Cobrar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb cobrar means to charge, to collect, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Cobrar means to charge or to collect, and it is used for getting paid, charging a price and collecting a bill or rent. It is the opposite of pagar in money contexts, and it is fully regular, so the meaning, not the forms, is what needs attention. Like every Spanish verb, cobrar 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 cobro el sueldo a fin de mes, and in the preterite you say cobré la factura del mes. 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: cobrar
- English: to charge, to collect
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: cobrando
- Past participle: cobrado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + cobrado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for cobrar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Cobrar is to receive money; pagar is to give it. Cobro el sueldo, pago el alquiler.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for cobrar. 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 | cobro |
| tú | cobras |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobra |
| nosotros/as | cobramos |
| vosotros/as | cobráis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobran |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cobré |
| tú | cobraste |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobró |
| nosotros/as | cobramos |
| vosotros/as | cobrasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobraron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cobraba |
| tú | cobrabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobraba |
| nosotros/as | cobrábamos |
| vosotros/as | cobrabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobraban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cobraré |
| tú | cobrarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobrará |
| nosotros/as | cobraremos |
| vosotros/as | cobraréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobrarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cobraría |
| tú | cobrarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobraría |
| nosotros/as | cobraríamos |
| vosotros/as | cobraríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobrarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he cobrado |
| tú | has cobrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha cobrado |
| nosotros/as | hemos cobrado |
| vosotros/as | habéis cobrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han cobrado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había cobrado |
| tú | habías cobrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había cobrado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos cobrado |
| vosotros/as | habíais cobrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían cobrado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré cobrado |
| tú | habrás cobrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá cobrado |
| nosotros/as | habremos cobrado |
| vosotros/as | habréis cobrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán cobrado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría cobrado |
| tú | habrías cobrado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría cobrado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos cobrado |
| vosotros/as | habríais cobrado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían cobrado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cobre |
| tú | cobres |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobre |
| nosotros/as | cobremos |
| vosotros/as | cobréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobren |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | cobrara |
| tú | cobraras |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobrara |
| nosotros/as | cobráramos |
| vosotros/as | cobrarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobraran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | cobra |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobre |
| nosotros/as | cobremos |
| vosotros/as | cobrad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobren |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | cobres |
| él/ella/Ud. | cobre |
| nosotros/as | cobremos |
| vosotros/as | cobréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | cobren |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | cobrando | with estar for the progressive: estoy cobrando |
| Past participle | cobrado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he cobrado |
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 cobrar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Cobro el sueldo a fin de mes. 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 cobrar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, cobré diez euros por el libro. 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 cobrar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, cobraba la factura del mes. 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 cobrar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, cobraré el alquiler de la casa. 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 cobrar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Cobraría el sueldo a fin de mes 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 cobrar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he cobrado diez euros por el libro. 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 cobrar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había cobrado la factura del mes 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 cobrar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré cobrado el alquiler de la casa. 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 cobrar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría cobrado el sueldo a fin de mes 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 cobrar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él cobre diez euros por el libro. 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 cobrar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él cobrara la factura del mes, 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 cobrar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Cobra el alquiler de la casa! 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 cobrar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No cobres el sueldo a fin de mes. 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 cobrar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Cobro el sueldo a fin de mes. — I collect my salary at the end of the month.
- Cobra diez euros por el libro. — He/she collects ten euros for the book.
- Ayer, cobré la factura del mes. — Yesterday, I collected the monthly bill.
- Antes, nosotros cobrábamos el alquiler de la casa. — Before, we used to collect the rent for the house.
- Mañana, tú cobrarás el sueldo a fin de mes. — Tomorrow, you will collect my salary at the end of the month.
- Yo cobraría diez euros por el libro si tuviera más tiempo. — I would collect ten euros for the book if I had more time.
- Él ha cobrado la factura del mes. — He has collected the monthly bill.
- Espero que él cobre el alquiler de la casa. — I hope he collects the rent for the house.
- Yo ya había cobrado el sueldo a fin de mes antes de salir. — I had already collected my salary at the end of the month before leaving.
- Ellos cobraban diez euros por el libro cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to collect ten euros for the book when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo cobra el sueldo a fin de mes. — Right: Yo cobro el sueldo a fin de mes. — The person matters: cobra is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is cobro. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo cobro diez euros por el libro. — Right: Ayer yo cobré diez euros por el libro. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: cobro is happening now, while cobré is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating cobrar and pagar as identical in every context. — Right: Cobrar means to charge, to collect, while pagar means to pay, its opposite. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: cobrar fits sentences such as Cobro el sueldo a fin de mes, while pagar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy cobrado diez euros por el libro. — Right: Yo he cobrado diez euros por el libro. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he cobrado, has cobrado, ha cobrado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo cobré la factura del mes todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo cobraba la factura del mes todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (cobraba), not the preterite. The preterite (cobré) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on cobrar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el sueldo a fin de mes. (present tense) A. cobro B. cobras C. cobra D. cobramos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ diez euros por el libro. (preterite) A. cobré B. cobraste C. cobraron D. cobró
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la factura del mes. (imperfect) A. cobrabas B. cobraban C. cobrábamos D. cobraba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el alquiler de la casa. (future) A. cobraremos B. cobrarás C. cobraré D. cobrará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el sueldo a fin de mes si pudiera. (conditional) A. cobraría B. cobrarías C. cobrarían D. cobro
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ diez euros por el libro. (present subjunctive) A. cobres B. cobremos C. cobro D. cobre
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la factura del mes, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. cobráramos B. cobro C. cobrara D. cobraras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el alquiler de la casa. (present perfect) A. han cobrado B. hemos cobrado C. he cobrado D. has cobrado
Complete the command: ¡___ el sueldo a fin de mes! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. cobra B. cobre C. cobremos D. cobrad
Which is the gerund of cobrar, used with estar for the progressive? A. cobrado B. cobro C. cobré D. cobrando
Answer key
- cobro — The first-person present of cobrar is cobro. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- cobró — The third-person preterite of cobrar is cobró, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- cobrábamos — The nosotros imperfect of cobrar is cobrábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- cobrarás — The second-person future of cobrar is cobrarás.
- cobraría — The first-person conditional of cobrar is cobraría, the form for what would happen.
- cobre — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of cobrar is cobre.
- cobrara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of cobrar is cobrara.
- hemos cobrado — The nosotros present perfect of cobrar is hemos cobrado: hemos + cobrado.
- cobra — The affirmative tú imperative of cobrar is cobra.
- cobrando — The gerund of cobrar is cobrando: estoy cobrando. The participle cobrado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does cobrar mean in English?
Cobrar means to charge, to collect. It is used in everyday situations such as Cobro el sueldo a fin de mes. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is cobrar regular or irregular?
Cobrar is a fully regular -ar 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 cobro in the present and cobré in the preterite.
What is the difference between cobrar and pagar?
Cobrar means to charge, to collect, while pagar means to pay, its opposite. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use cobrar when you mean to charge, to collect, as in Cobro el sueldo a fin de mes, and use pagar for to pay, its opposite. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I charge” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo cobré diez euros por el libro. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo cobraba la factura del mes. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he cobrado diez euros por el libro.
How do I practise cobrar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the cobrar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Cobrar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for cobrar.
- Cobrar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for cobrar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Enviar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with cobrar.
- Colgar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with cobrar.
- Contestar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with cobrar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.