Bostezar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

bostezar means "to yawn" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows bostezar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of bostezar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with bostezar

Everyday use

Bostezar means to yawn. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo bostezo en clase — "I yawn in class"
  2. Por la mañana, él bosteza — "In the morning, he yawns"
  3. Yo bostecé de cansancio — "I yawned from tiredness"
  4. Yo bostezaba en clase — "I used to yawn in class"
  5. Por la mañana, yo bostezaré — "In the morning, I will yawn"
  6. Yo he bostezado de cansancio — "I have yawned from tiredness"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. Él bostezó de cansancio — "He yawned from tiredness"
  2. Él bostezaba en clase — "He used to yawn in class"
  3. Por la mañana, tú bostezarás — "In the morning, you will yawn"
  4. Yo bostezaría de cansancio — "I would yawn from tiredness"
  5. Yo había bostezado en clase — "I had yawned in class"
  6. Por la mañana, nosotros bostezamos — "In the morning, we yawn"

Bostezar in conversation

The two dialogues below show bostezar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú bostezas en clase? — "Do you yawn in class?"
  • Sí, yo bostezo en clase cada día. — "Yes, I yawn in class every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Por la mañana, tú bostezaste? — "And yesterday? Did you yawn in the morning?"
  • Sí, por la mañana, yo bostecé. — "Yes, In the morning, I yawned."
  • Mañana, yo bostezaré de cansancio también. — "Tomorrow, I will yawn from tiredness too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros bostezáis en clase? — "Do you yawn in class?"
  • Sí, nosotros bostezamos en clase los fines de semana. — "Yes, We yawn in class at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Por la mañana, ellos bostezan? — "And them? Do they yawn in the morning?"
  • Sí, por la mañana, ellos bostezan también. — "Yes, In the morning, they yawn too."
  • Mañana por la mañana, nosotros bostezaremos otra vez. — "Tomorrow in the morning, we will yawn again."

Useful phrases with bostezar

Four patterns you can use with bostezar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a bostezar en clase. — "I am going to yawn in class."
  • Quiero bostezar por la mañana. — "I want to yawn in the morning."
  • Me gusta bostezar de cansancio. — "I like to yawn from tiredness."
  • Acabo de bostezar en clase. — "I have just yawned in class."

Common mistakes with bostezar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos bosteza en clase.
  • Right: Ellos bostezan en clase.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form bostezan. The singular bosteza belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo bostecé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo bostezo.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy bostezado por la mañana.
  • Right: Yo he bostezado por la mañana.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he bostezado, has bostezado, ha bostezado.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo bostezo.
  • Right: Ayer, yo bostecé.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (bostecé). The present (bostezo) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él bosteza en clase.
  • Right: Espero que él bostece en clase.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: bostece. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: bostezar in use

Ten questions on bostezar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of bostezar in the present tense?

  • (a) habrán bostezado
  • (b) bostezabais
  • (c) bostezo
  • (d) bostezarais

Answer: (c) bostezo. The I form in the present is bostezo.

2. What is the he / she form of bostezar in the present tense?

  • (a) bosteza
  • (b) habremos bostezado
  • (c) bostece
  • (d) bostezarías

Answer: (a) bosteza. The he / she form in the present is bosteza.

3. What is the he / she form of bostezar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) bostezó
  • (b) bostezas
  • (c) habré bostezado
  • (d) bostezaré

Answer: (a) bostezó. The he / she form in the preterite is bostezó.

4. What is the I form of bostezar in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) habrán bostezado
  • (b) bostezaba
  • (c) bostezo
  • (d) habría bostezado

Answer: (b) bostezaba. The I form in the imperfect is bostezaba.

5. What is the I form of bostezar in the future tense?

  • (a) bostezad
  • (b) bostezas
  • (c) bostezaré
  • (d) habrán bostezado

Answer: (c) bostezaré. The I form in the future is bostezaré.

6. What is the I form of bostezar in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) habíamos bostezado
  • (b) he bostezado
  • (c) bostezo
  • (d) bostezaron

Answer: (b) he bostezado. The I form in the present perfect is he bostezado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en clase.

  • (a) bosteces
  • (b) bostecemos
  • (c) bostece
  • (d) bostecéis

Answer: (c) bostece. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is bostece.

8. What is the we form of bostezar in the present tense?

  • (a) habías bostezado
  • (b) hemos bostezado
  • (c) habréis bostezado
  • (d) bostezamos

Answer: (d) bostezamos. The we form in the present is bostezamos.

9. What is the I form of bostezar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) bostezaré
  • (b) bostezo
  • (c) bostezará
  • (d) bostecé

Answer: (d) bostecé. The I form in the preterite is bostecé.

10. What is the they form of bostezar in the present tense?

  • (a) bostezábamos
  • (b) bostezáis
  • (c) he bostezado
  • (d) bostezan

Answer: (d) bostezan. The they form in the present is bostezan.

Frequently asked questions about bostezar

Is bostezar regular?

Bostezar is a spelling-changing -ar (z → c before e) verb: bostezo, bostezas, bosteza. See the full conjugation of bostezar for every tense.

What is the past participle of bostezar?

The past participle is bostezado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he bostezado. The gerund is bostezando, used with estar: estoy bostezando.

How do I say “I yawn” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Por la mañana, yo bostecé. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo bostezaba de cansancio.

How can I practise bostezar?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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