds will block the eclipse this afternoon.

  5. Conditional

    Un árbol ahí taparía el sol de la terraza.

    A tree there would block the sun from the terrace.

  6. Present subjunctive

    No quiero que ese camión tape la entrada.

    I don't want that truck blocking the entrance.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Le pedí que tapara el agujero del techo.

    I asked him to cover the hole in the roof.

  8. Imperative

    Tapa el pozole, que se enfría.

    Cover the pozole, it's getting cold.

Good to know

  • "Taparse" is to cover yourself up: tápate, hace frío. "Destapar" is to uncover or to open a bottle.

Where you hear tapar

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

Spanish · Intermediate Level 1

  • Tapo la comida para que no entren las moscas. I cover the food so the flies don't get in.
  • Tapé las cajas con una cobija. I covered the boxes with a blanket.
  • Esa planta va a tapar la ventana. That plant is going to block the window.

Spanish · Fluency Level 2

  • En verano tapo el sofá con una sábana, por el sol. In summer I cover the sofa with a sheet, because of the sun.
  • Tapamos los muebles con sábanas viejas. We covered the furniture with old sheets.
  • Antes de pintar el despacho, voy a tapar las cajas de libros. Before painting the study, I'm going to cover the boxes of books.
15
Moving Day

Intermediate Level 1 · con tal de que no tape la puerta

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Let's Get to Work

Fluency Level 2 · tapar

Free

Verbs like this one

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