Apoyarse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb apoyarse means to lean on, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Apoyarse means to lean on, and it is reflexive: you lean on a wall, on a friend's shoulder, on your elbows, and figuratively you lean on someone for support. It takes en for the support, as in apoyarse en un amigo, and it is a verb of rest and of trust. Like every Spanish verb, apoyarse 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 me apoyo en la pared del pasillo, and in the preterite you say me apoyé en mis codos en la mesa. 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: apoyarse
  • English: to lean on
  • Verb type: reflexive regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: apoyando
  • Past participle: apoyado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + apoyado)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for apoyarse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Apoyarse is reflexive: me apoyo, te apoyas. Without the pronoun, apoyar means to support someone else.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for apoyarse. 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 Pronoun Form
yo me apoyo
tú te apoyas
él/ella/Ud. se apoya
nosotros/as nos apoyamos
vosotros/as os apoyáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyan

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me apoyé
tú te apoyaste
él/ella/Ud. se apoyó
nosotros/as nos apoyamos
vosotros/as os apoyasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyaron

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me apoyaba
tú te apoyabas
él/ella/Ud. se apoyaba
nosotros/as nos apoyábamos
vosotros/as os apoyabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyaban

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me apoyaré
tú te apoyarás
él/ella/Ud. se apoyará
nosotros/as nos apoyaremos
vosotros/as os apoyaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyarán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me apoyaría
tú te apoyarías
él/ella/Ud. se apoyaría
nosotros/as nos apoyaríamos
vosotros/as os apoyaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyarían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he apoyado
tú te has apoyado
él/ella/Ud. se ha apoyado
nosotros/as nos hemos apoyado
vosotros/as os habéis apoyado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han apoyado

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había apoyado
tú te habías apoyado
él/ella/Ud. se había apoyado
nosotros/as nos habíamos apoyado
vosotros/as os habíais apoyado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían apoyado

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré apoyado
tú te habrás apoyado
él/ella/Ud. se habrá apoyado
nosotros/as nos habremos apoyado
vosotros/as os habréis apoyado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán apoyado

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría apoyado
tú te habrías apoyado
él/ella/Ud. se habría apoyado
nosotros/as nos habríamos apoyado
vosotros/as os habríais apoyado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían apoyado

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me apoye
tú te apoyes
él/ella/Ud. se apoye
nosotros/as nos apoyemos
vosotros/as os apoyéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me apoyara
tú te apoyaras
él/ella/Ud. se apoyara
nosotros/as nos apoyáramos
vosotros/as os apoyarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te apoya
él/ella/Ud. se apoye
nosotros/as nos apoyemos
vosotros/as os apoyad
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyen

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te apoyes
él/ella/Ud. se apoye
nosotros/as nos apoyemos
vosotros/as os apoyéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se apoyen

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund apoyando with estar for the progressive: estoy apoyando (with the pronoun attached: apoyándose)
Past participle apoyado with haber for the perfect tenses: he apoyado

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 apoyarse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me apoyo en la pared del pasillo. 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 apoyarse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me apoyé en el hombro de mi amigo. 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 apoyarse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me apoyaba en mis codos en la mesa. 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 apoyarse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me apoyaré en mi familia en los malos momentos. 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 apoyarse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me apoyaría en la pared del pasillo 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 apoyarse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me he apoyado en el hombro de mi amigo. 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 apoyarse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había apoyado en mis codos en la mesa 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 apoyarse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habré apoyado en mi familia en los malos momentos. 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 apoyarse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría apoyado en la pared del pasillo 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 apoyarse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él se apoye en el hombro de mi amigo. 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 apoyarse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él se apoyara en mis codos en la mesa, 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 apoyarse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se apoye en mi familia en los malos momentos. 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 apoyarse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No te apoyes en la pared del pasillo. 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 apoyarse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Me apoyo en la pared del pasillo. — I lean on on the corridor wall.
  2. Se apoya en el hombro de mi amigo. — He/she leans on on my friend's shoulder.
  3. Ayer, me apoyé en mis codos en la mesa. — Yesterday, I leaned on on my elbows on the table.
  4. Antes, nosotros nos apoyábamos en mi familia en los malos momentos. — Before, we used to lean on on my family in bad times.
  5. Mañana, tú te apoyarás en la pared del pasillo. — Tomorrow, you will lean on on the corridor wall.
  6. Yo me apoyaría en el hombro de mi amigo si tuviera más tiempo. — I would lean on on my friend's shoulder if I had more time.
  7. Él se ha apoyado en mis codos en la mesa. — He has leaned on on my elbows on the table.
  8. Espero que él se apoye en mi familia en los malos momentos. — I hope he leans on on my family in bad times.
  9. Yo ya me había apoyado en la pared del pasillo antes de salir. — I had already leaned on on the corridor wall before leaving.
  10. Ellos se apoyaban en el hombro de mi amigo cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to lean on on my friend's shoulder when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo apoyo en la pared del pasillo. — Right: Yo me apoyo en la pared del pasillo. — Apoyarse is reflexive, so the pronoun me is required: without it the verb means something else, or nothing at all.
  2. Wrong: Treating apoyarse and sostenerse as identical in every context. — Right: Apoyarse means to lean on, while sostenerse means to hold yourself up. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: apoyarse fits sentences such as Me apoyo en la pared del pasillo, while sostenerse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  3. Wrong: Yo soy apoyado en el hombro de mi amigo. — Right: Yo he apoyado en el hombro de mi amigo. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he apoyado, has apoyado, ha apoyado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo apoyé en mis codos en la mesa todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo apoyaba en mis codos en la mesa todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (apoyaba), not the preterite. The preterite (apoyé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en la pared del pasillo. (present tense) A. me apoyo B. te apoyas C. se apoya D. nos apoyamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ en el hombro de mi amigo. (preterite) A. me apoyé B. te apoyaste C. se apoyaron D. se apoyó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ en mis codos en la mesa. (imperfect) A. te apoyabas B. se apoyaban C. nos apoyábamos D. me apoyaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ en mi familia en los malos momentos. (future) A. nos apoyaremos B. te apoyarás C. me apoyaré D. se apoyará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en la pared del pasillo si pudiera. (conditional) A. me apoyaría B. te apoyarías C. se apoyaría D. se apoyarían

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en el hombro de mi amigo. (present subjunctive) A. me apoye B. te apoyes C. nos apoyemos D. se apoye

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ en mis codos en la mesa, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. se apoyara B. nos apoyáramos C. me apoyara D. te apoyaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ en mi familia en los malos momentos. (present perfect) A. se han apoyado B. nos hemos apoyado C. me he apoyado D. te has apoyado

  9. Complete the command: No ___ en la pared del pasillo. (negative imperative, tú) A. te apoyes B. se apoye C. nos apoyemos D. os apoyéis

  10. Which is the gerund of apoyarse, used with estar for the progressive? A. apoyado B. apoyo C. apoyé D. apoyando

Answer key

  1. me apoyo — The first-person present of apoyarse is me apoyo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. se apoyó — The third-person preterite of apoyarse is se apoyó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. nos apoyábamos — The nosotros imperfect of apoyarse is nos apoyábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. te apoyarás — The second-person future of apoyarse is te apoyarás.
  5. me apoyaría — The first-person conditional of apoyarse is me apoyaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. se apoye — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of apoyarse is se apoye.
  7. me apoyara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of apoyarse is me apoyara.
  8. nos hemos apoyado — The nosotros present perfect of apoyarse is nos hemos apoyado: hemos + apoyado.
  9. te apoyes — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: te apoyes.
  10. apoyando — The gerund of apoyarse is apoyando: estoy apoyando. The participle apoyado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does apoyarse mean in English?

Apoyarse means to lean on. It is used in everyday situations such as Me apoyo en la pared del pasillo. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is apoyarse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Apoyarse is reflexive, so it always takes a reflexive pronoun that matches the person: me, te, se, nos, os or se. For example, Me apoyo en la pared del pasillo and él se apoya en el hombro de mi amigo. If you leave the pronoun out, the verb changes meaning or stops making sense.

What is the difference between apoyarse and sostenerse?

Apoyarse means to lean on, while sostenerse means to hold yourself up. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use apoyarse when you mean to lean on, as in Me apoyo en la pared del pasillo, and use sostenerse for to hold yourself up. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I lean on” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo me apoyé en el hombro de mi amigo. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo me apoyaba en mis codos en la mesa. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo me he apoyado en el hombro de mi amigo.

How do I practise apoyarse?

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

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