Abrochar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb abrochar means to button up, to fasten, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Abrochar means to button up or to fasten, to close a shirt, a coat or a seat belt with buttons or a clasp. It is a household and clothing verb, fully regular, and its opposite is desabrochar. Like every Spanish verb, abrochar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say abrocho la camisa antes de salir, and in the preterite you say abroché el cinturón de seguridad. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: abrochar
- English: to button up, to fasten
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: abrochando
- Past participle: abrochado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + abrochado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for abrochar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Abrochar is fully regular: abrocho, abrocha. It fastens with buttons or a clasp; cerrar closes doors, windows and boxes.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for abrochar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | abrocho |
| tú | abrochas |
| él/ella/Ud. | abrocha |
| nosotros/as | abrochamos |
| vosotros/as | abrocháis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrochan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | abroché |
| tú | abrochaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | abrochó |
| nosotros/as | abrochamos |
| vosotros/as | abrochasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrocharon |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | abrochaba |
| tú | abrochabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | abrochaba |
| nosotros/as | abrochábamos |
| vosotros/as | abrochabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrochaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | abrocharé |
| tú | abrocharás |
| él/ella/Ud. | abrochará |
| nosotros/as | abrocharemos |
| vosotros/as | abrocharéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrocharán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | abrocharía |
| tú | abrocharías |
| él/ella/Ud. | abrocharía |
| nosotros/as | abrocharíamos |
| vosotros/as | abrocharíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrocharían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he abrochado |
| tú | has abrochado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha abrochado |
| nosotros/as | hemos abrochado |
| vosotros/as | habéis abrochado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han abrochado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había abrochado |
| tú | habías abrochado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había abrochado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos abrochado |
| vosotros/as | habíais abrochado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían abrochado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré abrochado |
| tú | habrás abrochado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá abrochado |
| nosotros/as | habremos abrochado |
| vosotros/as | habréis abrochado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán abrochado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría abrochado |
| tú | habrías abrochado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría abrochado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos abrochado |
| vosotros/as | habríais abrochado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían abrochado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | abroche |
| tú | abroches |
| él/ella/Ud. | abroche |
| nosotros/as | abrochemos |
| vosotros/as | abrochéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrochen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | abrochara |
| tú | abrocharas |
| él/ella/Ud. | abrochara |
| nosotros/as | abrocháramos |
| vosotros/as | abrocharais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrocharan |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | abrocha |
| él/ella/Ud. | abroche |
| nosotros/as | abrochemos |
| vosotros/as | abrochad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrochen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | abroches |
| él/ella/Ud. | abroche |
| nosotros/as | abrochemos |
| vosotros/as | abrochéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | abrochen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | abrochando | with estar for the progressive: estoy abrochando |
| Past participle | abrochado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he abrochado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Abrocho la camisa antes de salir. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, abroché el abrigo por el frío. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, abrochaba el cinturón de seguridad. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, abrocharé la chaqueta del uniforme. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Abrocharía la camisa antes de salir si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he abrochado el abrigo por el frío. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había abrochado el cinturón de seguridad antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré abrochado la chaqueta del uniforme. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría abrochado la camisa antes de salir con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él abroche el abrigo por el frío. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él abrochara el cinturón de seguridad, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Abrocha la chaqueta del uniforme! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For abrochar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No abroches la camisa antes de salir. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with abrochar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Abrocho la camisa antes de salir. — I button up the shirt before going out.
- Abrocha el abrigo por el frío. — He/she buttons up the coat because of the cold.
- Ayer, abroché el cinturón de seguridad. — Yesterday, I buttoned up the seat belt.
- Antes, nosotros abrochábamos la chaqueta del uniforme. — Before, we used to button up the uniform jacket.
- Mañana, tú abrocharás la camisa antes de salir. — Tomorrow, you will button up the shirt before going out.
- Yo abrocharía el abrigo por el frío si tuviera más tiempo. — I would button up the coat because of the cold if I had more time.
- Él ha abrochado el cinturón de seguridad. — He has buttoned up the seat belt.
- Espero que él abroche la chaqueta del uniforme. — I hope he buttons up the uniform jacket.
- Yo ya había abrochado la camisa antes de salir antes de salir. — I had already buttoned up the shirt before going out before leaving.
- Ellos abrochaban el abrigo por el frío cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to button up the coat because of the cold when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo abrocha la camisa antes de salir. — Right: Yo abrocho la camisa antes de salir. — The person matters: abrocha is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is abrocho. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo abrocho el abrigo por el frío. — Right: Ayer yo abroché el abrigo por el frío. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: abrocho is happening now, while abroché is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating abrochar and cerrar as identical in every context. — Right: Abrochar means to button up, to fasten, while cerrar means to close. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: abrochar fits sentences such as Abrocho la camisa antes de salir, while cerrar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy abrochado el abrigo por el frío. — Right: Yo he abrochado el abrigo por el frío. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he abrochado, has abrochado, ha abrochado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo abroché el cinturón de seguridad todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo abrochaba el cinturón de seguridad todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (abrochaba), not the preterite. The preterite (abroché) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on abrochar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la camisa antes de salir. (present tense) A. abrocho B. abrochas C. abrocha D. abrochamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el abrigo por el frío. (preterite) A. abroché B. abrochaste C. abrocharon D. abrochó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el cinturón de seguridad. (imperfect) A. abrochabas B. abrochaban C. abrochábamos D. abrochaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la chaqueta del uniforme. (future) A. abrocharemos B. abrocharás C. abrocharé D. abrochará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la camisa antes de salir si pudiera. (conditional) A. abrocharía B. abrocharías C. abrocharían D. abrocho
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el abrigo por el frío. (present subjunctive) A. abroches B. abrochemos C. abrocho D. abroche
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el cinturón de seguridad, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. abrocháramos B. abrocho C. abrochara D. abrocharas
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la chaqueta del uniforme. (present perfect) A. han abrochado B. hemos abrochado C. he abrochado D. has abrochado
Complete the command: ¡___ la camisa antes de salir! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. abrocha B. abroche C. abrochemos D. abrochad
Which is the gerund of abrochar, used with estar for the progressive? A. abrochado B. abrocho C. abroché D. abrochando
Answer key
- abrocho — The first-person present of abrochar is abrocho. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- abrochó — The third-person preterite of abrochar is abrochó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- abrochábamos — The nosotros imperfect of abrochar is abrochábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- abrocharás — The second-person future of abrochar is abrocharás.
- abrocharía — The first-person conditional of abrochar is abrocharía, the form for what would happen.
- abroche — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of abrochar is abroche.
- abrochara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of abrochar is abrochara.
- hemos abrochado — The nosotros present perfect of abrochar is hemos abrochado: hemos + abrochado.
- abrocha — The affirmative tú imperative of abrochar is abrocha.
- abrochando — The gerund of abrochar is abrochando: estoy abrochando. The participle abrochado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does abrochar mean in English?
Abrochar means to button up, to fasten. It is used in everyday situations such as Abrocho la camisa antes de salir. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is abrochar regular or irregular?
Abrochar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including abrocho in the present and abroché in the preterite.
What is the difference between abrochar and cerrar?
Abrochar means to button up, to fasten, while cerrar means to close. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use abrochar when you mean to button up, to fasten, as in Abrocho la camisa antes de salir, and use cerrar for to close. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I button up” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo abroché el abrigo por el frío. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo abrochaba el cinturón de seguridad. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he abrochado el abrigo por el frío.
How do I practise abrochar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the abrochar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Abrochar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for abrochar.
- Abrochar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for abrochar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Abonar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with abrochar.
- Acarrear conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with abrochar.
- Adiestrar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with abrochar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.