Adelantar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb adelantar means to overtake, to advance, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Adelantar means to overtake or to advance, and it covers overtaking a car on the road, moving an event earlier and getting ahead at work. It is fully regular, and it is the opposite of retroceder in driving contexts. Like every Spanish verb, adelantar 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 adelanto al camión en la autopista, and in the preterite you say adelanté a sus compañeros en el trabajo. 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: adelantar
- English: to overtake, to advance
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: adelantando
- Past participle: adelantado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + adelantado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for adelantar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Adelantar is fully regular: adelanté, adelantaba, adelantaré. Adelantar por la izquierda is to overtake on the left.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for adelantar. 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 | adelanto |
| tú | adelantas |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelanta |
| nosotros/as | adelantamos |
| vosotros/as | adelantáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelantan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | adelanté |
| tú | adelantaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelantó |
| nosotros/as | adelantamos |
| vosotros/as | adelantasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelantaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | adelantaba |
| tú | adelantabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelantaba |
| nosotros/as | adelantábamos |
| vosotros/as | adelantabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelantaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | adelantaré |
| tú | adelantarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelantará |
| nosotros/as | adelantaremos |
| vosotros/as | adelantaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelantarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | adelantaría |
| tú | adelantarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelantaría |
| nosotros/as | adelantaríamos |
| vosotros/as | adelantaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelantarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he adelantado |
| tú | has adelantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha adelantado |
| nosotros/as | hemos adelantado |
| vosotros/as | habéis adelantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han adelantado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había adelantado |
| tú | habías adelantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había adelantado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos adelantado |
| vosotros/as | habíais adelantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían adelantado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré adelantado |
| tú | habrás adelantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá adelantado |
| nosotros/as | habremos adelantado |
| vosotros/as | habréis adelantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán adelantado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría adelantado |
| tú | habrías adelantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría adelantado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos adelantado |
| vosotros/as | habríais adelantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían adelantado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | adelante |
| tú | adelantes |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelante |
| nosotros/as | adelantemos |
| vosotros/as | adelantéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelanten |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | adelantara |
| tú | adelantaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelantara |
| nosotros/as | adelantáramos |
| vosotros/as | adelantarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelantaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | adelanta |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelante |
| nosotros/as | adelantemos |
| vosotros/as | adelantad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelanten |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | adelantes |
| él/ella/Ud. | adelante |
| nosotros/as | adelantemos |
| vosotros/as | adelantéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | adelanten |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | adelantando | with estar for the progressive: estoy adelantando |
| Past participle | adelantado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he adelantado |
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 adelantar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Adelanto al camión en la autopista. 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 adelantar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, adelanté la reunión al lunes. 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 adelantar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, adelantaba a sus compañeros en el trabajo. 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 adelantar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, adelantaré por la izquierda con cuidado. 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 adelantar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Adelantaría al camión en la autopista 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 adelantar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he adelantado la reunión al lunes. 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 adelantar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había adelantado a sus compañeros en el trabajo 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 adelantar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré adelantado por la izquierda con cuidado. 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 adelantar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría adelantado al camión en la autopista 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 adelantar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él adelante la reunión al lunes. 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 adelantar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él adelantara a sus compañeros en el trabajo, 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 adelantar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Adelanta por la izquierda con cuidado! 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 adelantar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No adelantes al camión en la autopista. 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 adelantar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Adelanto al camión en la autopista. — I overtake the lorry on the motorway.
- Adelanta la reunión al lunes. — He/she overtakes the meeting to Monday.
- Ayer, adelanté a sus compañeros en el trabajo. — Yesterday, I overtook his colleagues at work.
- Antes, nosotros adelantábamos por la izquierda con cuidado. — Before, we used to overtake on the left carefully.
- Mañana, tú adelantarás al camión en la autopista. — Tomorrow, you will overtake the lorry on the motorway.
- Yo adelantaría la reunión al lunes si tuviera más tiempo. — I would overtake the meeting to Monday if I had more time.
- Él ha adelantado a sus compañeros en el trabajo. — He has overtaken his colleagues at work.
- Espero que él adelante por la izquierda con cuidado. — I hope he overtakes on the left carefully.
- Yo ya había adelantado al camión en la autopista antes de salir. — I had already overtaken the lorry on the motorway before leaving.
- Ellos adelantaban la reunión al lunes cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to overtake the meeting to Monday when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo adelanta al camión en la autopista. — Right: Yo adelanto al camión en la autopista. — The person matters: adelanta is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is adelanto. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo adelanto la reunión al lunes. — Right: Ayer yo adelanté la reunión al lunes. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: adelanto is happening now, while adelanté is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating adelantar and retroceder as identical in every context. — Right: Adelantar means to overtake, to advance, while retroceder means to go back. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: adelantar fits sentences such as Adelanto al camión en la autopista, while retroceder belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy adelantado la reunión al lunes. — Right: Yo he adelantado la reunión al lunes. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he adelantado, has adelantado, ha adelantado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo adelanté a sus compañeros en el trabajo todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo adelantaba a sus compañeros en el trabajo todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (adelantaba), not the preterite. The preterite (adelanté) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on adelantar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al camión en la autopista. (present tense) A. adelanto B. adelantas C. adelanta D. adelantamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la reunión al lunes. (preterite) A. adelanté B. adelantaste C. adelantaron D. adelantó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a sus compañeros en el trabajo. (imperfect) A. adelantabas B. adelantaban C. adelantábamos D. adelantaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ por la izquierda con cuidado. (future) A. adelantaremos B. adelantarás C. adelantaré D. adelantará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al camión en la autopista si pudiera. (conditional) A. adelantaría B. adelantarías C. adelantarían D. adelanto
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la reunión al lunes. (present subjunctive) A. adelantes B. adelantemos C. adelanto D. adelante
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a sus compañeros en el trabajo, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. adelantáramos B. adelanto C. adelantara D. adelantaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ por la izquierda con cuidado. (present perfect) A. han adelantado B. hemos adelantado C. he adelantado D. has adelantado
Complete the command: ¡___ al camión en la autopista! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. adelanta B. adelante C. adelantemos D. adelantad
Which is the gerund of adelantar, used with estar for the progressive? A. adelantado B. adelanto C. adelanté D. adelantando
Answer key
- adelanto — The first-person present of adelantar is adelanto. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- adelantó — The third-person preterite of adelantar is adelantó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- adelantábamos — The nosotros imperfect of adelantar is adelantábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- adelantarás — The second-person future of adelantar is adelantarás.
- adelantaría — The first-person conditional of adelantar is adelantaría, the form for what would happen.
- adelante — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of adelantar is adelante.
- adelantara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of adelantar is adelantara.
- hemos adelantado — The nosotros present perfect of adelantar is hemos adelantado: hemos + adelantado.
- adelanta — The affirmative tú imperative of adelantar is adelanta.
- adelantando — The gerund of adelantar is adelantando: estoy adelantando. The participle adelantado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does adelantar mean in English?
Adelantar means to overtake, to advance. It is used in everyday situations such as Adelanto al camión en la autopista. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is adelantar regular or irregular?
Adelantar 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 adelanto in the present and adelanté in the preterite.
What is the difference between adelantar and retroceder?
Adelantar means to overtake, to advance, while retroceder means to go back. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use adelantar when you mean to overtake, to advance, as in Adelanto al camión en la autopista, and use retroceder for to go back. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I overtake” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo adelanté la reunión al lunes. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo adelantaba a sus compañeros en el trabajo. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he adelantado la reunión al lunes.
How do I practise adelantar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the adelantar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Adelantar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for adelantar.
- Adelantar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for adelantar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Girar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with adelantar.
- Doblar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with adelantar.
- Parar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with adelantar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.