Apuntar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb apuntar means to point, to note down, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Apuntar means to point or to note down, and the two senses share the idea of directing attention: you point at a door with your finger, you point a gun, and you note down a number in your diary. It also means to sign up in its reflexive form apuntarse, and to aim in shooting. Like every Spanish verb, apuntar 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 apunto la dirección en el mapa, and in the preterite you say apunté la fecha en el calendario. 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: apuntar
  • English: to point, to note down
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: apuntando
  • Past participle: apuntado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + apuntado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for apuntar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Apuntar is fully regular: apunté, apuntaba, apuntaré. To sign up for something, use the reflexive apuntarse.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for apuntar. 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 apunto
tú apuntas
él/ella/Ud. apunta
nosotros/as apuntamos
vosotros/as apuntáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. apuntan

Preterite

Person Form
yo apunté
tú apuntaste
él/ella/Ud. apuntó
nosotros/as apuntamos
vosotros/as apuntasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. apuntaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo apuntaba
tú apuntabas
él/ella/Ud. apuntaba
nosotros/as apuntábamos
vosotros/as apuntabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. apuntaban

Future

Person Form
yo apuntaré
tú apuntarás
él/ella/Ud. apuntará
nosotros/as apuntaremos
vosotros/as apuntaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. apuntarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo apuntaría
tú apuntarías
él/ella/Ud. apuntaría
nosotros/as apuntaríamos
vosotros/as apuntaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. apuntarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he apuntado
tú has apuntado
él/ella/Ud. ha apuntado
nosotros/as hemos apuntado
vosotros/as habéis apuntado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han apuntado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había apuntado
tú habías apuntado
él/ella/Ud. había apuntado
nosotros/as habíamos apuntado
vosotros/as habíais apuntado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían apuntado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré apuntado
tú habrás apuntado
él/ella/Ud. habrá apuntado
nosotros/as habremos apuntado
vosotros/as habréis apuntado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán apuntado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría apuntado
tú habrías apuntado
él/ella/Ud. habría apuntado
nosotros/as habríamos apuntado
vosotros/as habríais apuntado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían apuntado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo apunte
tú apuntes
él/ella/Ud. apunte
nosotros/as apuntemos
vosotros/as apuntéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. apunten

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo apuntara
tú apuntaras
él/ella/Ud. apuntara
nosotros/as apuntáramos
vosotros/as apuntarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. apuntaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú apunta
él/ella/Ud. apunte
nosotros/as apuntemos
vosotros/as apuntad
ellos/ellas/Uds. apunten

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú apuntes
él/ella/Ud. apunte
nosotros/as apuntemos
vosotros/as apuntéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. apunten

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund apuntando with estar for the progressive: estoy apuntando
Past participle apuntado with haber for the perfect tenses: he apuntado

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 apuntar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Apunto la dirección en el mapa. 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 apuntar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, apunté el número en la agenda. 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 apuntar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, apuntaba la fecha en el calendario. 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 apuntar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, apuntaré el teléfono en mi libreta. 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 apuntar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Apuntaría la dirección en el mapa 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 apuntar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he apuntado el número en la agenda. 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 apuntar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había apuntado la fecha en el calendario 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 apuntar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré apuntado el teléfono en mi libreta. 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 apuntar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría apuntado la dirección en el mapa 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 apuntar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él apunte el número en la agenda. 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 apuntar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él apuntara la fecha en el calendario, 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 apuntar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡apunta el teléfono en mi libreta! 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 apuntar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No apuntes la dirección en el mapa. 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 apuntar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Apunto la dirección en el mapa. — I note down the address on the map.
  2. Apunta el número en la agenda. — He/she notes down the number in the diary.
  3. Ayer, apunté la fecha en el calendario. — Yesterday, I noted down the date on the calendar.
  4. Antes, nosotros apuntábamos el teléfono en mi libreta. — Before, we used to note down the phone number in my notebook.
  5. Mañana, tú apuntarás la dirección en el mapa. — Tomorrow, you will note down the address on the map.
  6. Yo apuntaría el número en la agenda si tuviera más tiempo. — I would note down the number in the diary if I had more time.
  7. Él ha apuntado la fecha en el calendario. — He has noted down the date on the calendar.
  8. Espero que él apunte el teléfono en mi libreta. — I hope he notes down the phone number in my notebook.
  9. Yo ya había apuntado la dirección en el mapa antes de salir. — I had already noted down the address on the map before leaving.
  10. Ellos apuntaban el número en la agenda cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to note down the number in the diary when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo apunta la dirección en el mapa. — Right: Yo apunto la dirección en el mapa. — The person matters: apunta is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is apunto. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Treating apuntar and anotar as identical in every context. — Right: Apuntar means to point, to note down, while anotar means to note something down. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: apuntar fits sentences such as Apunto la dirección en el mapa, while anotar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  3. Wrong: Yo soy apuntado el número en la agenda. — Right: Yo he apuntado el número en la agenda. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he apuntado, has apuntado, ha apuntado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo apunté la fecha en el calendario todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo apuntaba la fecha en el calendario todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (apuntaba), not the preterite. The preterite (apunté) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la dirección en el mapa. (present tense) A. apunto B. apuntas C. apunta D. apuntamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el número en la agenda. (preterite) A. apunté B. apuntaste C. apuntaron D. apuntó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la fecha en el calendario. (imperfect) A. apuntabas B. apuntaban C. apuntábamos D. apuntaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el teléfono en mi libreta. (future) A. apuntaremos B. apuntarás C. apuntaré D. apuntará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la dirección en el mapa si pudiera. (conditional) A. apuntaría B. apuntarías C. apuntarían D. apunto

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el número en la agenda. (present subjunctive) A. apuntes B. apuntemos C. apunto D. apunte

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la fecha en el calendario, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. apuntáramos B. apunto C. apuntara D. apuntaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el teléfono en mi libreta. (present perfect) A. han apuntado B. hemos apuntado C. he apuntado D. has apuntado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ la dirección en el mapa! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. apunta B. apunte C. apuntemos D. apuntad

  10. Which is the gerund of apuntar, used with estar for the progressive? A. apuntado B. apunto C. apunté D. apuntando

Answer key

  1. apunto — The first-person present of apuntar is apunto. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. apuntó — The third-person preterite of apuntar is apuntó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. apuntábamos — The nosotros imperfect of apuntar is apuntábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. apuntarás — The second-person future of apuntar is apuntarás.
  5. apuntaría — The first-person conditional of apuntar is apuntaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. apunte — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of apuntar is apunte.
  7. apuntara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of apuntar is apuntara.
  8. hemos apuntado — The nosotros present perfect of apuntar is hemos apuntado: hemos + apuntado.
  9. apunta — The affirmative tú imperative of apuntar is apunta.
  10. apuntando — The gerund of apuntar is apuntando: estoy apuntando. The participle apuntado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does apuntar mean in English?

Apuntar means to point, to note down. It is used in everyday situations such as Apunto la dirección en el mapa. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is apuntar regular or irregular?

Apuntar 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 apunto in the present and apunté in the preterite.

What is the difference between apuntar and anotar?

Apuntar means to point, to note down, while anotar means to note something down. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use apuntar when you mean to point, to note down, as in Apunto la dirección en el mapa, and use anotar for to note something down. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I point” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo apunté el número en la agenda. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo apuntaba la fecha en el calendario. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he apuntado el número en la agenda.

How do I practise apuntar?

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

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