Ceder Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb ceder means to give in, to cede, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Ceder means to give in or to cede, to yield a point, a place or a right to someone else. It is used in arguments, traffic and negotiations, and it is a fully regular -er verb. Like every Spanish verb, ceder 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 cedo el paso al peatón, and in the preterite you say cedí su asiento a la anciana. 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: ceder
- English: to give in, to cede
- Verb type: regular -er verb
- Ending: -er
- Gerund: cediendo
- Past participle: cedido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + cedido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for ceder, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Ceder is fully regular: cedo, cede. It is giving way on one point; rendirse is giving up entirely.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for ceder. 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 | cedo |
| tú | cedes |
| él/ella/Ud. | cede |
| nosotros/as | cedemos |
| vosotros/as | cedéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ceden |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cedí |
| tú | cediste |
| él/ella/Ud. | cedió |
| nosotros/as | cedimos |
| vosotros/as | cedisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cedieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cedía |
| tú | cedías |
| él/ella/Ud. | cedía |
| nosotros/as | cedíamos |
| vosotros/as | cedíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cedían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cederé |
| tú | cederás |
| él/ella/Ud. | cederá |
| nosotros/as | cederemos |
| vosotros/as | cederéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cederán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cedería |
| tú | cederías |
| él/ella/Ud. | cedería |
| nosotros/as | cederíamos |
| vosotros/as | cederíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cederían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he cedido |
| tú | has cedido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha cedido |
| nosotros/as | hemos cedido |
| vosotros/as | habéis cedido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han cedido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había cedido |
| tú | habías cedido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había cedido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos cedido |
| vosotros/as | habíais cedido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían cedido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré cedido |
| tú | habrás cedido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá cedido |
| nosotros/as | habremos cedido |
| vosotros/as | habréis cedido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán cedido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría cedido |
| tú | habrías cedido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría cedido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos cedido |
| vosotros/as | habríais cedido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían cedido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ceda |
| tú | cedas |
| él/ella/Ud. | ceda |
| nosotros/as | cedamos |
| vosotros/as | cedáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cedan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cediera |
| tú | cedieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | cediera |
| nosotros/as | cediéramos |
| vosotros/as | cedierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cedieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | cede |
| él/ella/Ud. | ceda |
| nosotros/as | cedamos |
| vosotros/as | ceded |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cedan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | cedas |
| él/ella/Ud. | ceda |
| nosotros/as | cedamos |
| vosotros/as | cedáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cedan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | cediendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy cediendo |
| Past participle | cedido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he cedido |
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 ceder, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Cedo el paso al peatón. 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 ceder, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, cedí ante la presión del grupo. 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 ceder, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, cedía su asiento a la anciana. 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 ceder, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, cederé el terreno en la negociación. 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 ceder, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Cedería el paso al peatón 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 ceder, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he cedido ante la presión del grupo. 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 ceder, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había cedido su asiento a la anciana 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 ceder, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré cedido el terreno en la negociación. 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 ceder, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría cedido el paso al peatón 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 ceder, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él ceda ante la presión del grupo. 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 ceder, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él cediera su asiento a la anciana, 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 ceder, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Cede el terreno en la negociación! 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 ceder, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No cedas el paso al peatón. 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 ceder, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Cedo el paso al peatón. — I give in the way to the pedestrian.
- Cede ante la presión del grupo. — He/she gives in to the pressure of the group.
- Ayer, cedí su asiento a la anciana. — Yesterday, I gave in my seat to the old lady.
- Antes, nosotros cedíamos el terreno en la negociación. — Before, we used to give in ground in the negotiation.
- Mañana, tú cederás el paso al peatón. — Tomorrow, you will give in the way to the pedestrian.
- Yo cedería ante la presión del grupo si tuviera más tiempo. — I would give in to the pressure of the group if I had more time.
- Él ha cedido su asiento a la anciana. — He has given in my seat to the old lady.
- Espero que él ceda el terreno en la negociación. — I hope he gives in ground in the negotiation.
- Yo ya había cedido el paso al peatón antes de salir. — I had already given in the way to the pedestrian before leaving.
- Ellos cedían ante la presión del grupo cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to give in to the pressure of the group when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo cede el paso al peatón. — Right: Yo cedo el paso al peatón. — The person matters: cede is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is cedo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo cedo ante la presión del grupo. — Right: Ayer yo cedí ante la presión del grupo. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: cedo is happening now, while cedí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating ceder and rendirse as identical in every context. — Right: Ceder means to give in, to cede, while rendirse means to give up completely. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: ceder fits sentences such as Cedo el paso al peatón, while rendirse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy cedido ante la presión del grupo. — Right: Yo he cedido ante la presión del grupo. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he cedido, has cedido, ha cedido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo cedí su asiento a la anciana todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo cedía su asiento a la anciana todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (cedía), not the preterite. The preterite (cedí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on ceder. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el paso al peatón. (present tense) A. cedo B. cedes C. cede D. cedemos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ ante la presión del grupo. (preterite) A. cedí B. cediste C. cedieron D. cedió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ su asiento a la anciana. (imperfect) A. cedías B. cedían C. cedíamos D. cedía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el terreno en la negociación. (future) A. cederemos B. cederás C. cederé D. cederá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el paso al peatón si pudiera. (conditional) A. cedería B. cederías C. cederían D. cedo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ ante la presión del grupo. (present subjunctive) A. cedas B. cedamos C. cedo D. ceda
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ su asiento a la anciana, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. cediéramos B. cedo C. cediera D. cedieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el terreno en la negociación. (present perfect) A. han cedido B. hemos cedido C. he cedido D. has cedido
Complete the command: ¡___ el paso al peatón! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. cede B. ceda C. cedamos D. ceded
Which is the gerund of ceder, used with estar for the progressive? A. cedido B. cedo C. cedí D. cediendo
Answer key
- cedo — The first-person present of ceder is cedo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- cedió — The third-person preterite of ceder is cedió, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- cedíamos — The nosotros imperfect of ceder is cedíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- cederás — The second-person future of ceder is cederás.
- cedería — The first-person conditional of ceder is cedería, the form for what would happen.
- ceda — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of ceder is ceda.
- cediera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of ceder is cediera.
- hemos cedido — The nosotros present perfect of ceder is hemos cedido: hemos + cedido.
- cede — The affirmative tú imperative of ceder is cede.
- cediendo — The gerund of ceder is cediendo: estoy cediendo. The participle cedido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does ceder mean in English?
Ceder means to give in, to cede. It is used in everyday situations such as Cedo el paso al peatón. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is ceder regular or irregular?
Ceder is a fully regular -er 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 cedo in the present and cedí in the preterite.
What is the difference between ceder and rendirse?
Ceder means to give in, to cede, while rendirse means to give up completely. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use ceder when you mean to give in, to cede, as in Cedo el paso al peatón, and use rendirse for to give up completely. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I give in” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo cedí ante la presión del grupo. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo cedía su asiento a la anciana. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he cedido ante la presión del grupo.
How do I practise ceder?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the ceder examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Ceder in the present tense — the full present-tense table for ceder.
- Ceder examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for ceder.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Desprender conjugation — another -er verb to compare with ceder.
- Acometer conjugation — another -er verb to compare with ceder.
- Acoger conjugation — another -er verb to compare with ceder.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.