Acometer Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb acometer means to attack, to undertake, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Acometer means to attack or to undertake, to launch an attack on someone, or to take on a big task such as a reform. It is a formal, fully regular -er verb used in news, history and business. Like every Spanish verb, acometer 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 acometo al enemigo al amanecer, and in the preterite you say acometí el proyecto con mucha energía. 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: acometer
- English: to attack, to undertake
- Verb type: regular -er verb
- Ending: -er
- Gerund: acometiendo
- Past participle: acometido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + acometido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for acometer, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Acometer is fully regular: acometo, acomete. It is a formal word for attacking or undertaking; atacar is the everyday word for attack.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for acometer. 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 | acometo |
| tú | acometes |
| él/ella/Ud. | acomete |
| nosotros/as | acometemos |
| vosotros/as | acometéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometen |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | acometí |
| tú | acometiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometió |
| nosotros/as | acometimos |
| vosotros/as | acometisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | acometía |
| tú | acometías |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometía |
| nosotros/as | acometíamos |
| vosotros/as | acometíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | acometeré |
| tú | acometerás |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometerá |
| nosotros/as | acometeremos |
| vosotros/as | acometeréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometerán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | acometería |
| tú | acometerías |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometería |
| nosotros/as | acometeríamos |
| vosotros/as | acometeríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometerían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he acometido |
| tú | has acometido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha acometido |
| nosotros/as | hemos acometido |
| vosotros/as | habéis acometido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han acometido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había acometido |
| tú | habías acometido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había acometido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos acometido |
| vosotros/as | habíais acometido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían acometido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré acometido |
| tú | habrás acometido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá acometido |
| nosotros/as | habremos acometido |
| vosotros/as | habréis acometido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán acometido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría acometido |
| tú | habrías acometido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría acometido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos acometido |
| vosotros/as | habríais acometido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían acometido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | acometa |
| tú | acometas |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometa |
| nosotros/as | acometamos |
| vosotros/as | acometáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | acometiera |
| tú | acometieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometiera |
| nosotros/as | acometiéramos |
| vosotros/as | acometierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | acomete |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometa |
| nosotros/as | acometamos |
| vosotros/as | acometed |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | acometas |
| él/ella/Ud. | acometa |
| nosotros/as | acometamos |
| vosotros/as | acometáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | acometan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | acometiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy acometiendo |
| Past participle | acometido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he acometido |
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 acometer, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Acometo al enemigo al amanecer. 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 acometer, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, acometí la reforma del sistema. 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 acometer, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, acometía el proyecto con mucha energía. 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 acometer, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, acometeré al rival en el campo de batalla. 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 acometer, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Acometería al enemigo al amanecer 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 acometer, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he acometido la reforma del sistema. 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 acometer, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había acometido el proyecto con mucha energía 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 acometer, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré acometido al rival en el campo de batalla. 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 acometer, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría acometido al enemigo al amanecer 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 acometer, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él acometa la reforma del sistema. 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 acometer, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él acometiera el proyecto con mucha energía, 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 acometer, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Acomete al rival en el campo de batalla! 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 acometer, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No acometas al enemigo al amanecer. 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 acometer, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Acometo al enemigo al amanecer. — I attack the enemy at dawn.
- Acomete la reforma del sistema. — He/she attacks the reform of the system.
- Ayer, acometí el proyecto con mucha energía. — Yesterday, I attacked the project with a lot of energy.
- Antes, nosotros acometíamos al rival en el campo de batalla. — Before, we used to attack the rival on the battlefield.
- Mañana, tú acometerás al enemigo al amanecer. — Tomorrow, you will attack the enemy at dawn.
- Yo acometería la reforma del sistema si tuviera más tiempo. — I would attack the reform of the system if I had more time.
- Él ha acometido el proyecto con mucha energía. — He has attacked the project with a lot of energy.
- Espero que él acometa al rival en el campo de batalla. — I hope he attacks the rival on the battlefield.
- Yo ya había acometido al enemigo al amanecer antes de salir. — I had already attacked the enemy at dawn before leaving.
- Ellos acometían la reforma del sistema cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to attack the reform of the system when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo acomete al enemigo al amanecer. — Right: Yo acometo al enemigo al amanecer. — The person matters: acomete is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is acometo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo acometo la reforma del sistema. — Right: Ayer yo acometí la reforma del sistema. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: acometo is happening now, while acometí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating acometer and atacar as identical in every context. — Right: Acometer means to attack, to undertake, while atacar means to attack. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: acometer fits sentences such as Acometo al enemigo al amanecer, while atacar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy acometido la reforma del sistema. — Right: Yo he acometido la reforma del sistema. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he acometido, has acometido, ha acometido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo acometí el proyecto con mucha energía todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo acometía el proyecto con mucha energía todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (acometía), not the preterite. The preterite (acometí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on acometer. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al enemigo al amanecer. (present tense) A. acometo B. acometes C. acomete D. acometemos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la reforma del sistema. (preterite) A. acometí B. acometiste C. acometieron D. acometió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el proyecto con mucha energía. (imperfect) A. acometías B. acometían C. acometíamos D. acometía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ al rival en el campo de batalla. (future) A. acometeremos B. acometerás C. acometeré D. acometerá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al enemigo al amanecer si pudiera. (conditional) A. acometería B. acometerías C. acometerían D. acometo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la reforma del sistema. (present subjunctive) A. acometas B. acometamos C. acometo D. acometa
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el proyecto con mucha energía, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. acometiéramos B. acometo C. acometiera D. acometieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ al rival en el campo de batalla. (present perfect) A. han acometido B. hemos acometido C. he acometido D. has acometido
Complete the command: ¡___ al enemigo al amanecer! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. acomete B. acometa C. acometamos D. acometed
Which is the gerund of acometer, used with estar for the progressive? A. acometido B. acometo C. acometí D. acometiendo
Answer key
- acometo — The first-person present of acometer is acometo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- acometió — The third-person preterite of acometer is acometió, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- acometíamos — The nosotros imperfect of acometer is acometíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- acometerás — The second-person future of acometer is acometerás.
- acometería — The first-person conditional of acometer is acometería, the form for what would happen.
- acometa — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of acometer is acometa.
- acometiera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of acometer is acometiera.
- hemos acometido — The nosotros present perfect of acometer is hemos acometido: hemos + acometido.
- acomete — The affirmative tú imperative of acometer is acomete.
- acometiendo — The gerund of acometer is acometiendo: estoy acometiendo. The participle acometido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does acometer mean in English?
Acometer means to attack, to undertake. It is used in everyday situations such as Acometo al enemigo al amanecer. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is acometer regular or irregular?
Acometer 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 acometo in the present and acometí in the preterite.
What is the difference between acometer and atacar?
Acometer means to attack, to undertake, while atacar means to attack. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use acometer when you mean to attack, to undertake, as in Acometo al enemigo al amanecer, and use atacar for to attack. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I attack” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo acometí la reforma del sistema. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo acometía el proyecto con mucha energía. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he acometido la reforma del sistema.
How do I practise acometer?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the acometer examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Acometer in the present tense — the full present-tense table for acometer.
- Acometer examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for acometer.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Acoger conjugation — another -er verb to compare with acometer.
- Absorber conjugation — another -er verb to compare with acometer.
- Ceder conjugation — another -er verb to compare with acometer.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.