Asar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb asar means to roast, to grill, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Asar means to roast or to grill, and it is used for roasting meat in the oven, grilling fish and roasting vegetables. It is fully regular, and it appears in cooking contexts, usually with en el horno or a la parrilla. Like every Spanish verb, asar 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 aso el pollo en el horno, and in the preterite you say asé las verduras con aceite. 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: asar
  • English: to roast, to grill
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: asando
  • Past participle: asado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + asado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for asar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Asar is fully regular: asé, asaba, asaré. Asar el pollo is to roast the chicken.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for asar. 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 aso
tú asas
él/ella/Ud. asa
nosotros/as asamos
vosotros/as asáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. asan

Preterite

Person Form
yo asé
tú asaste
él/ella/Ud. asó
nosotros/as asamos
vosotros/as asasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. asaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo asaba
tú asabas
él/ella/Ud. asaba
nosotros/as asábamos
vosotros/as asabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. asaban

Future

Person Form
yo asaré
tú asarás
él/ella/Ud. asará
nosotros/as asaremos
vosotros/as asaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. asarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo asaría
tú asarías
él/ella/Ud. asaría
nosotros/as asaríamos
vosotros/as asaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. asarían

Present perfect

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

Pluperfect

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

Future perfect

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

Conditional perfect

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

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo ase
tú ases
él/ella/Ud. ase
nosotros/as asemos
vosotros/as aséis
ellos/ellas/Uds. asen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo asara
tú asaras
él/ella/Ud. asara
nosotros/as asáramos
vosotros/as asarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. asaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú asa
él/ella/Ud. ase
nosotros/as asemos
vosotros/as asad
ellos/ellas/Uds. asen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú ases
él/ella/Ud. ase
nosotros/as asemos
vosotros/as aséis
ellos/ellas/Uds. asen

Gerund and past participle

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

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 asar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Aso el pollo en el horno. 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 asar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, asé el pescado a la parrilla. 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 asar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, asaba las verduras con aceite. 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 asar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, asaré la carne el domingo. 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 asar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Asaría el pollo en el horno 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 asar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he asado el pescado a la parrilla. 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 asar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había asado las verduras con aceite 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 asar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré asado la carne el domingo. 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 asar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría asado el pollo en el horno 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 asar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él ase el pescado a la parrilla. 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 asar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él asara las verduras con aceite, 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 asar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Asa la carne el domingo! 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 asar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No ases el pollo en el horno. 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 asar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Aso el pollo en el horno. — I roast the chicken in the oven.
  2. Asa el pescado a la parrilla. — He/she roasts the fish on the grill.
  3. Ayer, asé las verduras con aceite. — Yesterday, I roasted the vegetables with oil.
  4. Antes, nosotros asábamos la carne el domingo. — Before, we used to roast the meat on Sunday.
  5. Mañana, tú asarás el pollo en el horno. — Tomorrow, you will roast the chicken in the oven.
  6. Yo asaría el pescado a la parrilla si tuviera más tiempo. — I would roast the fish on the grill if I had more time.
  7. Él ha asado las verduras con aceite. — He has roasted the vegetables with oil.
  8. Espero que él ase la carne el domingo. — I hope he roasts the meat on Sunday.
  9. Yo ya había asado el pollo en el horno antes de salir. — I had already roasted the chicken in the oven before leaving.
  10. Ellos asaban el pescado a la parrilla cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to roast the fish on the grill when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo asa el pollo en el horno. — Right: Yo aso el pollo en el horno. — The person matters: asa is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is aso. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo aso el pescado a la parrilla. — Right: Ayer yo asé el pescado a la parrilla. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: aso is happening now, while asé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating asar and hornear as identical in every context. — Right: Asar means to roast, to grill, while hornear means to bake. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: asar fits sentences such as Aso el pollo en el horno, while hornear belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy asado el pescado a la parrilla. — Right: Yo he asado el pescado a la parrilla. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he asado, has asado, ha asado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo asé las verduras con aceite todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo asaba las verduras con aceite todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (asaba), not the preterite. The preterite (asé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el pollo en el horno. (present tense) A. aso B. asas C. asa D. asamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el pescado a la parrilla. (preterite) A. asé B. asaste C. asaron D. asó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ las verduras con aceite. (imperfect) A. asabas B. asaban C. asábamos D. asaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la carne el domingo. (future) A. asaremos B. asarás C. asaré D. asará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el pollo en el horno si pudiera. (conditional) A. asaría B. asarías C. asarían D. aso

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el pescado a la parrilla. (present subjunctive) A. ases B. asemos C. aso D. ase

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ las verduras con aceite, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. asáramos B. aso C. asara D. asaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la carne el domingo. (present perfect) A. han asado B. hemos asado C. he asado D. has asado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ el pollo en el horno! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. asa B. ase C. asemos D. asad

  10. Which is the gerund of asar, used with estar for the progressive? A. asado B. aso C. asé D. asando

Answer key

  1. aso — The first-person present of asar is aso. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. asó — The third-person preterite of asar is asó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. asábamos — The nosotros imperfect of asar is asábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. asarás — The second-person future of asar is asarás.
  5. asaría — The first-person conditional of asar is asaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. ase — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of asar is ase.
  7. asara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of asar is asara.
  8. hemos asado — The nosotros present perfect of asar is hemos asado: hemos + asado.
  9. asa — The affirmative tú imperative of asar is asa.
  10. asando — The gerund of asar is asando: estoy asando. The participle asado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does asar mean in English?

Asar means to roast, to grill. It is used in everyday situations such as Aso el pollo en el horno. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is asar regular or irregular?

Asar 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 aso in the present and asé in the preterite.

What is the difference between asar and hornear?

Asar means to roast, to grill, while hornear means to bake. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use asar when you mean to roast, to grill, as in Aso el pollo en el horno, and use hornear for to bake. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I roast” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo asé el pescado a la parrilla. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo asaba las verduras con aceite. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he asado el pescado a la parrilla.

How do I practise asar?

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

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