Aludir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb aludir means to allude to, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Aludir means to allude to something, to refer to it indirectly without naming it. It is a formal verb used in speaking and writing, always with a, and it is fully regular. Like every Spanish verb, aludir 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 aludo al problema sin nombrarlo, and in the preterite you say aludí al tema con una sonrisa. 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: aludir
- English: to allude to
- Verb type: regular -ir verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: aludiendo
- Past participle: aludido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + aludido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for aludir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Aludir is fully regular: aludo, alude. It always takes a: aludir al problema. It hints at something rather than naming it.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for aludir. 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 | aludo |
| tú | aludes |
| él/ella/Ud. | alude |
| nosotros/as | aludimos |
| vosotros/as | aludís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aluden |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aludí |
| tú | aludiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | aludió |
| nosotros/as | aludimos |
| vosotros/as | aludisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aludía |
| tú | aludías |
| él/ella/Ud. | aludía |
| nosotros/as | aludíamos |
| vosotros/as | aludíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aludiré |
| tú | aludirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | aludirá |
| nosotros/as | aludiremos |
| vosotros/as | aludiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aludiría |
| tú | aludirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | aludiría |
| nosotros/as | aludiríamos |
| vosotros/as | aludiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he aludido |
| tú | has aludido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha aludido |
| nosotros/as | hemos aludido |
| vosotros/as | habéis aludido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han aludido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había aludido |
| tú | habías aludido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había aludido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos aludido |
| vosotros/as | habíais aludido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían aludido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré aludido |
| tú | habrás aludido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá aludido |
| nosotros/as | habremos aludido |
| vosotros/as | habréis aludido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán aludido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría aludido |
| tú | habrías aludido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría aludido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos aludido |
| vosotros/as | habríais aludido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían aludido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aluda |
| tú | aludas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aluda |
| nosotros/as | aludamos |
| vosotros/as | aludáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aludiera |
| tú | aludieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | aludiera |
| nosotros/as | aludiéramos |
| vosotros/as | aludierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | alude |
| él/ella/Ud. | aluda |
| nosotros/as | aludamos |
| vosotros/as | aludid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | aludas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aluda |
| nosotros/as | aludamos |
| vosotros/as | aludáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aludan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | aludiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy aludiendo |
| Past participle | aludido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he aludido |
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 aludir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Aludo al problema sin nombrarlo. 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 aludir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, aludí a su pasado en la entrevista. 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 aludir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, aludía al tema con una sonrisa. 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 aludir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, aludiré a la historia de la familia. 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 aludir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Aludiría al problema sin nombrarlo 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 aludir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he aludido a su pasado en la entrevista. 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 aludir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había aludido al tema con una sonrisa 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 aludir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré aludido a la historia de la familia. 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 aludir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría aludido al problema sin nombrarlo 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 aludir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él aluda a su pasado en la entrevista. 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 aludir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él aludiera al tema con una sonrisa, 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 aludir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Alude a la historia de la familia! 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 aludir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No aludas al problema sin nombrarlo. 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 aludir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Aludo al problema sin nombrarlo. — I allude the problem without naming it.
- Alude a su pasado en la entrevista. — He/she alludes his past in the interview.
- Ayer, aludí al tema con una sonrisa. — Yesterday, I alluded the subject with a smile.
- Antes, nosotros aludíamos a la historia de la familia. — Before, we used to allude the family history.
- Mañana, tú aludirás al problema sin nombrarlo. — Tomorrow, you will allude the problem without naming it.
- Yo aludiría a su pasado en la entrevista si tuviera más tiempo. — I would allude his past in the interview if I had more time.
- Él ha aludido al tema con una sonrisa. — He has alluded the subject with a smile.
- Espero que él aluda a la historia de la familia. — I hope he alludes the family history.
- Yo ya había aludido al problema sin nombrarlo antes de salir. — I had already alluded the problem without naming it before leaving.
- Ellos aludían a su pasado en la entrevista cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to allude his past in the interview when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo alude al problema sin nombrarlo. — Right: Yo aludo al problema sin nombrarlo. — The person matters: alude is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is aludo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo aludo a su pasado en la entrevista. — Right: Ayer yo aludí a su pasado en la entrevista. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: aludo is happening now, while aludí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating aludir and mencionar as identical in every context. — Right: Aludir means to allude to, while mencionar means to mention. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: aludir fits sentences such as Aludo al problema sin nombrarlo, while mencionar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy aludido a su pasado en la entrevista. — Right: Yo he aludido a su pasado en la entrevista. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he aludido, has aludido, ha aludido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo aludí al tema con una sonrisa todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo aludía al tema con una sonrisa todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (aludía), not the preterite. The preterite (aludí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on aludir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al problema sin nombrarlo. (present tense) A. aludo B. aludes C. alude D. aludimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ a su pasado en la entrevista. (preterite) A. aludí B. aludiste C. aludieron D. aludió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ al tema con una sonrisa. (imperfect) A. aludías B. aludían C. aludíamos D. aludía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ a la historia de la familia. (future) A. aludiremos B. aludirás C. aludiré D. aludirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al problema sin nombrarlo si pudiera. (conditional) A. aludiría B. aludirías C. aludirían D. aludo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a su pasado en la entrevista. (present subjunctive) A. aludas B. aludamos C. aludo D. aluda
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ al tema con una sonrisa, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. aludiéramos B. aludo C. aludiera D. aludieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ a la historia de la familia. (present perfect) A. han aludido B. hemos aludido C. he aludido D. has aludido
Complete the command: ¡___ al problema sin nombrarlo! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. alude B. aluda C. aludamos D. aludid
Which is the gerund of aludir, used with estar for the progressive? A. aludido B. aludo C. aludí D. aludiendo
Answer key
- aludo — The first-person present of aludir is aludo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- aludió — The third-person preterite of aludir is aludió, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- aludíamos — The nosotros imperfect of aludir is aludíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- aludirás — The second-person future of aludir is aludirás.
- aludiría — The first-person conditional of aludir is aludiría, the form for what would happen.
- aluda — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of aludir is aluda.
- aludiera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of aludir is aludiera.
- hemos aludido — The nosotros present perfect of aludir is hemos aludido: hemos + aludido.
- alude — The affirmative tú imperative of aludir is alude.
- aludiendo — The gerund of aludir is aludiendo: estoy aludiendo. The participle aludido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does aludir mean in English?
Aludir means to allude to. It is used in everyday situations such as Aludo al problema sin nombrarlo. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is aludir regular or irregular?
Aludir is a fully regular -ir 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 aludo in the present and aludí in the preterite.
What is the difference between aludir and mencionar?
Aludir means to allude to, while mencionar means to mention. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use aludir when you mean to allude to, as in Aludo al problema sin nombrarlo, and use mencionar for to mention. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I allude to” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo aludí a su pasado en la entrevista. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo aludía al tema con una sonrisa. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he aludido a su pasado en la entrevista.
How do I practise aludir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the aludir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Aludir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for aludir.
- Aludir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for aludir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Aturdir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with aludir.
- Aducir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with aludir.
- Departir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with aludir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.