Agarrar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb agarrar means to grab, to hold, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Agarrar means to grab or to hold, and it is used for grabbing a bag, holding on to a rail and catching something quickly. It is fully regular in standard Spanish, though in some regions it is also used for catching a cold or a bus. Like every Spanish verb, agarrar 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 agarro la bolsa antes de salir, and in the preterite you say agarré el teléfono con fuerza. 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: agarrar
  • English: to grab, to hold
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: agarrando
  • Past participle: agarrado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + agarrado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for agarrar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Agarrar is fully regular: agarré, agarraba, agarraré. Agarrar con fuerza is to grab tightly.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for agarrar. 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 agarro
tú agarras
él/ella/Ud. agarra
nosotros/as agarramos
vosotros/as agarráis
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarran

Preterite

Person Form
yo agarré
tú agarraste
él/ella/Ud. agarró
nosotros/as agarramos
vosotros/as agarrasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarraron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo agarraba
tú agarrabas
él/ella/Ud. agarraba
nosotros/as agarrábamos
vosotros/as agarrabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarraban

Future

Person Form
yo agarraré
tú agarrarás
él/ella/Ud. agarrará
nosotros/as agarraremos
vosotros/as agarraréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarrarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo agarraría
tú agarrarías
él/ella/Ud. agarraría
nosotros/as agarraríamos
vosotros/as agarraríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarrarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he agarrado
tú has agarrado
él/ella/Ud. ha agarrado
nosotros/as hemos agarrado
vosotros/as habéis agarrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han agarrado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había agarrado
tú habías agarrado
él/ella/Ud. había agarrado
nosotros/as habíamos agarrado
vosotros/as habíais agarrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían agarrado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré agarrado
tú habrás agarrado
él/ella/Ud. habrá agarrado
nosotros/as habremos agarrado
vosotros/as habréis agarrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán agarrado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría agarrado
tú habrías agarrado
él/ella/Ud. habría agarrado
nosotros/as habríamos agarrado
vosotros/as habríais agarrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían agarrado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo agarre
tú agarres
él/ella/Ud. agarre
nosotros/as agarremos
vosotros/as agarréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarren

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo agarrara
tú agarraras
él/ella/Ud. agarrara
nosotros/as agarráramos
vosotros/as agarrarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarraran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú agarra
él/ella/Ud. agarre
nosotros/as agarremos
vosotros/as agarrad
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarren

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú agarres
él/ella/Ud. agarre
nosotros/as agarremos
vosotros/as agarréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. agarren

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund agarrando with estar for the progressive: estoy agarrando
Past participle agarrado with haber for the perfect tenses: he agarrado

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 agarrar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Agarro la bolsa 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 agarrar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, agarré la barandilla al bajar. 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 agarrar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, agarraba el teléfono con fuerza. 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 agarrar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, agarraré el paraguas por la mañana. 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 agarrar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Agarraría la bolsa 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 agarrar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he agarrado la barandilla al bajar. 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 agarrar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había agarrado el teléfono con fuerza 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 agarrar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré agarrado el paraguas por la mañana. 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 agarrar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría agarrado la bolsa 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 agarrar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él agarre la barandilla al bajar. 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 agarrar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él agarrara el teléfono con fuerza, 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 agarrar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Agarra el paraguas por la mañana! 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 agarrar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No agarres la bolsa 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 agarrar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Agarro la bolsa antes de salir. — I grab the bag before going out.
  2. Agarra la barandilla al bajar. — He/she grabs the handrail going downstairs.
  3. Ayer, agarré el teléfono con fuerza. — Yesterday, I grabbed the phone tightly.
  4. Antes, nosotros agarrábamos el paraguas por la mañana. — Before, we used to grab the umbrella in the morning.
  5. Mañana, tú agarrarás la bolsa antes de salir. — Tomorrow, you will grab the bag before going out.
  6. Yo agarraría la barandilla al bajar si tuviera más tiempo. — I would grab the handrail going downstairs if I had more time.
  7. Él ha agarrado el teléfono con fuerza. — He has grabbed the phone tightly.
  8. Espero que él agarre el paraguas por la mañana. — I hope he grabs the umbrella in the morning.
  9. Yo ya había agarrado la bolsa antes de salir antes de salir. — I had already grabbed the bag before going out before leaving.
  10. Ellos agarraban la barandilla al bajar cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to grab the handrail going downstairs when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo agarra la bolsa antes de salir. — Right: Yo agarro la bolsa antes de salir. — The person matters: agarra is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is agarro. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo agarro la barandilla al bajar. — Right: Ayer yo agarré la barandilla al bajar. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: agarro is happening now, while agarré is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating agarrar and sujetar as identical in every context. — Right: Agarrar means to grab, to hold, while sujetar means to hold, to fasten. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: agarrar fits sentences such as Agarro la bolsa antes de salir, while sujetar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy agarrado la barandilla al bajar. — Right: Yo he agarrado la barandilla al bajar. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he agarrado, has agarrado, ha agarrado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo agarré el teléfono con fuerza todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo agarraba el teléfono con fuerza todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (agarraba), not the preterite. The preterite (agarré) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on agarrar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la bolsa antes de salir. (present tense) A. agarro B. agarras C. agarra D. agarramos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la barandilla al bajar. (preterite) A. agarré B. agarraste C. agarraron D. agarró

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el teléfono con fuerza. (imperfect) A. agarrabas B. agarraban C. agarrábamos D. agarraba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el paraguas por la mañana. (future) A. agarraremos B. agarrarás C. agarraré D. agarrará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la bolsa antes de salir si pudiera. (conditional) A. agarraría B. agarrarías C. agarrarían D. agarro

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la barandilla al bajar. (present subjunctive) A. agarres B. agarremos C. agarro D. agarre

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el teléfono con fuerza, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. agarráramos B. agarro C. agarrara D. agarraras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el paraguas por la mañana. (present perfect) A. han agarrado B. hemos agarrado C. he agarrado D. has agarrado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ la bolsa antes de salir! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. agarra B. agarre C. agarremos D. agarrad

  10. Which is the gerund of agarrar, used with estar for the progressive? A. agarrado B. agarro C. agarré D. agarrando

Answer key

  1. agarro — The first-person present of agarrar is agarro. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. agarró — The third-person preterite of agarrar is agarró, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. agarrábamos — The nosotros imperfect of agarrar is agarrábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. agarrarás — The second-person future of agarrar is agarrarás.
  5. agarraría — The first-person conditional of agarrar is agarraría, the form for what would happen.
  6. agarre — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of agarrar is agarre.
  7. agarrara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of agarrar is agarrara.
  8. hemos agarrado — The nosotros present perfect of agarrar is hemos agarrado: hemos + agarrado.
  9. agarra — The affirmative tú imperative of agarrar is agarra.
  10. agarrando — The gerund of agarrar is agarrando: estoy agarrando. The participle agarrado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does agarrar mean in English?

Agarrar means to grab, to hold. It is used in everyday situations such as Agarro la bolsa antes de salir. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is agarrar regular or irregular?

Agarrar 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 agarro in the present and agarré in the preterite.

What is the difference between agarrar and sujetar?

Agarrar means to grab, to hold, while sujetar means to hold, to fasten. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use agarrar when you mean to grab, to hold, as in Agarro la bolsa antes de salir, and use sujetar for to hold, to fasten. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I grab” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo agarré la barandilla al bajar. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo agarraba el teléfono con fuerza. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he agarrado la barandilla al bajar.

How do I practise agarrar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the agarrar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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