Introduction

Arar means “to plough”, and this page covers exactly one thing: arar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for arar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about arar in the present. Arar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo aro el campo” — "I plough the field". Everything on this page uses the forms of arar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Arar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo aro
tú aras
él/ella/Ud. ara
nosotros/as aramos
vosotros/as aráis
ellos/ellas/Uds. aran

Gerund: arando · Past participle: arado

The gerund is arando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy arando” means the action of arar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is arado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he arado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how arar is used.

How the present of arar is formed

Arar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem ar and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving aro, aras, ara, aramos, aráis, aran. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, aráis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of arar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form aráis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form aro is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of arar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use arar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, arar goes in the present. Example: “Yo aro la tierra” — "I plough the land".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about arar does not need a time word at all. Example: “En primavera, él ara” — "In spring, he ploughs".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so aro can mean both "I plough" and "I am ploughing". Example: “Yo aro el campo” — "I plough the field".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros aramos la tierra” — "We plough the land".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with arar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “En primavera, él ara” — "In spring, he ploughs".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo aro el campo” — "I plough the field".

  • Preterite: “Yo aré el campo” — "I ploughed the field".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él ara la tierra” — "He ploughs the land".

  • Preterite: “Él aró la tierra” — "He ploughed the land".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “En primavera, nosotros aramos” — "In spring, we plough".

  • Preterite: “En primavera, nosotros aramos” — "In spring, we ploughed".

  • The two sentences look identical: aramos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: arar in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Yo aro la tierra” — "I plough the land"

  2. “En primavera, tú aras” — "In spring, you plough"

  3. “Él ara el campo” — "He ploughs the field"

  4. “Nosotros aramos la tierra” — "We plough the land"

  5. “En primavera, vosotros aráis” — "In spring, you plough"

  6. “Ellos aran el campo” — "They plough the field"

  7. “Yo aro la tierra” — "I plough the land"

  8. “En primavera, él ara” — "In spring, he ploughs"

Common mistakes with arar in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Ellos ara el campo” Right: “Ellos aran el campo” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form aran. The singular ara belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo aré” Right: “Todos los días, yo aro” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (aré) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo ara el campo.” Right: “Yo aro el campo” Why: Yo needs the yo form aro. The él form ara belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo aro” Right: “Ayer, yo aré” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to aré.

Quiz: arar in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ___ el campo.” (yo form)

A. ara B. aramos C. aran D. aro

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la tierra.” (tú form)

A. ara B. aráis C. aras D. aro

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ el campo.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. ara B. aro C. aráis D. aran

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ la tierra.” (nosotros/as form)

A. aran B. aro C. aráis D. aramos

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ el campo.” (vosotros/as form)

A. aro B. aras C. ara D. aráis

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ la tierra.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. aráis B. aran C. aramos D. ara

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo aro B. Todos los días, yo aré

Answer key

  1. aro — The yo present of arar is aro.
  2. aras — The tú present of arar is aras.
  3. ara — The él/ella/Ud. present of arar is ara.
  4. aramos — The nosotros/as present of arar is aramos.
  5. aráis — The vosotros/as present of arar is aráis.
  6. aran — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of arar is aran.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo aro — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of arar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo aro el campo. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of arar formed?

Take the stem ar- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving aro, aras, ara, aramos, aráis, aran.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for arar?

The present (aro) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (aré) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise arar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — aro, aras, ara, aramos, aráis, aran — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the arar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of arar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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