Ausentarse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb ausentarse means to be absent, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Ausentarse means to be absent, and it is the reflexive, formal verb for being away from work, from class or from a meeting: you are absent for a week, you leave the office for an hour. It takes de for the place, as in ausentarse del trabajo. Like every Spanish verb, ausentarse 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 me ausento del trabajo por una semana, and in the preterite you say me ausenté de la reunión una hora. 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: ausentarse
  • English: to be absent
  • Verb type: reflexive regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: ausentando
  • Past participle: ausentado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + ausentado)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for ausentarse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Ausentarse is reflexive: me ausento, te ausentas. It is more formal than faltar: me ausento del trabajo sounds official.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for ausentarse. 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 Pronoun Form
yo me ausento
tú te ausentas
él/ella/Ud. se ausenta
nosotros/as nos ausentamos
vosotros/as os ausentáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausentan

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me ausenté
tú te ausentaste
él/ella/Ud. se ausentó
nosotros/as nos ausentamos
vosotros/as os ausentasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausentaron

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me ausentaba
tú te ausentabas
él/ella/Ud. se ausentaba
nosotros/as nos ausentábamos
vosotros/as os ausentabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausentaban

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me ausentaré
tú te ausentarás
él/ella/Ud. se ausentará
nosotros/as nos ausentaremos
vosotros/as os ausentaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausentarán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me ausentaría
tú te ausentarías
él/ella/Ud. se ausentaría
nosotros/as nos ausentaríamos
vosotros/as os ausentaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausentarían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he ausentado
tú te has ausentado
él/ella/Ud. se ha ausentado
nosotros/as nos hemos ausentado
vosotros/as os habéis ausentado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han ausentado

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había ausentado
tú te habías ausentado
él/ella/Ud. se había ausentado
nosotros/as nos habíamos ausentado
vosotros/as os habíais ausentado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían ausentado

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré ausentado
tú te habrás ausentado
él/ella/Ud. se habrá ausentado
nosotros/as nos habremos ausentado
vosotros/as os habréis ausentado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán ausentado

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría ausentado
tú te habrías ausentado
él/ella/Ud. se habría ausentado
nosotros/as nos habríamos ausentado
vosotros/as os habríais ausentado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían ausentado

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me ausente
tú te ausentes
él/ella/Ud. se ausente
nosotros/as nos ausentemos
vosotros/as os ausentéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausenten

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me ausentara
tú te ausentaras
él/ella/Ud. se ausentara
nosotros/as nos ausentáramos
vosotros/as os ausentarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausentaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te ausenta
él/ella/Ud. se ausente
nosotros/as nos ausentemos
vosotros/as os ausentad
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausenten

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te ausentes
él/ella/Ud. se ausente
nosotros/as nos ausentemos
vosotros/as os ausentéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ausenten

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund ausentando with estar for the progressive: estoy ausentando (with the pronoun attached: ausentándose)
Past participle ausentado with haber for the perfect tenses: he ausentado

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 ausentarse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me ausento del trabajo por una semana. 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 ausentarse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me ausenté de clase por enfermedad. 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 ausentarse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me ausentaba de la reunión una hora. 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 ausentarse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me ausentaré de la ciudad el fin de semana. 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 ausentarse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me ausentaría del trabajo por una semana 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 ausentarse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me he ausentado de clase por enfermedad. 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 ausentarse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había ausentado de la reunión una hora 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 ausentarse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habré ausentado de la ciudad el fin de semana. 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 ausentarse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría ausentado del trabajo por una semana 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 ausentarse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él se ausente de clase por enfermedad. 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 ausentarse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él se ausentara de la reunión una hora, 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 ausentarse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se ausente de la ciudad el fin de semana. 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 ausentarse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No te ausentes del trabajo por una semana. 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 ausentarse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Me ausento del trabajo por una semana. — I am absent from work for a week.
  2. Se ausenta de clase por enfermedad. — He/she is absent from class through illness.
  3. Ayer, me ausenté de la reunión una hora. — Yesterday, I was absent from the meeting for an hour.
  4. Antes, nosotros nos ausentábamos de la ciudad el fin de semana. — Before, we used to be absent from the city for the weekend.
  5. Mañana, tú te ausentarás del trabajo por una semana. — Tomorrow, you will be absent from work for a week.
  6. Yo me ausentaría de clase por enfermedad si tuviera más tiempo. — I would be absent from class through illness if I had more time.
  7. Él se ha ausentado de la reunión una hora. — He has been absent from the meeting for an hour.
  8. Espero que él se ausente de la ciudad el fin de semana. — I hope he is absent from the city for the weekend.
  9. Yo ya me había ausentado del trabajo por una semana antes de salir. — I had already been absent from work for a week before leaving.
  10. Ellos se ausentaban de clase por enfermedad cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to be absent from class through illness when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo ausento del trabajo por una semana. — Right: Yo me ausento del trabajo por una semana. — Ausentarse is reflexive, so the pronoun me is required: without it the verb means something else, or nothing at all.
  2. Wrong: Treating ausentarse and faltar as identical in every context. — Right: Ausentarse means to be absent, while faltar means to be missing or absent. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: ausentarse fits sentences such as Me ausento del trabajo por una semana, while faltar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  3. Wrong: Yo soy ausentado de clase por enfermedad. — Right: Yo he ausentado de clase por enfermedad. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he ausentado, has ausentado, ha ausentado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo ausenté de la reunión una hora todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo ausentaba de la reunión una hora todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (ausentaba), not the preterite. The preterite (ausenté) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ del trabajo por una semana. (present tense) A. me ausento B. te ausentas C. se ausenta D. nos ausentamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ de clase por enfermedad. (preterite) A. me ausenté B. te ausentaste C. se ausentaron D. se ausentó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ de la reunión una hora. (imperfect) A. te ausentabas B. se ausentaban C. nos ausentábamos D. me ausentaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ de la ciudad el fin de semana. (future) A. nos ausentaremos B. te ausentarás C. me ausentaré D. se ausentará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ del trabajo por una semana si pudiera. (conditional) A. me ausentaría B. te ausentarías C. se ausentaría D. se ausentarían

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ de clase por enfermedad. (present subjunctive) A. me ausente B. te ausentes C. nos ausentemos D. se ausente

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ de la reunión una hora, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. se ausentara B. nos ausentáramos C. me ausentara D. te ausentaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ de la ciudad el fin de semana. (present perfect) A. se han ausentado B. nos hemos ausentado C. me he ausentado D. te has ausentado

  9. Complete the command: No ___ del trabajo por una semana. (negative imperative, tú) A. te ausentes B. se ausente C. nos ausentemos D. os ausentéis

  10. Which is the gerund of ausentarse, used with estar for the progressive? A. ausentado B. ausento C. ausenté D. ausentando

Answer key

  1. me ausento — The first-person present of ausentarse is me ausento. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. se ausentó — The third-person preterite of ausentarse is se ausentó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. nos ausentábamos — The nosotros imperfect of ausentarse is nos ausentábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. te ausentarás — The second-person future of ausentarse is te ausentarás.
  5. me ausentaría — The first-person conditional of ausentarse is me ausentaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. se ausente — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of ausentarse is se ausente.
  7. me ausentara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of ausentarse is me ausentara.
  8. nos hemos ausentado — The nosotros present perfect of ausentarse is nos hemos ausentado: hemos + ausentado.
  9. te ausentes — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: te ausentes.
  10. ausentando — The gerund of ausentarse is ausentando: estoy ausentando. The participle ausentado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does ausentarse mean in English?

Ausentarse means to be absent. It is used in everyday situations such as Me ausento del trabajo por una semana. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is ausentarse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Ausentarse is reflexive, so it always takes a reflexive pronoun that matches the person: me, te, se, nos, os or se. For example, Me ausento del trabajo por una semana and él se ausenta de clase por enfermedad. If you leave the pronoun out, the verb changes meaning or stops making sense.

What is the difference between ausentarse and faltar?

Ausentarse means to be absent, while faltar means to be missing or absent. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use ausentarse when you mean to be absent, as in Me ausento del trabajo por una semana, and use faltar for to be missing or absent. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I am absent” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo me ausenté de clase por enfermedad. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo me ausentaba de la reunión una hora. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo me he ausentado de clase por enfermedad.

How do I practise ausentarse?

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

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