Absorber Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb absorber means to absorb, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Absorber means to absorb, to soak up a liquid or to take in information, costs or attention. It is used for sponges, plants, markets and people learning, and it is a fully regular -er verb. Like every Spanish verb, absorber 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 absorbo el agua con la esponja, and in the preterite you say absorbí los costes de la empresa. 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: absorber
- English: to absorb
- Verb type: regular -er verb
- Ending: -er
- Gerund: absorbiendo
- Past participle: absorbido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + absorbido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for absorber, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Absorber is fully regular: absorbo, absorbe. A sponge absorbs water; a person absorbs information by studying.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for absorber. 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 | absorbo |
| tú | absorbes |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorbe |
| nosotros/as | absorbemos |
| vosotros/as | absorbéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorben |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | absorbí |
| tú | absorbiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorbió |
| nosotros/as | absorbimos |
| vosotros/as | absorbisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorbieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | absorbía |
| tú | absorbías |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorbía |
| nosotros/as | absorbíamos |
| vosotros/as | absorbíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorbían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | absorberé |
| tú | absorberás |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorberá |
| nosotros/as | absorberemos |
| vosotros/as | absorberéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorberán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | absorbería |
| tú | absorberías |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorbería |
| nosotros/as | absorberíamos |
| vosotros/as | absorberíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorberían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he absorbido |
| tú | has absorbido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha absorbido |
| nosotros/as | hemos absorbido |
| vosotros/as | habéis absorbido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han absorbido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había absorbido |
| tú | habías absorbido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había absorbido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos absorbido |
| vosotros/as | habíais absorbido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían absorbido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré absorbido |
| tú | habrás absorbido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá absorbido |
| nosotros/as | habremos absorbido |
| vosotros/as | habréis absorbido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán absorbido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría absorbido |
| tú | habrías absorbido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría absorbido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos absorbido |
| vosotros/as | habríais absorbido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían absorbido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | absorba |
| tú | absorbas |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorba |
| nosotros/as | absorbamos |
| vosotros/as | absorbáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorban |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | absorbiera |
| tú | absorbieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorbiera |
| nosotros/as | absorbiéramos |
| vosotros/as | absorbierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorbieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | absorbe |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorba |
| nosotros/as | absorbamos |
| vosotros/as | absorbed |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorban |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | absorbas |
| él/ella/Ud. | absorba |
| nosotros/as | absorbamos |
| vosotros/as | absorbáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | absorban |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | absorbiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy absorbiendo |
| Past participle | absorbido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he absorbido |
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 absorber, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Absorbo el agua con la esponja. 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 absorber, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, absorbí la información del libro. 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 absorber, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, absorbía los costes de la empresa. 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 absorber, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, absorberé la luz del sol en verano. 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 absorber, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Absorbería el agua con la esponja 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 absorber, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he absorbido la información del libro. 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 absorber, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había absorbido los costes de la empresa 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 absorber, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré absorbido la luz del sol en verano. 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 absorber, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría absorbido el agua con la esponja 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 absorber, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él absorba la información del libro. 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 absorber, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él absorbiera los costes de la empresa, 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 absorber, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Absorbe la luz del sol en verano! 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 absorber, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No absorbas el agua con la esponja. 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 absorber, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Absorbo el agua con la esponja. — I absorb the water with the sponge.
- Absorbe la información del libro. — He/she absorbs the information in the book.
- Ayer, absorbí los costes de la empresa. — Yesterday, I absorbed the company's costs.
- Antes, nosotros absorbíamos la luz del sol en verano. — Before, we used to absorb the sunlight in summer.
- Mañana, tú absorberás el agua con la esponja. — Tomorrow, you will absorb the water with the sponge.
- Yo absorbería la información del libro si tuviera más tiempo. — I would absorb the information in the book if I had more time.
- Él ha absorbido los costes de la empresa. — He has absorbed the company's costs.
- Espero que él absorba la luz del sol en verano. — I hope he absorbs the sunlight in summer.
- Yo ya había absorbido el agua con la esponja antes de salir. — I had already absorbed the water with the sponge before leaving.
- Ellos absorbían la información del libro cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to absorb the information in the book when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo absorbe el agua con la esponja. — Right: Yo absorbo el agua con la esponja. — The person matters: absorbe is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is absorbo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo absorbo la información del libro. — Right: Ayer yo absorbí la información del libro. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: absorbo is happening now, while absorbí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating absorber and tragar as identical in every context. — Right: Absorber means to absorb, while tragar means to swallow. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: absorber fits sentences such as Absorbo el agua con la esponja, while tragar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy absorbido la información del libro. — Right: Yo he absorbido la información del libro. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he absorbido, has absorbido, ha absorbido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo absorbí los costes de la empresa todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo absorbía los costes de la empresa todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (absorbía), not the preterite. The preterite (absorbí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on absorber. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el agua con la esponja. (present tense) A. absorbo B. absorbes C. absorbe D. absorbemos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la información del libro. (preterite) A. absorbí B. absorbiste C. absorbieron D. absorbió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ los costes de la empresa. (imperfect) A. absorbías B. absorbían C. absorbíamos D. absorbía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la luz del sol en verano. (future) A. absorberemos B. absorberás C. absorberé D. absorberá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el agua con la esponja si pudiera. (conditional) A. absorbería B. absorberías C. absorberían D. absorbo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la información del libro. (present subjunctive) A. absorbas B. absorbamos C. absorbo D. absorba
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ los costes de la empresa, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. absorbiéramos B. absorbo C. absorbiera D. absorbieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la luz del sol en verano. (present perfect) A. han absorbido B. hemos absorbido C. he absorbido D. has absorbido
Complete the command: ¡___ el agua con la esponja! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. absorbe B. absorba C. absorbamos D. absorbed
Which is the gerund of absorber, used with estar for the progressive? A. absorbido B. absorbo C. absorbí D. absorbiendo
Answer key
- absorbo — The first-person present of absorber is absorbo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- absorbió — The third-person preterite of absorber is absorbió, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- absorbíamos — The nosotros imperfect of absorber is absorbíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- absorberás — The second-person future of absorber is absorberás.
- absorbería — The first-person conditional of absorber is absorbería, the form for what would happen.
- absorba — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of absorber is absorba.
- absorbiera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of absorber is absorbiera.
- hemos absorbido — The nosotros present perfect of absorber is hemos absorbido: hemos + absorbido.
- absorbe — The affirmative tú imperative of absorber is absorbe.
- absorbiendo — The gerund of absorber is absorbiendo: estoy absorbiendo. The participle absorbido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does absorber mean in English?
Absorber means to absorb. It is used in everyday situations such as Absorbo el agua con la esponja. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is absorber regular or irregular?
Absorber is a fully regular -er 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 absorbo in the present and absorbí in the preterite.
What is the difference between absorber and tragar?
Absorber means to absorb, while tragar means to swallow. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use absorber when you mean to absorb, as in Absorbo el agua con la esponja, and use tragar for to swallow. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I absorb” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo absorbí la información del libro. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo absorbía los costes de la empresa. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he absorbido la información del libro.
How do I practise absorber?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the absorber examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Absorber in the present tense — the full present-tense table for absorber.
- Absorber examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for absorber.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Acoger conjugation — another -er verb to compare with absorber.
- Acometer conjugation — another -er verb to compare with absorber.
- Ceder conjugation — another -er verb to compare with absorber.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.