Arbitrar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb arbitrar means to referee, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Arbitrar means to referee, to act as the referee in a sports match. It is used for football, basketball and other games, and it is a fully regular verb that belongs to sports vocabulary. Like every Spanish verb, arbitrar 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 arbitro el partido de fútbol del domingo, and in the preterite you say arbitré el derbi entre los dos equipos. 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: arbitrar
- English: to referee
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: arbitrando
- Past participle: arbitrado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + arbitrado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for arbitrar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Arbitrar is fully regular: arbitro, arbitra. The referee is el árbitro, and arbitrar is what the referee does during the match.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for arbitrar. 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 | arbitro |
| tú | arbitras |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitra |
| nosotros/as | arbitramos |
| vosotros/as | arbitráis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitran |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arbitré |
| tú | arbitraste |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitró |
| nosotros/as | arbitramos |
| vosotros/as | arbitrasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitraron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arbitraba |
| tú | arbitrabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitraba |
| nosotros/as | arbitrábamos |
| vosotros/as | arbitrabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitraban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arbitraré |
| tú | arbitrarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitrará |
| nosotros/as | arbitraremos |
| vosotros/as | arbitraréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitrarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arbitraría |
| tú | arbitrarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitraría |
| nosotros/as | arbitraríamos |
| vosotros/as | arbitraríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitrarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he arbitrado |
| tú | has arbitrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha arbitrado |
| nosotros/as | hemos arbitrado |
| vosotros/as | habéis arbitrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han arbitrado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había arbitrado |
| tú | habías arbitrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había arbitrado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos arbitrado |
| vosotros/as | habíais arbitrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían arbitrado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré arbitrado |
| tú | habrás arbitrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá arbitrado |
| nosotros/as | habremos arbitrado |
| vosotros/as | habréis arbitrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán arbitrado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría arbitrado |
| tú | habrías arbitrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría arbitrado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos arbitrado |
| vosotros/as | habríais arbitrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían arbitrado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arbitre |
| tú | arbitres |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitre |
| nosotros/as | arbitremos |
| vosotros/as | arbitréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitren |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arbitrara |
| tú | arbitraras |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitrara |
| nosotros/as | arbitráramos |
| vosotros/as | arbitrarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitraran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | arbitra |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitre |
| nosotros/as | arbitremos |
| vosotros/as | arbitrad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitren |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | arbitres |
| él/ella/Ud. | arbitre |
| nosotros/as | arbitremos |
| vosotros/as | arbitréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arbitren |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | arbitrando | with estar for the progressive: estoy arbitrando |
| Past participle | arbitrado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he arbitrado |
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 arbitrar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Arbitro el partido de fútbol del domingo. 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 arbitrar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, arbitré la final con mucha presión. 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 arbitrar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, arbitraba el derbi entre los dos equipos. 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 arbitrar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, arbitraré el torneo de baloncesto. 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 arbitrar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Arbitraría el partido de fútbol del domingo 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 arbitrar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he arbitrado la final con mucha presión. 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 arbitrar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había arbitrado el derbi entre los dos equipos 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 arbitrar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré arbitrado el torneo de baloncesto. 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 arbitrar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría arbitrado el partido de fútbol del domingo 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 arbitrar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él arbitre la final con mucha presión. 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 arbitrar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él arbitrara el derbi entre los dos equipos, 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 arbitrar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Arbitra el torneo de baloncesto! 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 arbitrar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No arbitres el partido de fútbol del domingo. 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 arbitrar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Arbitro el partido de fútbol del domingo. — I referee Sunday's football match.
- Arbitra la final con mucha presión. — He/she referees the final under a lot of pressure.
- Ayer, arbitré el derbi entre los dos equipos. — Yesterday, I refereed the derby between the two teams.
- Antes, nosotros arbitrábamos el torneo de baloncesto. — Before, we used to referee the basketball tournament.
- Mañana, tú arbitrarás el partido de fútbol del domingo. — Tomorrow, you will referee Sunday's football match.
- Yo arbitraría la final con mucha presión si tuviera más tiempo. — I would referee the final under a lot of pressure if I had more time.
- Él ha arbitrado el derbi entre los dos equipos. — He has refereed the derby between the two teams.
- Espero que él arbitre el torneo de baloncesto. — I hope he referees the basketball tournament.
- Yo ya había arbitrado el partido de fútbol del domingo antes de salir. — I had already refereed Sunday's football match before leaving.
- Ellos arbitraban la final con mucha presión cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to referee the final under a lot of pressure when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo arbitra el partido de fútbol del domingo. — Right: Yo arbitro el partido de fútbol del domingo. — The person matters: arbitra is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is arbitro. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo arbitro la final con mucha presión. — Right: Ayer yo arbitré la final con mucha presión. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: arbitro is happening now, while arbitré is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating arbitrar and juzgar as identical in every context. — Right: Arbitrar means to referee, while juzgar means to judge, in a court. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: arbitrar fits sentences such as Arbitro el partido de fútbol del domingo, while juzgar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy arbitrado la final con mucha presión. — Right: Yo he arbitrado la final con mucha presión. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he arbitrado, has arbitrado, ha arbitrado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo arbitré el derbi entre los dos equipos todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo arbitraba el derbi entre los dos equipos todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (arbitraba), not the preterite. The preterite (arbitré) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on arbitrar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el partido de fútbol del domingo. (present tense) A. arbitro B. arbitras C. arbitra D. arbitramos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la final con mucha presión. (preterite) A. arbitré B. arbitraste C. arbitraron D. arbitró
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el derbi entre los dos equipos. (imperfect) A. arbitrabas B. arbitraban C. arbitrábamos D. arbitraba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el torneo de baloncesto. (future) A. arbitraremos B. arbitrarás C. arbitraré D. arbitrará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el partido de fútbol del domingo si pudiera. (conditional) A. arbitraría B. arbitrarías C. arbitrarían D. arbitro
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la final con mucha presión. (present subjunctive) A. arbitres B. arbitremos C. arbitro D. arbitre
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el derbi entre los dos equipos, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. arbitráramos B. arbitro C. arbitrara D. arbitraras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el torneo de baloncesto. (present perfect) A. han arbitrado B. hemos arbitrado C. he arbitrado D. has arbitrado
Complete the command: ¡___ el partido de fútbol del domingo! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. arbitra B. arbitre C. arbitremos D. arbitrad
Which is the gerund of arbitrar, used with estar for the progressive? A. arbitrado B. arbitro C. arbitré D. arbitrando
Answer key
- arbitro — The first-person present of arbitrar is arbitro. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- arbitró — The third-person preterite of arbitrar is arbitró, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- arbitrábamos — The nosotros imperfect of arbitrar is arbitrábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- arbitrarás — The second-person future of arbitrar is arbitrarás.
- arbitraría — The first-person conditional of arbitrar is arbitraría, the form for what would happen.
- arbitre — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of arbitrar is arbitre.
- arbitrara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of arbitrar is arbitrara.
- hemos arbitrado — The nosotros present perfect of arbitrar is hemos arbitrado: hemos + arbitrado.
- arbitra — The affirmative tú imperative of arbitrar is arbitra.
- arbitrando — The gerund of arbitrar is arbitrando: estoy arbitrando. The participle arbitrado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does arbitrar mean in English?
Arbitrar means to referee. It is used in everyday situations such as Arbitro el partido de fútbol del domingo. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is arbitrar regular or irregular?
Arbitrar 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 arbitro in the present and arbitré in the preterite.
What is the difference between arbitrar and juzgar?
Arbitrar means to referee, while juzgar means to judge, in a court. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use arbitrar when you mean to referee, as in Arbitro el partido de fútbol del domingo, and use juzgar for to judge, in a court. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I referee” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo arbitré la final con mucha presión. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo arbitraba el derbi entre los dos equipos. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he arbitrado la final con mucha presión.
How do I practise arbitrar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the arbitrar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Arbitrar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for arbitrar.
- Arbitrar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for arbitrar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Empatar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with arbitrar.
- Declarar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with arbitrar.
- Estrenar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with arbitrar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.