Alternar Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish

alternar means “to alternate” in English, and this page shows you how it actually sounds in everyday Spanish — not just the conjugation table, but the verb in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make with it. Alternar means to alternate, and it is used for taking turns and for switching between two things: you alternate work and rest, day and night alternate, two presenters alternate on a programme. It also means to go out socially in the sense of alternar con gente, to mix with people. Below you will find twelve example sentences grouped by tense, two short dialogues, the most common mistakes with corrections, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. If you want the full tables first, start with the full conjugation of alternar; if you want to study one tense in depth, see the alternar present tense page.

alternar in everyday use: examples with translations

In the present

Four sentences with alternar in the present tense, for habits, facts and things happening right now.

  1. Yo alterno el trabajo y el descanso. — I alternate work and rest.
  2. Él/Ella alterna el día y la noche. — He alternates day and night.
  3. Nosotros/as alternamos dos presentadores en el programa. — We alternate two presenters on the programme.
  4. Ellos/as alternan el estudio con el deporte. — They alternate study with sport.

In the past

Four sentences with alternar in the past: the preterite for finished actions and the imperfect for habits and background.

  1. Ayer, Yo alterné dos presentadores en el programa. — Yesterday, I alternated two presenters on the programme.
  2. Antes, Nosotros/as alternábamos el estudio con el deporte. — Before, We used to alternate study with sport.
  3. Ayer, Él/Ella alternó el trabajo y el descanso. — Yesterday, He alternated work and rest.
  4. De niños, Ellos/as alternaban el día y la noche. — As children, They used to alternate day and night.

Plans, hopes and wishes

Four sentences with alternar in the future, the conditional, the subjunctive and the present perfect — for plans, hypotheticals and things that have just happened.

  1. Mañana, Tú alternarás el trabajo y el descanso. — Tomorrow, You will alternate work and rest.
  2. Yo alternaría el día y la noche. — I would alternate day and night.
  3. Espero que él alterne dos presentadores en el programa. — I hope he alternates two presenters on the programme.
  4. Él/Ella ha alternado el estudio con el deporte. — He has alternated study with sport.

alternar in context: two short dialogues

Making plans

Ana: ¿Tú alternas el trabajo y el descanso mañana? — Are you going to alternate work and rest tomorrow? Luis: Sí, yo alterno el trabajo y el descanso todos los días. — Yes, I alternate work and rest every day. Ana: ¿Y mañana alternarás el día y la noche? — And tomorrow, will you alternate day and night? Luis: Claro, mañana alternaré el día y la noche sin falta. — Of course, tomorrow I will alternate day and night without fail. Ana: Perfecto. Yo alternaré dos presentadores en el programa también. — Perfect. I will alternate two presenters on the programme too. Luis: Entonces quedamos mañana. ¡Hasta luego! — Then see you tomorrow. Bye!

Yesterday

Ana: ¿Qué hiciste ayer? — What did you do yesterday? Luis: Ayer alterné dos presentadores en el programa. — Yesterday, I alternated two presenters on the programme. Ana: ¿Y antes alternabas el estudio con el deporte? — And before, did you use to alternate study with sport? Luis: Sí, antes alternaba el estudio con el deporte todos los días. — Yes, before, I used to alternate study with sport every day. Ana: ¿Y tus hermanos alternaron el trabajo y el descanso? — And did your brothers alternated work and rest? Luis: Sí, ellos alternaron el trabajo y el descanso por la tarde. — Yes, they alternated work and rest in the afternoon.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo alterna el trabajo y el descanso. — Right: Yo alterno el trabajo y el descanso. — The person matters: alterna is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is alterno. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Treating alternar and turnarse as identical in every context. — Right: Alternar means to alternate, while turnarse means to take turns with someone. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: alternar fits sentences such as Alterno el trabajo y el descanso, while turnarse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  3. Wrong: Yo soy alternado el día y la noche. — Right: Yo he alternado el día y la noche. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he alternado, has alternado, ha alternado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo alterné dos presentadores en el programa todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo alternaba dos presentadores en el programa todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (alternaba), not the preterite. The preterite (alterné) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on alternar in use. Choose the right answer, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Ellos/as ___ el estudio con el deporte. (present tense) A. alternan B. alterno C. alternas D. alterna

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, Nosotros/as ___ el trabajo y el descanso. (preterite tense) A. alterné B. alternaste C. alternó D. alternamos

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, Tú ___ el día y la noche. (imperfect tense) A. alternábamos B. alternabais C. alternabas D. alternaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, Él/Ella ___ dos presentadores en el programa. (future tense) A. alternaremos B. alternará C. alternaré D. alternarás

  5. Complete the sentence: Nosotros/as ___ el estudio con el deporte. (conditional tense) A. alternaríamos B. alternaría C. alternarías D. alternaríais

  6. Complete the sentence: Hoy, Yo ___ el trabajo y el descanso. (present-perfect tense) A. has alternado B. ha alternado C. hemos alternado D. he alternado

  7. What does alternar mean in English? A. to disturb B. to address as tú C. to alternate D. to take turns with someone

  8. Which of these sentences is WRONG? A. Ayer, Yo alterné dos presentadores en el programa. B. Yo alterna el trabajo y el descanso. C. Yo alterno el trabajo y el descanso. D. Él/Ella alterna el día y la noche.

  9. Which is the gerund of alternar, used with estar for the progressive? A. alternando B. alternado C. alterno D. alterné

  10. Which is the past participle of alternar, used with haber in the perfect tenses? A. alternando B. alterno C. alterné D. alternado

Answer key

  1. alternan — The correct form here is alternan.
  2. alternamos — The correct form here is alternamos.
  3. alternabas — The correct form here is alternabas.
  4. alternará — The correct form here is alternará.
  5. alternaríamos — The correct form here is alternaríamos.
  6. he alternado — The correct form here is he alternado.
  7. to alternate — Alternar means to alternate. Turnarse means to take turns with someone, which is a different verb.
  8. Yo alterna el trabajo y el descanso. — The first sentence is wrong: the correct form is Yo alterno el trabajo y el descanso.. The person matters: alterna is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is alterno. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  9. alternando — The gerund of alternar is alternando: estoy alternando.
  10. alternado — The past participle of alternar is alternado: he alternado, has alternado, ha alternado.

Frequently asked questions

What does alternar mean?

Alternar means to alternate. Alternar means to alternate, and it is used for taking turns and for switching between two things: you alternate work and rest, day and night alternate, two presenters alternate on a programme. It also means to go out socially in the sense of alternar con gente, to mix with people.

When do people use alternar most?

People use alternar most in everyday situations such as Yo alterno el trabajo y el descanso. and Ayer, Yo alterné dos presentadores en el programa.. Learn the present tense first, then the preterite and the imperfect, since those are the forms you will hear most often.

What is the difference between alternar and turnarse?

Alternar means to alternate, while turnarse means to take turns with someone. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable — check the meaning you want before you choose.

How can I remember the forms of alternar?

Practise the present tense table first, then add the preterite and the imperfect. Use the full conjugation of alternar as your reference, the alternar present tense page for one tense in depth, and the Spanish Verb Quiz to test yourself.

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