Combinar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb combinar means to combine, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Combinar means to combine, and it is used for combining colours, combining work with study, combining meat with vegetables and combining two ideas in a picture. It is a regular -ar verb, common in cooking, fashion and work. Like every Spanish verb, combinar 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 combino el rojo con el negro, and in the preterite you say combiné la carne con verduras. 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: combinar
- English: to combine
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: combinando
- Past participle: combinado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + combinado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for combinar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Combinar is fully regular: combiné, combinaba, combinaré. It takes con for the second element: combino el rojo con el negro.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for combinar. 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 | combino |
| tú | combinas |
| él/ella/Ud. | combina |
| nosotros/as | combinamos |
| vosotros/as | combináis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | combiné |
| tú | combinaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | combinó |
| nosotros/as | combinamos |
| vosotros/as | combinasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | combinaba |
| tú | combinabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | combinaba |
| nosotros/as | combinábamos |
| vosotros/as | combinabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | combinaré |
| tú | combinarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | combinará |
| nosotros/as | combinaremos |
| vosotros/as | combinaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | combinaría |
| tú | combinarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | combinaría |
| nosotros/as | combinaríamos |
| vosotros/as | combinaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he combinado |
| tú | has combinado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha combinado |
| nosotros/as | hemos combinado |
| vosotros/as | habéis combinado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han combinado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había combinado |
| tú | habías combinado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había combinado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos combinado |
| vosotros/as | habíais combinado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían combinado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré combinado |
| tú | habrás combinado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá combinado |
| nosotros/as | habremos combinado |
| vosotros/as | habréis combinado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán combinado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría combinado |
| tú | habrías combinado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría combinado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos combinado |
| vosotros/as | habríais combinado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían combinado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | combine |
| tú | combines |
| él/ella/Ud. | combine |
| nosotros/as | combinemos |
| vosotros/as | combinéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | combinara |
| tú | combinaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | combinara |
| nosotros/as | combináramos |
| vosotros/as | combinarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | combina |
| él/ella/Ud. | combine |
| nosotros/as | combinemos |
| vosotros/as | combinad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | combines |
| él/ella/Ud. | combine |
| nosotros/as | combinemos |
| vosotros/as | combinéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | combinen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | combinando | with estar for the progressive: estoy combinando |
| Past participle | combinado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he combinado |
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 combinar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Combino el rojo con el negro. 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 combinar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, combiné el trabajo con los estudios. 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 combinar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, combinaba la carne con verduras. 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 combinar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, combinaré dos colores en el cuadro. 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 combinar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Combinaría el rojo con el negro 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 combinar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he combinado el trabajo con los estudios. 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 combinar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había combinado la carne con verduras 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 combinar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré combinado dos colores en el cuadro. 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 combinar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría combinado el rojo con el negro 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 combinar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él combine el trabajo con los estudios. 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 combinar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él combinara la carne con verduras, 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 combinar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡combina dos colores en el cuadro! 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 combinar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No combines el rojo con el negro. 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 combinar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Combino el rojo con el negro. — I combine red with black.
- Combina el trabajo con los estudios. — He/she combines work with study.
- Ayer, combiné la carne con verduras. — Yesterday, I combined meat with vegetables.
- Antes, nosotros combinábamos dos colores en el cuadro. — Before, we used to combine two colours in the picture.
- Mañana, tú combinarás el rojo con el negro. — Tomorrow, you will combine red with black.
- Yo combinaría el trabajo con los estudios si tuviera más tiempo. — I would combine work with study if I had more time.
- Él ha combinado la carne con verduras. — He has combined meat with vegetables.
- Espero que él combine dos colores en el cuadro. — I hope he combines two colours in the picture.
- Yo ya había combinado el rojo con el negro antes de salir. — I had already combined red with black before leaving.
- Ellos combinaban el trabajo con los estudios cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to combine work with study when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo combina el rojo con el negro. — Right: Yo combino el rojo con el negro. — The person matters: combina is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is combino. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Treating combinar and mezclar as identical in every context. — Right: Combinar means to combine, while mezclar means to mix things together. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: combinar fits sentences such as Combino el rojo con el negro, while mezclar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy combinado el trabajo con los estudios. — Right: Yo he combinado el trabajo con los estudios. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he combinado, has combinado, ha combinado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo combiné la carne con verduras todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo combinaba la carne con verduras todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (combinaba), not the preterite. The preterite (combiné) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on combinar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el rojo con el negro. (present tense) A. combino B. combinas C. combina D. combinamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el trabajo con los estudios. (preterite) A. combiné B. combinaste C. combinaron D. combinó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la carne con verduras. (imperfect) A. combinabas B. combinaban C. combinábamos D. combinaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ dos colores en el cuadro. (future) A. combinaremos B. combinarás C. combinaré D. combinará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el rojo con el negro si pudiera. (conditional) A. combinaría B. combinarías C. combinarían D. combino
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el trabajo con los estudios. (present subjunctive) A. combines B. combinemos C. combino D. combine
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la carne con verduras, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. combináramos B. combino C. combinara D. combinaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ dos colores en el cuadro. (present perfect) A. han combinado B. hemos combinado C. he combinado D. has combinado
Complete the command: ¡___ el rojo con el negro! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. combina B. combine C. combinemos D. combinad
Which is the gerund of combinar, used with estar for the progressive? A. combinado B. combino C. combiné D. combinando
Answer key
- combino — The first-person present of combinar is combino. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- combinó — The third-person preterite of combinar is combinó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- combinábamos — The nosotros imperfect of combinar is combinábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- combinarás — The second-person future of combinar is combinarás.
- combinaría — The first-person conditional of combinar is combinaría, the form for what would happen.
- combine — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of combinar is combine.
- combinara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of combinar is combinara.
- hemos combinado — The nosotros present perfect of combinar is hemos combinado: hemos + combinado.
- combina — The affirmative tú imperative of combinar is combina.
- combinando — The gerund of combinar is combinando: estoy combinando. The participle combinado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does combinar mean in English?
Combinar means to combine. It is used in everyday situations such as Combino el rojo con el negro. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is combinar regular or irregular?
Combinar 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 combino in the present and combiné in the preterite.
What is the difference between combinar and mezclar?
Combinar means to combine, while mezclar means to mix things together. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use combinar when you mean to combine, as in Combino el rojo con el negro, and use mezclar for to mix things together. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I combine” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo combiné el trabajo con los estudios. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo combinaba la carne con verduras. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he combinado el trabajo con los estudios.
How do I practise combinar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the combinar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Combinar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for combinar.
- Combinar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for combinar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Colaborar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with combinar.
- Comparar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with combinar.
- Citar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with combinar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.