Aterrizar Present Tense Conjugation in Spanish
The present tense of aterrizar — “to land (a plane)” in English — is the form you need for what happens now, for habits and for general truths. This page gives you the full present conjugation table for aterrizar with all six persons, explains exactly how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it with real examples, and finishes with a quiz so you can test yourself. 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. It is a spelling-change verb (z becomes c before e), but the present tense itself is regular — the spelling change shows up in the subjunctive and the preterite. To see it in a real sentence: Aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “I land at the airport at three.” Learn the six forms in the table below, and the present tense of aterrizar will be ready for everyday conversation.
Present tense conjugation table: aterrizar
Every person of aterrizar in the present tense. The gerund is aterrizando and the past participle is aterrizado.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | aterrizo |
| tú | aterrizas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aterriza |
| nosotros/as | aterrizamos |
| vosotros/as | aterrizáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | aterrizan |
How the present indicative of aterrizar is formed
The present indicative of aterrizar is built from the stem plus the present indicative endings for -ar verbs. Take the infinitive, drop the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person. The table below shows the endings, and the full table above shows them attached to the stem.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | aterrizo |
| tú | -as | aterrizas |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | aterriza |
| nosotros/as | -amos | aterrizamos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | aterrizáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | aterrizan |
Aterrizar is a spelling-change verb. In the present tense the forms are regular, so the table above follows the normal -ar endings. The spelling change appears when the ending starts with e: the present subjunctive is aterrice and the preterite first person is aterricé. The sound stays the same; only the spelling changes to keep it.
The gerund of aterrizar is aterrizando and the past participle is aterrizado. Both are regular for this verb, and the participle is the form you need for all the perfect tenses with haber.
When to use the present tense of aterrizar
The present tense is not one single use — it covers several situations, and aterrizar appears in all of them. The five uses below are the ones you will meet most often, each with an example that shows the verb in a natural sentence.
Routines and habits
Use the present for things you do regularly, every day or every week. The present is the tense of routine, and aterrizar fits naturally into daily life.
“Yo aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres todos los días.” — “I land at the airport at three every day.”
General facts
Use the present for facts that are true in general, not just today. When you state how something is, the present is the tense to use.
“Él aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia.” — “He/she lands without problems despite the rain.”
What is happening right now
Use the present for what is happening at this moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English uses the progressive, so aterrizo can mean both “I land” and “I am landing”.
“Ahora mismo, yo aterrizo en Madrid después de diez horas.” — “Right now, I land in Madrid after ten hours.”
Fixed plans in the near future
Use the present for a plan that is already fixed, such as something arranged for tomorrow. Spanish uses the present for near-future plans much more freely than English does.
“Mañana, yo aterrizo en la pista número dos.” — “Tomorrow, I will land on runway number two.”
Questions and negatives
Use the present to ask about habits and to say what does not happen. The question and the negative use exactly the same forms as the statement.
“¿Tú aterrizas en el aeropuerto a las tres?” — “Do you land at the airport at three?”
The present tense vs the closest tenses
Present — habit or general fact vs Preterite — one finished occasion
The present describes a habit, a routine or a general fact — something that happens again and again or that is true in general. The preterite reports one finished occasion in the past. Use the present when the action repeats or is still true, and the preterite when you are telling what happened once, on a specific day.
- Present — habit or general fact: Aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “He/she lands without problems despite the rain.”
- Preterite — one finished occasion: Aterrizó sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — the same idea, placed in the preterite.
Present — now vs Imperfect — a past habit or background
The present talks about now. The imperfect talks about the past as a background — a repeated habit, an ongoing situation, something that used to happen. If you can add “used to” in English, the imperfect is usually the right choice; if it is happening now or always, use the present.
- Present — now: Aterrizan en Madrid después de diez horas. — “They land in Madrid after ten hours.”
- Imperfect — a past habit or background: Aterrizaban en Madrid después de diez horas. — the same idea, placed in the imperfect.
Present — now or a fixed plan vs Future — what will happen
The present describes what happens now, what you do regularly, or a plan that is already fixed. The future describes what will happen later — a promise, a prediction, a plan that is not yet under way. Spanish often uses the present for near-future plans, but the future is the form for a clear statement about tomorrow.
- Present — now or a fixed plan: Aterrizas en la pista número dos. — “You land on runway number two.”
- Future — what will happen: Aterrizarás en la pista número dos. — the same idea, placed in the future.
Examples: aterrizar in the present tense
Seven sentences that show aterrizar in the present tense only, across all six persons. Read each one aloud, notice the ending, and check the translation.
- Yo aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “I land at the airport at three.”
- Tú aterrizas sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “You land without problems despite the rain.”
- Él aterriza en Madrid después de diez horas. — “He lands in Madrid after ten hours.”
- Nosotros aterrizamos en la pista número dos. — “We land on runway number two.”
- Vosotros aterrizáis en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “You (plural) land at the airport at three.”
- Ellos aterrizan sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “They land without problems despite the rain.”
- ¿Tú aterrizas en Madrid después de diez horas? — “Do you land in Madrid after ten hours?”
Common mistakes with aterrizar in the present tense
These are the errors learners actually make with aterrizar in the present tense. Each one shows the wrong form, the right form, and why the right form is right.
✗ Yo aterrizar en el aeropuerto a las tres. (using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form).
✓ Correct: Yo aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres.
The infinitive is not a conjugated form. With yo, the present tense of aterrizar is aterrizo, not the infinitive aterrizar.
✗ Vosotros aterrizais en el aeropuerto a las tres. (forgetting the accent on the vosotros form).
✓ Correct: Vosotros aterrizáis en el aeropuerto a las tres.
The vosotros present form carries a written accent: aterrizáis, not aterrizais. The accent marks the stressed vowel, and leaving it out is a spelling mistake.
✗ Ayer, yo aterrizo sin problemas pese a la lluvia. (using the present for a finished past action).
✓ Correct: Ayer, yo aterricé sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
The present and the preterite are different tenses: aterrizo is happening now, while aterricé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
✗ Treating aterrizar and despegar as identical in every context. (confusing aterrizar with despegar).
✓ 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.
Quiz: aterrizar in the present tense
Eight questions on the present tense of aterrizar. Choose the best answer for each one, then check the answer key below — every answer is explained.
1. Which is the correct present tense form of aterrizar for tú?
- a) aterrizas
- b) aterrizo
- c) aterriza
- d) aterrizan
2. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “I land at the airport at three.”
- a) aterriza
- b) aterrizamos
- c) aterrizas
- d) aterrizo
3. Complete the sentence: Él ______ sin problemas pese a la lluvia. — “He/she lands without problems despite the rain.” (present tense)
- a) aterrizaba
- b) aterrizará
- c) aterriza
- d) aterrizó
4. Which is the correct present tense form of aterrizar for nosotros?
- a) aterrizan
- b) aterrizamos
- c) aterrizo
- d) aterriza
5. Which sentence uses aterrizar correctly in the present tense?
- a) Él aterrizó sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
- b) Él aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
- c) Él aterrizará sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
- d) Ellos aterriza sin problemas pese a la lluvia.
6. Complete the sentence: Ellos ______ en Madrid después de diez horas. — “They land in Madrid after ten hours.”
- a) aterrizo
- b) aterriza
- c) aterrizamos
- d) aterrizan
7. Complete the question: ¿Tú ______ en la pista número dos? — “Do you land on runway number two?”
- a) aterriza
- b) aterrizarás
- c) aterrizas
- d) aterrizo
8. What is the gerund of aterrizar?
- a) aterricé
- b) aterrizando
- c) aterrizado
- d) aterrizo
Answer key
a) aterrizas — The tú form is aterrizas. The -s ending belongs to tú in the present; aterrizo is yo, aterriza is él/ella and aterrizan is ellos/ellas.
d) aterrizo — The sentence needs the yo form in the present: aterrizo. The other options are the wrong person.
c) aterriza — The sentence needs the él/ella/Ud. form in the present: aterriza. The other options are the preterite, the imperfect and the future.
b) aterrizamos — Nosotros takes aterrizamos. In the present the nosotros ending for -ar verbs is -amos, attached to the stem.
b) 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 use the wrong person or the wrong tense.
d) aterrizan — The subject is ellos/ellas/Uds., so the present form is aterrizan.
c) aterrizas — The question needs the tú form in the present: aterrizas.
b) aterrizando — The gerund is aterrizando. It is the form you use with estar for the progressive (estar + gerund), and it is not the past participle aterrizado.
Frequently asked questions
Is aterrizar regular in the present tense?
Yes. Aterrizar is a regular -ar verb in the present tense, so the forms follow the standard endings: aterrizo, aterrizas, aterriza, aterrizamos, aterrizáis and aterrizan.
What is the gerund and the past participle of aterrizar?
The gerund is aterrizando and the past participle is aterrizado. Use the gerund with estar for the progressive, and the participle with haber for the perfect tenses.
How do you say “I land” in Spanish?
Say aterrizo. For example: Aterrizo en el aeropuerto a las tres. — “I land at the airport at three.”
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”. The full conjugation of aterrizar is on its own page.
Related links
- Full conjugation of aterrizar — every tense and mood, with the complete tables.
- aterrizar examples and quiz — more sentences, dialogues and a longer quiz.
- Spanish Present tense guide — how the present tense works for all Spanish verbs.
- 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.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on Spanish verbs.