Afectar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb afectar means to affect, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Afectar means to affect, and it is used for anything that changes or touches something else: a drought affects the harvest, a decision affects a family, a disease affects the lungs. It takes a direct object, and it is one of the most frequent verbs in news, science and work language. Like every Spanish verb, afectar 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 afecto la salud de los niños, and in the preterite you say afecté la vida de la familia. 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: afectar
- English: to affect
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: afectando
- Past participle: afectado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + afectado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for afectar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Afectar is fully regular: afecté, afectaba, afectaré. Do not confuse it with infectar, to infect — the two differ by one letter and one meaning.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for afectar. 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 | afecto |
| tú | afectas |
| él/ella/Ud. | afecta |
| nosotros/as | afectamos |
| vosotros/as | afectáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afectan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | afecté |
| tú | afectaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | afectó |
| nosotros/as | afectamos |
| vosotros/as | afectasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afectaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | afectaba |
| tú | afectabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | afectaba |
| nosotros/as | afectábamos |
| vosotros/as | afectabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afectaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | afectaré |
| tú | afectarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | afectará |
| nosotros/as | afectaremos |
| vosotros/as | afectaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afectarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | afectaría |
| tú | afectarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | afectaría |
| nosotros/as | afectaríamos |
| vosotros/as | afectaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afectarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he afectado |
| tú | has afectado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha afectado |
| nosotros/as | hemos afectado |
| vosotros/as | habéis afectado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han afectado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había afectado |
| tú | habías afectado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había afectado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos afectado |
| vosotros/as | habíais afectado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían afectado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré afectado |
| tú | habrás afectado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá afectado |
| nosotros/as | habremos afectado |
| vosotros/as | habréis afectado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán afectado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría afectado |
| tú | habrías afectado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría afectado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos afectado |
| vosotros/as | habríais afectado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían afectado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | afecte |
| tú | afectes |
| él/ella/Ud. | afecte |
| nosotros/as | afectemos |
| vosotros/as | afectéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afecten |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | afectara |
| tú | afectaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | afectara |
| nosotros/as | afectáramos |
| vosotros/as | afectarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afectaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | afecta |
| él/ella/Ud. | afecte |
| nosotros/as | afectemos |
| vosotros/as | afectad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afecten |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | afectes |
| él/ella/Ud. | afecte |
| nosotros/as | afectemos |
| vosotros/as | afectéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | afecten |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | afectando | with estar for the progressive: estoy afectando |
| Past participle | afectado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he afectado |
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 afectar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Afecto la salud de los niños. 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 afectar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, afecté el precio del pan. 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 afectar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, afectaba la vida de la familia. 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 afectar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, afectaré el resultado del partido. 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 afectar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Afectaría la salud de los niños 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 afectar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he afectado el precio del pan. 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 afectar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había afectado la vida de la familia 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 afectar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré afectado el resultado del partido. 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 afectar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría afectado la salud de los niños 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 afectar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él afecte el precio del pan. 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 afectar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él afectara la vida de la familia, 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 afectar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡afecta el resultado del partido! 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 afectar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No afectes la salud de los niños. 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 afectar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Afecto la salud de los niños. — I affect the children's health.
- Afecta el precio del pan. — He/she affects the price of bread.
- Ayer, afecté la vida de la familia. — Yesterday, I affected the family's life.
- Antes, nosotros afectábamos el resultado del partido. — Before, we used to affect the result of the match.
- Mañana, tú afectarás la salud de los niños. — Tomorrow, you will affect the children's health.
- Yo afectaría el precio del pan si tuviera más tiempo. — I would affect the price of bread if I had more time.
- Él ha afectado la vida de la familia. — He has affected the family's life.
- Espero que él afecte el resultado del partido. — I hope he affects the result of the match.
- Yo ya había afectado la salud de los niños antes de salir. — I had already affected the children's health before leaving.
- Ellos afectaban el precio del pan cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to affect the price of bread when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo afecta la salud de los niños. — Right: Yo afecto la salud de los niños. — The person matters: afecta is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is afecto. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Treating afectar and influir as identical in every context. — Right: Afectar means to affect, while influir means to influence something. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: afectar fits sentences such as Afecto la salud de los niños, while influir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy afectado el precio del pan. — Right: Yo he afectado el precio del pan. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he afectado, has afectado, ha afectado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo afecté la vida de la familia todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo afectaba la vida de la familia todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (afectaba), not the preterite. The preterite (afecté) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on afectar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la salud de los niños. (present tense) A. afecto B. afectas C. afecta D. afectamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el precio del pan. (preterite) A. afecté B. afectaste C. afectaron D. afectó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la vida de la familia. (imperfect) A. afectabas B. afectaban C. afectábamos D. afectaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el resultado del partido. (future) A. afectaremos B. afectarás C. afectaré D. afectará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la salud de los niños si pudiera. (conditional) A. afectaría B. afectarías C. afectarían D. afecto
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el precio del pan. (present subjunctive) A. afectes B. afectemos C. afecto D. afecte
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la vida de la familia, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. afectáramos B. afecto C. afectara D. afectaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el resultado del partido. (present perfect) A. han afectado B. hemos afectado C. he afectado D. has afectado
Complete the command: ¡___ la salud de los niños! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. afecta B. afecte C. afectemos D. afectad
Which is the gerund of afectar, used with estar for the progressive? A. afectado B. afecto C. afecté D. afectando
Answer key
- afecto — The first-person present of afectar is afecto. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- afectó — The third-person preterite of afectar is afectó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- afectábamos — The nosotros imperfect of afectar is afectábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- afectarás — The second-person future of afectar is afectarás.
- afectaría — The first-person conditional of afectar is afectaría, the form for what would happen.
- afecte — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of afectar is afecte.
- afectara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of afectar is afectara.
- hemos afectado — The nosotros present perfect of afectar is hemos afectado: hemos + afectado.
- afecta — The affirmative tú imperative of afectar is afecta.
- afectando — The gerund of afectar is afectando: estoy afectando. The participle afectado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does afectar mean in English?
Afectar means to affect. It is used in everyday situations such as Afecto la salud de los niños. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is afectar regular or irregular?
Afectar 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 afecto in the present and afecté in the preterite.
What is the difference between afectar and influir?
Afectar means to affect, while influir means to influence something. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use afectar when you mean to affect, as in Afecto la salud de los niños, and use influir for to influence something. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I affect” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo afecté el precio del pan. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo afectaba la vida de la familia. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he afectado el precio del pan.
How do I practise afectar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the afectar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Afectar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for afectar.
- Afectar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for afectar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Adornar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with afectar.
- Afeitar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with afectar.
- Adorar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with afectar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.