Compadecer Conjugation in Spanish
compadecer means "to pity" in English, and it comes up when people talk about the poor people of the neighbourhood, his sick friend, the victims of the fire and his widowed neighbour. This page gives you the complete conjugation of compadecer in every tense and mood — present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, the four perfect tenses, both subjunctive tenses and the imperative — with all six persons, plus the gerund and the past participle. Every form below comes from VerbFlow's verified conjugation tables, so you can trust the accents and the spelling changes. compadecer is a spelling-changing (c → zc before o and a) -er verb, and the notes under each tense explain exactly where it follows the rules and where it breaks them. To hear it in a real sentence: Cada día, yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio. — "Every day, I pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." Work through the tables, read the notes, then test yourself with the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: compadecer
- English: to pity
- Verb type: spelling-changing (c → zc before o and a) -er verb
- Gerund: compadeciendo
- Past participle: compadecido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all compound tenses use haber + compadecido)
- Spelling change: spelling-changing (c → zc before o and a).
Full conjugation table
Every tense of compadecer with all six persons. The gerund is compadeciendo and the past participle is compadecido.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | compadezco |
| tú | compadeces |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadece |
| nosotros/as | compadecemos |
| vosotros/as | compadecéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadecen |
Preterite (past)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | compadecí |
| tú | compadeciste |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadeció |
| nosotros/as | compadecimos |
| vosotros/as | compadecisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadecieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | compadecía |
| tú | compadecías |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadecía |
| nosotros/as | compadecíamos |
| vosotros/as | compadecíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadecían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | compadeceré |
| tú | compadecerás |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadecerá |
| nosotros/as | compadeceremos |
| vosotros/as | compadeceréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadecerán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | compadecería |
| tú | compadecerías |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadecería |
| nosotros/as | compadeceríamos |
| vosotros/as | compadeceríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadecerían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he compadecido |
| tú | has compadecido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha compadecido |
| nosotros/as | hemos compadecido |
| vosotros/as | habéis compadecido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han compadecido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había compadecido |
| tú | habías compadecido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había compadecido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos compadecido |
| vosotros/as | habíais compadecido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían compadecido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré compadecido |
| tú | habrás compadecido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá compadecido |
| nosotros/as | habremos compadecido |
| vosotros/as | habréis compadecido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán compadecido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría compadecido |
| tú | habrías compadecido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría compadecido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos compadecido |
| vosotros/as | habríais compadecido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían compadecido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | compadezca |
| tú | compadezcas |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadezca |
| nosotros/as | compadezcamos |
| vosotros/as | compadecáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadezcan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | compadeciera |
| tú | compadecieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadeciera |
| nosotros/as | compadeciéramos |
| vosotros/as | compadecierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadecieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | compadece |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadezca |
| nosotros/as | compadezcamos |
| vosotros/as | compadeced |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadezcan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | compadezcas |
| él/ella/Ud. | compadezca |
| nosotros/as | compadezcamos |
| vosotros/as | compadecáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | compadezcan |
Notes on each tense
A short note for every tense: when it is used, one example, and anything irregular about compadecer in that tense.
Present indicative
The present indicative of compadecer is used for routines, habits, general truths and things happening right now. Cada día, yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio. — "Every day, I pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." Watch the spelling: the c becomes zc before o and a, so the yo form is compadezco and the subjunctive forms start with zc, for example compadezca. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Preterite (past)
The preterite (past) of compadecer is used for one action that started and finished in the past. Ayer, yo compadecí a su amigo enfermo. — "Yesterday, I pitied his sick friend." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Imperfect
The imperfect of compadecer is used for an ongoing or repeated action in the past, background description and habits that no longer happen. Antes, yo compadecía a las víctimas del incendio. — "In the past, I used to pity the victims of the fire." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Future
The future of compadecer is used for what will happen, plans and predictions. Mañana, nosotros compadeceremos a su vecina viuda. — "Tomorrow, we will pity his widowed neighbour." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Conditional
The conditional of compadecer is used for what would happen, hypothetical situations and polite requests. Si pudieras, tú compadecerías a los pobres del barrio. — "If you could, you would pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Present perfect
The present perfect of compadecer is used for an action completed in the recent past that still matters now, or life experience up to now. Yo he compadecido a su amigo enfermo. — "I have pitied his sick friend." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Pluperfect
The pluperfect of compadecer is used for an action that had already happened before another past action. Antes de la fiesta, yo había compadecido a las víctimas del incendio. — "Before the party, I had pitied the victims of the fire." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Future perfect
The future perfect of compadecer is used for an action that will be finished by a point in the future. Para mañana, yo habré compadecido a su vecina viuda. — "By tomorrow, I will have pitied his widowed neighbour." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect of compadecer is used for what would have happened if things had been different. Si hubiera podido, yo habría compadecido a los pobres del barrio. — "If I had been able to, I would have pitied the poor people of the neighbourhood." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive of compadecer is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and requests after expressions such as espero que. Espero que él compadezca a su amigo enfermo. — "I hope that he/she pities his sick friend." Watch the spelling: the c becomes zc before o and a, so the yo form is compadezco and the subjunctive forms start with zc, for example compadezca. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
The imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of compadecer is used for the same subjunctive meanings in the past, and in si clauses about unreal situations. Si él compadeciera a las víctimas del incendio, todo saldría mejor. — "If he/she pitied the victims of the fire, everything would turn out better." For compadecer this tense follows the regular -er pattern: the stem compadec- plus the usual endings. Say each form aloud with the complement after it, so the person and the ending stay linked in your memory.
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) of compadecer is used for orders, instructions and invitations. ¡Compadece a su vecina viuda! — "Pity his widowed neighbour!" Watch the spelling: the c becomes zc before o and a, so the yo form is compadezco and the subjunctive forms start with zc, for example compadezca. Compare the forms with the present tense as you learn them, and the pattern will stay clear.
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) of compadecer is used for prohibitions and negative orders. No compadezcas a los pobres del barrio. — "Do not pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." Watch the spelling: the c becomes zc before o and a, so the yo form is compadezco and the subjunctive forms start with zc, for example compadezca. Learn the six forms in the table above, and practise them with the complements in the examples section below.
Examples: compadecer in real sentences
Ten sentences with compadecer, one for each main tense, each with its English translation. Read them aloud, then try changing the person and the complement to make your own versions.
- Cada día, yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio. — "Every day, I pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." This is the present tense, used for a habit.
- Ayer, yo compadecí a su amigo enfermo. — "Yesterday, I pitied his sick friend." This is the preterite, one finished action.
- Antes, yo compadecía a las víctimas del incendio. — "In the past, I used to pity the victims of the fire." This is the imperfect, a repeated action in the past.
- Mañana, nosotros compadeceremos a su vecina viuda. — "Tomorrow, we will pity his widowed neighbour." This is the future tense, a plan for tomorrow.
- Si pudieras, tú compadecerías a los pobres del barrio. — "If you could, you would pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." This is the conditional, something that would happen.
- Yo he compadecido a su amigo enfermo. — "I have pitied his sick friend." This is the present perfect, an action with present relevance.
- Espero que él compadezca a las víctimas del incendio. — "I hope that he/she pities the victims of the fire." This is the present subjunctive, after espero que.
- Si él compadeciera a su vecina viuda, todo saldría mejor. — "If he/she pitied his widowed neighbour, everything would turn out better." This is the imperfect subjunctive, in a si clause.
- ¡Compadece a los pobres del barrio! — "Pity the poor people of the neighbourhood!" This is the imperative, a direct order or request.
- Ahora, Yo estoy compadeciendo a su amigo enfermo. — "Now, I am pityying his sick friend." This is the progressive, with estar and the gerund.
Common mistakes with compadecer
The errors learners actually make with compadecer, each with the wrong form, the right form, and why it is wrong.
Mistake 1: Adding a reflexive pronoun that does not belong
- Wrong: Yo me compadezco a los pobres del barrio.
- Right: Yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio.
- Why: compadecer is not reflexive, so there is no pronoun to add. Yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio. is the correct sentence, and the extra pronoun changes the meaning.
Mistake 2: Forgetting the zc spelling change
- Wrong: Yo compadeco a los pobres del barrio.
- Right: Yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio.
- Why: Verbs in -cer change c to zc before o and a. The yo form is compadezco, never compadeco, and the same change appears in the subjunctive (compadezca).
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo compadezco a su amigo enfermo.
- Right: Ayer, yo compadecí a su amigo enfermo.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite. The present tense is for habits and routines, not for yesterday: Ayer, yo compadecí a su amigo enfermo. — "Yesterday, I pitied his sick friend."
Mistake 4: Mixing up the gerund and the participle
- Wrong: Estoy compadecido a las víctimas del incendio.
- Right: Estoy compadeciendo a las víctimas del incendio.
- Why: After estar you need the gerund compadeciendo for the progressive. The participle compadecido goes with haber in the perfect tenses (he compadecido), never after estar.
Mistake 5: Confusing compadecer with compadecerse
- Wrong: Yo me compadezco a los pobres del barrio.
- Right: Yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio.
- Why: compadecer (to pity) and compadecerse are partners, not the same verb. The reflexive partner compadecerse is used when the action comes back to the subject, while compadecer is used when the action is done to someone or something else.
Quiz: compadecer conjugation
Test yourself with ten questions on compadecer. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of compadecer in the present tense?
- (a) compadecemos
- (b) compadezco
- (c) compadeces
- (d) compadece
Answer: (b) compadezco. The yo form is compadezco. Check the person before you answer.
2. What is the tú form of compadecer in the present tense?
- (a) compadeces
- (b) compadezco
- (c) compadece
- (d) compadecemos
Answer: (a) compadeces. The tú form is compadeces. Check the person before you answer.
3. What is the él/ella form of compadecer in the present tense?
- (a) compadezco
- (b) compadeces
- (c) compadecemos
- (d) compadece
Answer: (d) compadece. The él/ella form is compadece. Check the person before you answer.
4. What is the nosotros form of compadecer in the present tense?
- (a) compadeces
- (b) compadece
- (c) compadecemos
- (d) compadezco
Answer: (c) compadecemos. The nosotros form is compadecemos. Check the person before you answer.
5. What is the ellos/ellas form of compadecer in the present tense?
- (a) compadece
- (b) compadecen
- (c) compadezco
- (d) compadeces
Answer: (b) compadecen. The ellos/ellas form is compadecen. Check the person before you answer.
6. What is the gerund of compadecer?
- (a) compadecer
- (b) compadeciendo
- (c) compadecido
- (d) compadezco
Answer: (b) compadeciendo. The gerund is compadeciendo, used for the progressive: estoy compadeciendo.
7. What is the past participle of compadecer?
- (a) compadecido
- (b) compadeciendo
- (c) compadecí
- (d) compadecer
Answer: (a) compadecido. The past participle is compadecido, used with haber in all perfect tenses: he compadecido.
8. Complete the sentence: Cada día, yo ___ a los pobres del barrio.
- (a) compadeces
- (b) compadece
- (c) compadecemos
- (d) compadezco
Answer: (d) compadezco. The sentence needs the yo form compadezco (Every day, I pity the poor people of the neighbourhood.)
9. What is the yo form of compadecer in the preterite?
- (a) compadeció
- (b) compadecimos
- (c) compadecí
- (d) compadeciste
Answer: (c) compadecí. The yo preterite is compadecí. The preterite describes one finished action.
10. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a las víctimas del incendio.
- (a) compadezca
- (b) compadezcas
- (c) compadezcamos
- (d) compadecáis
Answer: (a) compadezca. After espero que Spanish needs the subjunctive, and the él form is compadezca.
Frequently asked questions about compadecer
Is compadecer regular?
Almost. compadecer is a spelling-changing (c → zc before o and a) -er verb, so its endings are regular but its spelling changes in some forms: Watch the spelling: the c becomes zc before o and a, so the yo form is compadezco and the subjunctive forms start with zc, for example compadezca. The rest of the conjugation follows the regular pattern, and the tables above show every form exactly.
What does compadecer mean, and when do I use it?
compadecer means "to pity" in English. Use it when you talk about the poor people of the neighbourhood, his sick friend, the victims of the fire and his widowed neighbour — for example: Yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio. — "I pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." It is a practical verb for everyday conversation, and it appears in all the tenses on this page.
How do you say it in a real sentence?
A natural sentence is: Yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio. — "I pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." Change the person using the table above, and change the complement to talk about your own life: the verb stays the same, only the ending changes.
What is the difference between compadecer and compadecerse?
compadecer means "to pity", while compadecerse means "to feel sorry for". The reflexive form is used when the action comes back to the subject, and the plain form is used when the action is done to someone or something else. Compare the two pages side by side to feel the difference.
When do I use the present tense instead of the preterite with compadecer?
Use the present for habits and routines: Yo compadezco a los pobres del barrio. — "I pity the poor people of the neighbourhood." Use the preterite for one finished action: Ayer, yo compadecí a los pobres del barrio. — "Yesterday, I pitied the poor people of the neighbourhood." If the action happens regularly, choose the present; if it happened once and is finished, choose the preterite.