Arrimarse Conjugation in Spanish
arrimarse means "to draw near" in English, and it comes up when people talk about the wall in the dark, the fire in winter, his mother in the market and the window to see the street. This page gives you the complete conjugation of arrimarse in every tense and mood — present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, the four perfect tenses, both subjunctive tenses and the imperative — with all six persons, plus the gerund and the past participle. Every form below comes from VerbFlow's verified conjugation tables, so you can trust the accents and the spelling changes. arrimarse is a Reflexive regular -ar verb, and the notes under each tense explain exactly where it follows the rules and where it breaks them. To hear it in a real sentence: Cada día, yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad. — "Every day, I draw near to the wall in the dark." Work through the tables, read the notes, then test yourself with the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: arrimarse
- English: to draw near
- Verb type: Reflexive regular -ar verb
- Gerund: arrimando
- Past participle: arrimado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all compound tenses use haber + arrimado)
- Reflexive: yes — always use it with the reflexive pronouns me, te, se, nos, os, se.
Full conjugation table
Every tense of arrimarse with all six persons. The gerund is arrimando and the past participle is arrimado.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arrimo |
| tú | arrimas |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrima |
| nosotros/as | arrimamos |
| vosotros/as | arrimáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arriman |
Preterite (past)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arrimé |
| tú | arrimaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrimó |
| nosotros/as | arrimamos |
| vosotros/as | arrimasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arrimaba |
| tú | arrimabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrimaba |
| nosotros/as | arrimábamos |
| vosotros/as | arrimabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arrimaré |
| tú | arrimarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrimará |
| nosotros/as | arrimaremos |
| vosotros/as | arrimaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arrimaría |
| tú | arrimarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrimaría |
| nosotros/as | arrimaríamos |
| vosotros/as | arrimaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he arrimado |
| tú | has arrimado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha arrimado |
| nosotros/as | hemos arrimado |
| vosotros/as | habéis arrimado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han arrimado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había arrimado |
| tú | habías arrimado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había arrimado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos arrimado |
| vosotros/as | habíais arrimado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían arrimado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré arrimado |
| tú | habrás arrimado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá arrimado |
| nosotros/as | habremos arrimado |
| vosotros/as | habréis arrimado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán arrimado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría arrimado |
| tú | habrías arrimado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría arrimado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos arrimado |
| vosotros/as | habríais arrimado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían arrimado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arrime |
| tú | arrimes |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrime |
| nosotros/as | arrimemos |
| vosotros/as | arriméis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | arrimara |
| tú | arrimaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrimara |
| nosotros/as | arrimáramos |
| vosotros/as | arrimarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | arrima |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrime |
| nosotros/as | arrimemos |
| vosotros/as | arrimad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | arrimes |
| él/ella/Ud. | arrime |
| nosotros/as | arrimemos |
| vosotros/as | arriméis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | arrimen |
Notes on each tense
A short note for every tense: when it is used, one example, and anything irregular about arrimarse in that tense.
Present indicative
The present indicative of arrimarse is used for routines, habits, general truths and things happening right now. Cada día, yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad. — "Every day, I draw near to the wall in the dark." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Preterite (past)
The preterite (past) of arrimarse is used for one action that started and finished in the past. Ayer, yo me arrimé al fuego en invierno. — "Yesterday, I drew near to the fire in winter." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Imperfect
The imperfect of arrimarse is used for an ongoing or repeated action in the past, background description and habits that no longer happen. Antes, yo me arrimaba a su madre en el mercado. — "In the past, I used to draw near to his mother in the market." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Future
The future of arrimarse is used for what will happen, plans and predictions. Mañana, nosotros nos arrimaremos a la ventana para ver la calle. — "Tomorrow, we will draw near to the window to see the street." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Conditional
The conditional of arrimarse is used for what would happen, hypothetical situations and polite requests. Si pudieras, tú te arrimarías a la pared en la oscuridad. — "If you could, you would draw near to the wall in the dark." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Present perfect
The present perfect of arrimarse is used for an action completed in the recent past that still matters now, or life experience up to now. Yo me he arrimado al fuego en invierno. — "I have drawn near to the fire in winter." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Pluperfect
The pluperfect of arrimarse is used for an action that had already happened before another past action. Antes de la fiesta, yo me había arrimado a su madre en el mercado. — "Before the party, I had drawn near to his mother in the market." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Future perfect
The future perfect of arrimarse is used for an action that will be finished by a point in the future. Para mañana, yo me habré arrimado a la ventana para ver la calle. — "By tomorrow, I will have drawn near to the window to see the street." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect of arrimarse is used for what would have happened if things had been different. Si hubiera podido, yo me habría arrimado a la pared en la oscuridad. — "If I had been able to, I would have drawn near to the wall in the dark." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive of arrimarse is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and requests after expressions such as espero que. Espero que él se arrime al fuego en invierno. — "I hope that he/she draws near to the fire in winter." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
The imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of arrimarse is used for the same subjunctive meanings in the past, and in si clauses about unreal situations. Si él se arrimara a su madre en el mercado, todo saldría mejor. — "If he/she drew near to his mother in the market, everything would turn out better." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) of arrimarse is used for orders, instructions and invitations. ¡Que se arrime a la ventana para ver la calle! — "Let him/her draw near to the window to see the street!" For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) of arrimarse is used for prohibitions and negative orders. No te arrimes a la pared en la oscuridad. — "Do not draw near to the wall in the dark." For arrimarse this tense follows the regular -ar pattern: the stem arrim- plus the usual endings. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Examples: arrimarse in real sentences
Ten sentences with arrimarse, one for each main tense, each with its English translation. Read them aloud, then try changing the person and the complement to make your own versions.
- Cada día, yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad. — "Every day, I draw near to the wall in the dark." This is the present tense, used for a habit.
- Ayer, yo me arrimé al fuego en invierno. — "Yesterday, I drew near to the fire in winter." This is the preterite, one finished action.
- Antes, yo me arrimaba a su madre en el mercado. — "In the past, I used to draw near to his mother in the market." This is the imperfect, a repeated action in the past.
- Mañana, nosotros nos arrimaremos a la ventana para ver la calle. — "Tomorrow, we will draw near to the window to see the street." This is the future tense, a plan for tomorrow.
- Si pudieras, tú te arrimarías a la pared en la oscuridad. — "If you could, you would draw near to the wall in the dark." This is the conditional, something that would happen.
- Yo me he arrimado al fuego en invierno. — "I have drawn near to the fire in winter." This is the present perfect, an action with present relevance.
- Espero que él se arrime a su madre en el mercado. — "I hope that he/she draws near to his mother in the market." This is the present subjunctive, after espero que.
- Si él se arrimara a la ventana para ver la calle, todo saldría mejor. — "If he/she drew near to the window to see the street, everything would turn out better." This is the imperfect subjunctive, in a si clause.
- ¡No te arrimes a la pared en la oscuridad! — "Do not draw near to the wall in the dark!" This is the imperative, a direct order or request.
- Ahora, Yo me estoy arrimando al fuego en invierno. — "Now, I am drawing near to the fire in winter." This is the progressive, with estar and the gerund.
Common mistakes with arrimarse
The errors learners actually make with arrimarse, each with the wrong form, the right form, and why it is wrong.
Mistake 1: Forgetting the reflexive pronoun
- Wrong: Yo arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad.
- Right: Yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad.
- Why: arrimarse is reflexive, so the pronoun is part of the verb: Yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad.. Without me the sentence is incomplete, and it sounds as if the action happens to someone else.
Mistake 2: Dropping the accent on the vosotros form
- Wrong: Vosotros os arrimais a la pared en la oscuridad.
- Right: Vosotros os arrimáis a la pared en la oscuridad.
- Why: The vosotros form arrimáis carries a written accent. Without it the word is misspelled, and in writing the accent is part of the form.
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo me arrimo al fuego en invierno.
- Right: Ayer, yo me arrimé al fuego en invierno.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite. The present tense is for habits and routines, not for yesterday: Ayer, yo me arrimé al fuego en invierno. — "Yesterday, I drew near to the fire in winter."
Mistake 4: Mixing up the gerund and the participle
- Wrong: Me estoy arrimado a su madre en el mercado.
- Right: Me estoy arrimando a su madre en el mercado.
- Why: After estar you need the gerund arrimando for the progressive. The participle arrimado goes with haber in the perfect tenses (me he arrimado), never after estar.
Mistake 5: Using the él form for nosotros
- Wrong: Nosotros nos arrima a la pared en la oscuridad.
- Right: Nosotros nos arrimamos a la pared en la oscuridad.
- Why: The person and the ending must match: nosotros takes arrimamos, while arrima belongs to él and ella. Check the person first, then choose the form.
Quiz: arrimarse conjugation
Test yourself with ten questions on arrimarse. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of arrimarse in the present tense?
- (a) arrima
- (b) arrimamos
- (c) arrimo
- (d) arrimas
Answer: (c) arrimo. The yo form is arrimo. Check the person before you answer.
2. What is the tú form of arrimarse in the present tense?
- (a) arrimamos
- (b) arrimas
- (c) arrimo
- (d) arrima
Answer: (b) arrimas. The tú form is arrimas. Check the person before you answer.
3. What is the él/ella form of arrimarse in the present tense?
- (a) arrima
- (b) arrimo
- (c) arrimas
- (d) arrimamos
Answer: (a) arrima. The él/ella form is arrima. Check the person before you answer.
4. What is the nosotros form of arrimarse in the present tense?
- (a) arrimo
- (b) arrimas
- (c) arrima
- (d) arrimamos
Answer: (d) arrimamos. The nosotros form is arrimamos. Check the person before you answer.
5. What is the ellos/ellas form of arrimarse in the present tense?
- (a) arrimas
- (b) arrima
- (c) arriman
- (d) arrimo
Answer: (c) arriman. The ellos/ellas form is arriman. Check the person before you answer.
6. What is the gerund of arrimarse?
- (a) arrimo
- (b) arrimarse
- (c) arrimando
- (d) arrimado
Answer: (c) arrimando. The gerund is arrimando, used for the progressive: me estoy arrimando.
7. What is the past participle of arrimarse?
- (a) arrimarse
- (b) arrimado
- (c) arrimando
- (d) arrimé
Answer: (b) arrimado. The past participle is arrimado, used with haber in all perfect tenses: me he arrimado.
8. Complete the sentence: Cada día, yo ___ a la pared en la oscuridad.
- (a) arrimo
- (b) arrimas
- (c) arrima
- (d) arrimamos
Answer: (a) arrimo. The sentence needs the yo form arrimo (Every day, I draw near to the wall in the dark.)
9. What is the yo form of arrimarse in the preterite?
- (a) arrimaste
- (b) arrimó
- (c) arrimamos
- (d) arrimé
Answer: (d) arrimé. The yo preterite is arrimé. The preterite describes one finished action.
10. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a su madre en el mercado.
- (a) arriméis
- (b) arrime
- (c) arrimes
- (d) arrimemos
Answer: (b) arrime. After espero que Spanish needs the subjunctive, and the él form is arrime.
Frequently asked questions about arrimarse
Is arrimarse regular?
Yes. arrimarse is a regular -ar verb: arrimo, arrimé, arrimaba, arrimaré. There are no spelling changes and no stem changes, so once you know the endings you can conjugate it in every tense.
What does arrimarse mean, and when do I use it?
arrimarse means "to draw near" in English. Use it when you talk about the wall in the dark, the fire in winter, his mother in the market and the window to see the street — for example: Yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad. — "I draw near to the wall in the dark." It is a practical verb for everyday conversation, and it appears in all the tenses on this page.
How do you say it in a real sentence?
A natural sentence is: Yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad. — "I draw near to the wall in the dark." Change the person using the table above, and change the complement to talk about your own life: the verb stays the same, only the ending changes.
Is arrimarse reflexive?
Yes. arrimarse is reflexive, so it always travels with a pronoun: me, te, se, nos, os, se. Yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad. — "I draw near to the wall in the dark." If you drop the pronoun, the sentence is incomplete. The pronoun goes before the conjugated verb, and it attaches to the end of the gerund and of affirmative imperatives.
When do I use the present tense instead of the preterite with arrimarse?
Use the present for habits and routines: Yo me arrimo a la pared en la oscuridad. — "I draw near to the wall in the dark." Use the preterite for one finished action: Ayer, yo me arrimé a la pared en la oscuridad. — "Yesterday, I drew near to the wall in the dark." If the action happens regularly, choose the present; if it happened once and is finished, choose the preterite.