Apasionar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb apasionar means to excite, to be passionate about, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Apasionar means to excite or to be passionate about, and it works like gustar: the thing that excites you is the subject, as in me apasiona la música, music excites me. It describes strong enthusiasm — for music, football, cooking, history — and it is stronger than gustar. Like every Spanish verb, apasionar changes its ending for each person and tense, but it works like gustar: the thing that excites is the subject, and the person is an indirect object. 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 Me apasiona la música clásica, and in the preterite you say Me apasionó la cocina italiana. 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: apasionar
- English: to excite, to be passionate about
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: apasionando
- Past participle: apasionado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + apasionado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for apasionar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Apasionar works like gustar: me apasiona la música, not yo apasiono la música. The verb agrees with the thing you love.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for apasionar. 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 | apasiono |
| tú | apasionas |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasiona |
| nosotros/as | apasionamos |
| vosotros/as | apasionáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | apasioné |
| tú | apasionaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasionó |
| nosotros/as | apasionamos |
| vosotros/as | apasionasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | apasionaba |
| tú | apasionabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasionaba |
| nosotros/as | apasionábamos |
| vosotros/as | apasionabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | apasionaré |
| tú | apasionarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasionará |
| nosotros/as | apasionaremos |
| vosotros/as | apasionaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | apasionaría |
| tú | apasionarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasionaría |
| nosotros/as | apasionaríamos |
| vosotros/as | apasionaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he apasionado |
| tú | has apasionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha apasionado |
| nosotros/as | hemos apasionado |
| vosotros/as | habéis apasionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han apasionado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había apasionado |
| tú | habías apasionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había apasionado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos apasionado |
| vosotros/as | habíais apasionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían apasionado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré apasionado |
| tú | habrás apasionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá apasionado |
| nosotros/as | habremos apasionado |
| vosotros/as | habréis apasionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán apasionado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría apasionado |
| tú | habrías apasionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría apasionado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos apasionado |
| vosotros/as | habríais apasionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían apasionado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | apasione |
| tú | apasiones |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasione |
| nosotros/as | apasionemos |
| vosotros/as | apasionéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | apasionara |
| tú | apasionaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasionara |
| nosotros/as | apasionáramos |
| vosotros/as | apasionarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | apasiona |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasione |
| nosotros/as | apasionemos |
| vosotros/as | apasionad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | apasiones |
| él/ella/Ud. | apasione |
| nosotros/as | apasionemos |
| vosotros/as | apasionéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | apasionen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | apasionando | with estar for the progressive: estoy apasionando |
| Past participle | apasionado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he apasionado |
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 apasionar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me apasiona la música clásica. 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 apasionar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me apasionó el fútbol. 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 apasionar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me apasionaba la cocina italiana. 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 apasionar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me apasionará los libros de historia. 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 apasionar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me apasionaría la música clásica 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 apasionar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me ha apasionado el fútbol. 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 apasionar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había apasionado la cocina italiana 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 apasionar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habrá apasionado los libros de historia. 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 apasionar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría apasionado la música clásica 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 apasionar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que le apasione el fútbol. 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 apasionar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si le apasionara la cocina italiana, 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 apasionar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que le apasione los libros de historia. 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 apasionar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que no le apasione la música clásica. 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 apasionar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Me apasiona la música clásica. — Classical music excites me.
- Le apasiona el fútbol. — Football excites him.
- Ayer, me apasionó la cocina italiana. — Yesterday, Italian cooking excited me.
- Antes, nos apasionaba los libros de historia. — Before, History books used to excite us.
- Mañana, te apasionará la música clásica. — Tomorrow, Classical music will excite you.
- Me apasionaría el fútbol si pudiera. — Football would excite me if I could.
- Le ha apasionado la cocina italiana. — Italian cooking has excited him.
- Espero que le apasione los libros de historia. — I hope history books excites him.
- Me había apasionado la música clásica antes de salir. — Classical music had already excited me before leaving.
- Les apasionaba el fútbol cuando eran jóvenes. — Football used to excite them when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo apasiono la música clásica. — Right: Me apasiona la música clásica. — Apasionar works like gustar: the thing that excites is the subject, and the person is an indirect object (me, te, le, nos, os, les). The verb agrees with the thing, not with the person.
- Wrong: Treating apasionar and encantar as identical in every context. — Right: Apasionar means to excite, to be passionate about, while encantar means to love something, to be delighted by it. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: apasionar fits sentences such as Me apasiona la música clásica, while encantar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy apasionado el fútbol. — Right: Yo he apasionado el fútbol. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he apasionado, has apasionado, ha apasionado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo apasioné la cocina italiana todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo apasionaba la cocina italiana todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (apasionaba), not the preterite. The preterite (apasioné) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on apasionar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Me ___ la música clásica. (present tense) A. apasiona B. apasiono C. apasionas D. apasionamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, me ___ el fútbol. (preterite) A. apasioné B. apasionaste C. apasionaron D. apasionó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nos ___ la cocina italiana. (imperfect) A. apasionaban B. apasiono C. apasionaba D. apasionabas
Complete the sentence: Mañana, te ___ los libros de historia. (future) A. apasiono B. apasionará C. apasionaré D. apasionaremos
Complete the sentence: Me ___ la música clásica si pudiera. (conditional) A. apasionaría B. apasionarías C. apasionarían D. apasiono
Complete the sentence: Espero que le ___ el fútbol. (present subjunctive) A. apasiones B. apasionemos C. apasiono D. apasione
Complete the sentence: Si me ___ la cocina italiana, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. apasionáramos B. apasiono C. apasionara D. apasionaras
Complete the sentence: Le ___ los libros de historia. (present perfect) A. han apasionado B. ha apasionado C. he apasionado D. has apasionado
What does “Me apasiona la música clásica” mean? A. Classical music excites me. B. I excite classical music. C. Classical music excites you. D. I am classical music.
Which is the gerund of apasionar, used with estar for the progressive? A. apasionado B. apasiono C. apasioné D. apasionando
Answer key
- apasiona — The verb agrees with the thing that pleases: the third-person present of apasionar is apasiona.
- apasionó — The third-person preterite of apasionar is apasionó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- apasionaba — The third-person imperfect of apasionar is apasionaba, used here for a repeated past habit.
- apasionará — The third-person future of apasionar is apasionará.
- apasionaría — The third-person conditional of apasionar is apasionaría, the form for what would happen.
- apasione — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of apasionar is apasione.
- apasionara — The third-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of apasionar is apasionara.
- ha apasionado — The third-person present perfect of apasionar is ha apasionado: ha + apasionado.
- Classical music excites me. — Apasionar works like gustar: the thing is the subject, so “Me apasiona la música clásica” means classical music excites me.
- apasionando — The gerund of apasionar is apasionando: estoy apasionando. The participle apasionado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does apasionar mean in English?
Apasionar means to excite, to be passionate about. It works like gustar: the thing that excites is the subject, so you say Me apasiona la música clásica, which means Classical music excites me. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Why does apasionar use me, te and le instead of yo and tú?
Because apasionar works like gustar: the person who feels the emotion is an indirect object, and the thing that causes it is the subject. You say me apasiona la música clásica, te apasiona el fútbol and le apasiona la cocina italiana, and the verb always agrees with the thing, not with the person.
What is the difference between apasionar and encantar?
Apasionar means to excite, to be passionate about, while encantar means to love something, to be delighted by it. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use apasionar when you mean to excite, to be passionate about, as in Me apasiona la música clásica, and use encantar for to love something, to be delighted by it. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say something excited me in the past?
For one finished action, use the preterite: me apasionó el fútbol. For a repeated feeling in the past, use the imperfect: me apasionaba la cocina italiana. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: me ha apasionado el fútbol.
How do I practise apasionar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the apasionar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Apasionar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for apasionar.
- Apasionar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for apasionar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Apartar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with apasionar.
- Apelar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with apasionar.
- Añorar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with apasionar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.