Aterrizar Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish
aterrizar means “to land (a plane)” in English, and this page shows you how it actually sounds in everyday Spanish — not just the conjugation table, but the verb in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make with it. Aterrizar means to land, for a plane coming down onto the runway. It is a travel verb used constantly in airports and flight announcements, and it is a spelling-change verb: z becomes c before e. Below you will find twelve example sentences grouped by tense, two short dialogues, the most common mistakes with corrections, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. If you want the full tables first, start with the full conjugation of aterrizar; if you want to study one tense in depth, see the aterrizar present tense page.
aterrizar in everyday use: examples with translations
In the present tense
- Yo aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “I land at the airport at three.”
- Él aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “He lands without problems despite the rain.”
- Nosotros aterrizamos en Madrid después de diez horas. — “We land in Madrid after ten hours.”
- Ellos aterrizan en la pista número dos. — “They land on runway number two.”
In the past
- Ayer, yo aterricé sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “Yesterday, I landed without problems despite the rain.”
- Antes, nosotros aterrizábamos en Madrid después de diez horas. — “Before, we used to land in Madrid after ten hours.”
- Él aterrizó en la pista número dos. — “He landed on runway number two.”
- Yo ya había aterrizado en el aeropuerto a las tres antes de salir. — “I had already landed at the airport at three before leaving.”
Plans, hopes and possibilities
- Mañana, tú aterrizarás en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “Tomorrow, you will land at the airport at three.”
- Yo aterrizaría sin problemas pese a la lluvia si tuviera más tiempo. — “I would land without problems despite the rain if I had more time.”
- Él ha aterrizado en Madrid después de diez horas. — “He has landed in Madrid after ten hours.”
- Espero que él aterrice en la pista número dos. — “I hope he lands on runway number two.”
aterrizar in conversation
Two short dialogues that use aterrizar the way people really speak it. Notice how the verb changes with the person, and how the same verb fits different situations.
Two friends talk about their day.
- Ana: Yo aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “I land at the airport at three.”
- Bea: Él aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “He lands without problems despite the rain.”
- Ana: Ayer, yo aterricé sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “Yesterday, I landed without problems despite the rain.”
- Bea: Mañana, tú aterrizarás en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “Tomorrow, you will land at the airport at three.”
At home, talking about tomorrow.
- Luis: Nosotros aterrizamos en Madrid después de diez horas. — “We land in Madrid after ten hours.”
- Marta: Antes, nosotros aterrizábamos en Madrid después de diez horas. — “Before, we used to land in Madrid after ten hours.”
- Luis: Yo aterrizaría sin problemas pese a la lluvia si tuviera más tiempo. — “I would land without problems despite the rain if I had more time.”
- Marta: Espero que él aterrice en la pista número dos. — “I hope he lands on runway number two.”
A short scene with aterrizar
A short scene shows how aterrizar works across the day. In the morning: Aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres. In the afternoon: Aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia. Yesterday it was different: Ayer, aterricé en Madrid después de diez horas. And tomorrow: Mañana, aterrizaré en la pista número dos. Four small moments, four tenses, one verb — that is how aterrizar sounds in real life. Try changing the person in each sentence: say it about yourself, about a friend, and about your family, and the forms will start to feel automatic.
Common mistakes with aterrizar
The errors learners actually make with aterrizar, each with the wrong form, the right form, and why the right form is right.
✗ Yo aterriza en el aeropuerto a las tres.
✓ Correct: Yo aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres.
The person matters: aterriza is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is aterrizo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
✗ Espero que yo aterrize sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
✓ Correct: Espero que yo aterrice sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
Spelling change: z becomes c before e, so the present subjunctive is aterrice, never aterrize.
✗ Treating aterrizar and despegar as identical in every context.
✓ Correct: Aterrizar means to land (a plane), while despegar means to take off.
They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: aterrizar fits sentences such as Aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres, while despegar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
✗ Yo soy aterrizado sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
✓ Correct: Yo he aterrizado sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he aterrizado, has aterrizado, ha aterrizado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
✗ De niño, yo aterricé en Madrid después de diez horas todos los días.
✓ Correct: De niño, yo aterrizaba en Madrid después de diez horas todos los días.
For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (aterrizaba), not the preterite. The preterite (aterricé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: aterrizar in use
Ten questions on aterrizar — its forms, its tenses and its everyday use. Choose the best answer for each one, then check the answer key below, where every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: Él ______ sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “He/she lands without problems despite the rain.”
- a) aterriza
- b) aterrizo
- c) aterrizas
- d) aterrizamos
2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, yo ______ en Madrid después de diez horas. — “Yesterday, I landed in Madrid after ten hours.”
- a) aterrizaste
- b) aterrizó
- c) aterrizaron
- d) aterricé
3. Complete the sentence: Ellos ______ en la pista número dos cuando eran jóvenes. — “They used to land on runway number two when they were young.”
- a) aterrizabas
- b) aterrizábamos
- c) aterrizaban
- d) aterrizaba
4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, nosotros ______ en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “Tomorrow, we will land at the airport at three.”
- a) aterrizarán
- b) aterrizaremos
- c) aterrizaré
- d) aterrizarás
5. Complete the sentence: Él ______ sin problemas pese a la lluvia si pudiera. — “He would land without problems despite the rain if he could.”
- a) aterrizaría
- b) aterrizarías
- c) aterrizaríamos
- d) aterrizo
6. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ en Madrid después de diez horas. — “I have landed in Madrid after ten hours.”
- a) has aterrizado
- b) ha aterrizado
- c) han aterrizado
- d) he aterrizado
7. Complete the sentence: Espero que tú ______ en la pista número dos. — “I hope you land on runway number two.”
- a) aterricemos
- b) aterrizo
- c) aterrices
- d) aterrice
8. Which is the past participle of aterrizar, used with haber in the perfect tenses?
- a) aterricé
- b) aterrizado
- c) aterrizando
- d) aterrizo
9. What does aterrizar mean in English?
- a) to land (a plane)
- b) to take off
- c) to take off (a plane)
- d) to set sail
10. Which sentence is correct?
- a) Él aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
- b) Él aterrizo sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
- c) Nosotros aterriza en Madrid después de diez horas.
- d) Yo aterriza en el aeropuerto a las tres.
Answer key
a) aterriza — The sentence needs the él/ella/Ud. form in the present: aterriza.
d) aterricé — The sentence needs the yo form in the preterite: aterricé, for one finished action yesterday.
c) aterrizaban — The sentence needs the ellos/ellas form in the imperfect: aterrizaban, for a repeated past habit.
b) aterrizaremos — The sentence needs the nosotros form in the future: aterrizaremos.
a) aterrizaría — The sentence needs the él/ella/Ud. form in the conditional: aterrizaría.
d) he aterrizado — The sentence needs the yo form in the present perfect: he aterrizado, haber + aterrizado.
c) aterrices — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the tú present subjunctive is aterrices.
b) aterrizado — The past participle is aterrizado: he aterrizado, has aterrizado, ha aterrizado. The gerund aterrizando is used with estar instead.
a) to land (a plane) — aterrizar means to land (a plane). The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
a) Él aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — Él aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia. is correct: the verb agrees with its subject. The other sentences mix up the person and the form.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use aterrizar in everyday conversation?
Start with the phrases in the examples above — especially the common combinations such as Aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres and Aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia. Use the present tense for habits and general facts, and the preterite for things that happened once. Say the sentences aloud until the forms feel automatic, then swap in your own details: your own town, your own family, your own routine.
What is the difference between aterrizar and despegar?
Aterrizar means “to land (a plane)”, while despegar means “to take off”. They are related words that learners often meet together, but they are not interchangeable — use aterrizar when you mean “to land (a plane)” and despegar when you mean “to take off”.
Which tense do I need most with aterrizar?
The present tense, for habits, routines and general facts — that is where you will use aterrizar most. The preterite comes next, for things that happened once and ended. The examples on this page use both, plus the imperfect, the future and the present perfect, so you can see the verb across the tenses you actually need.
Is aterrizar formal or informal?
Aterrizar is neutral — it is used in both formal and informal Spanish, at home, at work and at school. There is no special formal version of it; the same forms work in a conversation with a friend and in a letter to a company. What changes is the situation, not the verb.
Related links
- Full conjugation of aterrizar — every tense and mood, with the complete tables.
- aterrizar present tense — the full present tense table, formation and usage rules.
- Spanish verbs — the full list of Spanish verbs on VerbFlow.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Desembarcar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with aterrizar.
- Despegar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with aterrizar.
- Enmarcar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with aterrizar.
- Present Tense Conjugator — practise this verb in the interactive tool.
- Verb Quiz — test yourself on Spanish verbs.