Condenar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb condenar means to condemn, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Condenar means to condemn, and it is used for a court sentencing someone, for society condemning an act, and for condemning a building as unsafe. It is a formal, fully regular verb that belongs to law and the news. Like every Spanish verb, condenar 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 condeno al acusado a diez años de prisión, and in the preterite you say condené el edificio por peligro de derrumbe. 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: condenar
- English: to condemn
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: condenando
- Past participle: condenado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + condenado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for condenar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Condenar is fully regular: condeno, condena. Its opposite in court is absolver: the court either condemns or acquits.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for condenar. 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 | condeno |
| tú | condenas |
| él/ella/Ud. | condena |
| nosotros/as | condenamos |
| vosotros/as | condenáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | condené |
| tú | condenaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | condenó |
| nosotros/as | condenamos |
| vosotros/as | condenasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | condenaba |
| tú | condenabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | condenaba |
| nosotros/as | condenábamos |
| vosotros/as | condenabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | condenaré |
| tú | condenarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | condenará |
| nosotros/as | condenaremos |
| vosotros/as | condenaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | condenaría |
| tú | condenarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | condenaría |
| nosotros/as | condenaríamos |
| vosotros/as | condenaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he condenado |
| tú | has condenado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha condenado |
| nosotros/as | hemos condenado |
| vosotros/as | habéis condenado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han condenado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había condenado |
| tú | habías condenado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había condenado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos condenado |
| vosotros/as | habíais condenado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían condenado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré condenado |
| tú | habrás condenado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá condenado |
| nosotros/as | habremos condenado |
| vosotros/as | habréis condenado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán condenado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría condenado |
| tú | habrías condenado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría condenado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos condenado |
| vosotros/as | habríais condenado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían condenado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | condene |
| tú | condenes |
| él/ella/Ud. | condene |
| nosotros/as | condenemos |
| vosotros/as | condenéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | condenara |
| tú | condenaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | condenara |
| nosotros/as | condenáramos |
| vosotros/as | condenarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | condena |
| él/ella/Ud. | condene |
| nosotros/as | condenemos |
| vosotros/as | condenad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | condenes |
| él/ella/Ud. | condene |
| nosotros/as | condenemos |
| vosotros/as | condenéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | condenen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | condenando | with estar for the progressive: estoy condenando |
| Past participle | condenado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he condenado |
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 condenar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Condeno al acusado a diez años de prisión. 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 condenar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, condené el ataque en un comunicado. 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 condenar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, condenaba el edificio por peligro de derrumbe. 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 condenar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, condenaré la violencia con palabras muy duras. 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 condenar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Condenaría al acusado a diez años de prisión 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 condenar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he condenado el ataque en un comunicado. 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 condenar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había condenado el edificio por peligro de derrumbe 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 condenar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré condenado la violencia con palabras muy duras. 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 condenar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría condenado al acusado a diez años de prisión 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 condenar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él condene el ataque en un comunicado. 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 condenar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él condenara el edificio por peligro de derrumbe, 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 condenar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Condena la violencia con palabras muy duras! 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 condenar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No condenes al acusado a diez años de prisión. 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 condenar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Condeno al acusado a diez años de prisión. — I condemn the accused to ten years in prison.
- Condena el ataque en un comunicado. — He/she condemns the attack in a statement.
- Ayer, condené el edificio por peligro de derrumbe. — Yesterday, I condemned the building as a collapse risk.
- Antes, nosotros condenábamos la violencia con palabras muy duras. — Before, we used to condemn violence in very strong words.
- Mañana, tú condenarás al acusado a diez años de prisión. — Tomorrow, you will condemn the accused to ten years in prison.
- Yo condenaría el ataque en un comunicado si tuviera más tiempo. — I would condemn the attack in a statement if I had more time.
- Él ha condenado el edificio por peligro de derrumbe. — He has condemned the building as a collapse risk.
- Espero que él condene la violencia con palabras muy duras. — I hope he condemns violence in very strong words.
- Yo ya había condenado al acusado a diez años de prisión antes de salir. — I had already condemned the accused to ten years in prison before leaving.
- Ellos condenaban el ataque en un comunicado cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to condemn the attack in a statement when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo condena al acusado a diez años de prisión. — Right: Yo condeno al acusado a diez años de prisión. — The person matters: condena is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is condeno. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo condeno el ataque en un comunicado. — Right: Ayer yo condené el ataque en un comunicado. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: condeno is happening now, while condené is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating condenar and absolver as identical in every context. — Right: Condenar means to condemn, while absolver means to acquit someone. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: condenar fits sentences such as Condeno al acusado a diez años de prisión, while absolver belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy condenado el ataque en un comunicado. — Right: Yo he condenado el ataque en un comunicado. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he condenado, has condenado, ha condenado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo condené el edificio por peligro de derrumbe todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo condenaba el edificio por peligro de derrumbe todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (condenaba), not the preterite. The preterite (condené) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on condenar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al acusado a diez años de prisión. (present tense) A. condeno B. condenas C. condena D. condenamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el ataque en un comunicado. (preterite) A. condené B. condenaste C. condenaron D. condenó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el edificio por peligro de derrumbe. (imperfect) A. condenabas B. condenaban C. condenábamos D. condenaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la violencia con palabras muy duras. (future) A. condenaremos B. condenarás C. condenaré D. condenará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al acusado a diez años de prisión si pudiera. (conditional) A. condenaría B. condenarías C. condenarían D. condeno
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el ataque en un comunicado. (present subjunctive) A. condenes B. condenemos C. condeno D. condene
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el edificio por peligro de derrumbe, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. condenáramos B. condeno C. condenara D. condenaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la violencia con palabras muy duras. (present perfect) A. han condenado B. hemos condenado C. he condenado D. has condenado
Complete the command: ¡___ al acusado a diez años de prisión! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. condena B. condene C. condenemos D. condenad
Which is the gerund of condenar, used with estar for the progressive? A. condenado B. condeno C. condené D. condenando
Answer key
- condeno — The first-person present of condenar is condeno. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- condenó — The third-person preterite of condenar is condenó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- condenábamos — The nosotros imperfect of condenar is condenábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- condenarás — The second-person future of condenar is condenarás.
- condenaría — The first-person conditional of condenar is condenaría, the form for what would happen.
- condene — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of condenar is condene.
- condenara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of condenar is condenara.
- hemos condenado — The nosotros present perfect of condenar is hemos condenado: hemos + condenado.
- condena — The affirmative tú imperative of condenar is condena.
- condenando — The gerund of condenar is condenando: estoy condenando. The participle condenado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does condenar mean in English?
Condenar means to condemn. It is used in everyday situations such as Condeno al acusado a diez años de prisión. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is condenar regular or irregular?
Condenar 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 condeno in the present and condené in the preterite.
What is the difference between condenar and absolver?
Condenar means to condemn, while absolver means to acquit someone. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use condenar when you mean to condemn, as in Condeno al acusado a diez años de prisión, and use absolver for to acquit someone. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I condemn” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo condené el ataque en un comunicado. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo condenaba el edificio por peligro de derrumbe. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he condenado el ataque en un comunicado.
How do I practise condenar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the condenar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Condenar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for condenar.
- Condenar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for condenar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Indultar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with condenar.
- Multar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with condenar.
- Declarar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with condenar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.