Aislar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb aislar means to isolate, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Aislar means to isolate, to separate something from its surroundings, such as a house with insulation, a patient with an infection or a wire with plastic. It is fully regular, though the present forms carry an accent on the i. Like every Spanish verb, aislar 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 aislo la casa con material aislante, and in the preterite you say aislé el cable con plástico. 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: aislar
- English: to isolate
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: aislando
- Past participle: aislado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + aislado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for aislar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Aislar is fully regular, but the present keeps an accent on the i: aislo. It is separating to protect or to block something out.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for aislar. 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 | aislo |
| tú | aislas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aisla |
| nosotros/as | aislamos |
| vosotros/as | aisláis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aislé |
| tú | aislaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | aisló |
| nosotros/as | aislamos |
| vosotros/as | aislasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aislaba |
| tú | aislabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aislaba |
| nosotros/as | aislábamos |
| vosotros/as | aislabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aislaré |
| tú | aislarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | aislará |
| nosotros/as | aislaremos |
| vosotros/as | aislaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aislaría |
| tú | aislarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | aislaría |
| nosotros/as | aislaríamos |
| vosotros/as | aislaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he aislado |
| tú | has aislado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha aislado |
| nosotros/as | hemos aislado |
| vosotros/as | habéis aislado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han aislado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había aislado |
| tú | habías aislado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había aislado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos aislado |
| vosotros/as | habíais aislado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían aislado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré aislado |
| tú | habrás aislado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá aislado |
| nosotros/as | habremos aislado |
| vosotros/as | habréis aislado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán aislado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría aislado |
| tú | habrías aislado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría aislado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos aislado |
| vosotros/as | habríais aislado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían aislado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aisle |
| tú | aisles |
| él/ella/Ud. | aisle |
| nosotros/as | aislemos |
| vosotros/as | aisléis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aislara |
| tú | aislaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | aislara |
| nosotros/as | aisláramos |
| vosotros/as | aislarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | aisla |
| él/ella/Ud. | aisle |
| nosotros/as | aislemos |
| vosotros/as | aislad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | aisles |
| él/ella/Ud. | aisle |
| nosotros/as | aislemos |
| vosotros/as | aisléis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aislen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | aislando | with estar for the progressive: estoy aislando |
| Past participle | aislado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he aislado |
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 aislar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Aislo la casa con material aislante. 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 aislar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, aislé al enfermo en una habitación. 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 aislar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, aislaba el cable con plástico. 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 aislar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, aislaré la zona por seguridad. 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 aislar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Aislaría la casa con material aislante 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 aislar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he aislado al enfermo en una habitación. 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 aislar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había aislado el cable con plástico 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 aislar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré aislado la zona por seguridad. 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 aislar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría aislado la casa con material aislante 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 aislar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él aisle al enfermo en una habitación. 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 aislar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él aislara el cable con plástico, 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 aislar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Aisla la zona por seguridad! 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 aislar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No aisles la casa con material aislante. 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 aislar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Aislo la casa con material aislante. — I isolate the house with insulating material.
- Aisla al enfermo en una habitación. — He/she isolates the patient in a room.
- Ayer, aislé el cable con plástico. — Yesterday, I isolated the cable with plastic.
- Antes, nosotros aislábamos la zona por seguridad. — Before, we used to isolate the area for safety.
- Mañana, tú aislarás la casa con material aislante. — Tomorrow, you will isolate the house with insulating material.
- Yo aislaría al enfermo en una habitación si tuviera más tiempo. — I would isolate the patient in a room if I had more time.
- Él ha aislado el cable con plástico. — He has isolated the cable with plastic.
- Espero que él aisle la zona por seguridad. — I hope he isolates the area for safety.
- Yo ya había aislado la casa con material aislante antes de salir. — I had already isolated the house with insulating material before leaving.
- Ellos aislaban al enfermo en una habitación cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to isolate the patient in a room when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo aisla la casa con material aislante. — Right: Yo aislo la casa con material aislante. — The person matters: aisla is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is aislo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo aislo al enfermo en una habitación. — Right: Ayer yo aislé al enfermo en una habitación. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: aislo is happening now, while aislé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating aislar and separar as identical in every context. — Right: Aislar means to isolate, while separar means to separate. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: aislar fits sentences such as Aislo la casa con material aislante, while separar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy aislado al enfermo en una habitación. — Right: Yo he aislado al enfermo en una habitación. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he aislado, has aislado, ha aislado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo aislé el cable con plástico todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo aislaba el cable con plástico todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (aislaba), not the preterite. The preterite (aislé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on aislar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la casa con material aislante. (present tense) A. aislo B. aislas C. aisla D. aislamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ al enfermo en una habitación. (preterite) A. aislé B. aislaste C. aislaron D. aisló
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el cable con plástico. (imperfect) A. aislabas B. aislaban C. aislábamos D. aislaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la zona por seguridad. (future) A. aislaremos B. aislarás C. aislaré D. aislará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la casa con material aislante si pudiera. (conditional) A. aislaría B. aislarías C. aislarían D. aislo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ al enfermo en una habitación. (present subjunctive) A. aisles B. aislemos C. aislo D. aisle
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el cable con plástico, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. aisláramos B. aislo C. aislara D. aislaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la zona por seguridad. (present perfect) A. han aislado B. hemos aislado C. he aislado D. has aislado
Complete the command: ¡___ la casa con material aislante! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. aisla B. aisle C. aislemos D. aislad
Which is the gerund of aislar, used with estar for the progressive? A. aislado B. aislo C. aislé D. aislando
Answer key
- aislo — The first-person present of aislar is aislo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- aisló — The third-person preterite of aislar is aisló, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- aislábamos — The nosotros imperfect of aislar is aislábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- aislarás — The second-person future of aislar is aislarás.
- aislaría — The first-person conditional of aislar is aislaría, the form for what would happen.
- aisle — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of aislar is aisle.
- aislara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of aislar is aislara.
- hemos aislado — The nosotros present perfect of aislar is hemos aislado: hemos + aislado.
- aisla — The affirmative tú imperative of aislar is aisla.
- aislando — The gerund of aislar is aislando: estoy aislando. The participle aislado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does aislar mean in English?
Aislar means to isolate. It is used in everyday situations such as Aislo la casa con material aislante. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is aislar regular or irregular?
Aislar 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 aislo in the present and aislé in the preterite.
What is the difference between aislar and separar?
Aislar means to isolate, while separar means to separate. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use aislar when you mean to isolate, as in Aislo la casa con material aislante, and use separar for to separate. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I isolate” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo aislé al enfermo en una habitación. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo aislaba el cable con plástico. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he aislado al enfermo en una habitación.
How do I practise aislar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the aislar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Aislar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for aislar.
- Aislar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for aislar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Ahuyentar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with aislar.
- Agravar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with aislar.
- Ajustar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with aislar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.