Conquistar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb conquistar means to conquer, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Conquistar means to conquer, and it is used for conquering a mountain top, a market, a castle and, figuratively, a person's heart. It is a verb of effort and victory, common in history, sport and romance. Like every Spanish verb, conquistar 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 conquisto la cima de la montaña, and in the preterite you say conquisté el mercado extranjero. 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: conquistar
- English: to conquer
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: conquistando
- Past participle: conquistado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + conquistado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for conquistar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Conquistar is fully regular: conquisté, conquistaba, conquistaré. The noun is conquista, conquest.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for conquistar. 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 | conquisto |
| tú | conquistas |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquista |
| nosotros/as | conquistamos |
| vosotros/as | conquistáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquistan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | conquisté |
| tú | conquistaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquistó |
| nosotros/as | conquistamos |
| vosotros/as | conquistasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquistaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | conquistaba |
| tú | conquistabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquistaba |
| nosotros/as | conquistábamos |
| vosotros/as | conquistabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquistaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | conquistaré |
| tú | conquistarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquistará |
| nosotros/as | conquistaremos |
| vosotros/as | conquistaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquistarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | conquistaría |
| tú | conquistarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquistaría |
| nosotros/as | conquistaríamos |
| vosotros/as | conquistaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquistarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he conquistado |
| tú | has conquistado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha conquistado |
| nosotros/as | hemos conquistado |
| vosotros/as | habéis conquistado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han conquistado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había conquistado |
| tú | habías conquistado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había conquistado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos conquistado |
| vosotros/as | habíais conquistado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían conquistado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré conquistado |
| tú | habrás conquistado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá conquistado |
| nosotros/as | habremos conquistado |
| vosotros/as | habréis conquistado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán conquistado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría conquistado |
| tú | habrías conquistado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría conquistado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos conquistado |
| vosotros/as | habríais conquistado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían conquistado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | conquiste |
| tú | conquistes |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquiste |
| nosotros/as | conquistemos |
| vosotros/as | conquistéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquisten |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | conquistara |
| tú | conquistaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquistara |
| nosotros/as | conquistáramos |
| vosotros/as | conquistarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquistaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | conquista |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquiste |
| nosotros/as | conquistemos |
| vosotros/as | conquistad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquisten |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | conquistes |
| él/ella/Ud. | conquiste |
| nosotros/as | conquistemos |
| vosotros/as | conquistéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | conquisten |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | conquistando | with estar for the progressive: estoy conquistando |
| Past participle | conquistado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he conquistado |
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 conquistar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Conquisto la cima de la montaña. 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 conquistar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, conquisté el corazón de María. 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 conquistar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, conquistaba el mercado extranjero. 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 conquistar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, conquistaré el castillo al amanecer. 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 conquistar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Conquistaría la cima de la montaña 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 conquistar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he conquistado el corazón de María. 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 conquistar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había conquistado el mercado extranjero 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 conquistar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré conquistado el castillo al amanecer. 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 conquistar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría conquistado la cima de la montaña 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 conquistar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él conquiste el corazón de María. 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 conquistar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él conquistara el mercado extranjero, 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 conquistar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡conquista el castillo al amanecer! 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 conquistar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No conquistes la cima de la montaña. 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 conquistar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Conquisto la cima de la montaña. — I conquer the top of the mountain.
- Conquista el corazón de María. — He/she conquers María's heart.
- Ayer, conquisté el mercado extranjero. — Yesterday, I conquered the foreign market.
- Antes, nosotros conquistábamos el castillo al amanecer. — Before, we used to conquer the castle at dawn.
- Mañana, tú conquistarás la cima de la montaña. — Tomorrow, you will conquer the top of the mountain.
- Yo conquistaría el corazón de María si tuviera más tiempo. — I would conquer María's heart if I had more time.
- Él ha conquistado el mercado extranjero. — He has conquered the foreign market.
- Espero que él conquiste el castillo al amanecer. — I hope he conquers the castle at dawn.
- Yo ya había conquistado la cima de la montaña antes de salir. — I had already conquered the top of the mountain before leaving.
- Ellos conquistaban el corazón de María cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to conquer María's heart when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo conquista la cima de la montaña. — Right: Yo conquisto la cima de la montaña. — The person matters: conquista is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is conquisto. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Treating conquistar and vencer as identical in every context. — Right: Conquistar means to conquer, while vencer means to defeat someone or something. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: conquistar fits sentences such as Conquisto la cima de la montaña, while vencer belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy conquistado el corazón de María. — Right: Yo he conquistado el corazón de María. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he conquistado, has conquistado, ha conquistado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo conquisté el mercado extranjero todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo conquistaba el mercado extranjero todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (conquistaba), not the preterite. The preterite (conquisté) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on conquistar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la cima de la montaña. (present tense) A. conquisto B. conquistas C. conquista D. conquistamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el corazón de María. (preterite) A. conquisté B. conquistaste C. conquistaron D. conquistó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el mercado extranjero. (imperfect) A. conquistabas B. conquistaban C. conquistábamos D. conquistaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el castillo al amanecer. (future) A. conquistaremos B. conquistarás C. conquistaré D. conquistará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la cima de la montaña si pudiera. (conditional) A. conquistaría B. conquistarías C. conquistarían D. conquisto
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el corazón de María. (present subjunctive) A. conquistes B. conquistemos C. conquisto D. conquiste
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el mercado extranjero, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. conquistáramos B. conquisto C. conquistara D. conquistaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el castillo al amanecer. (present perfect) A. han conquistado B. hemos conquistado C. he conquistado D. has conquistado
Complete the command: ¡___ la cima de la montaña! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. conquista B. conquiste C. conquistemos D. conquistad
Which is the gerund of conquistar, used with estar for the progressive? A. conquistado B. conquisto C. conquisté D. conquistando
Answer key
- conquisto — The first-person present of conquistar is conquisto. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- conquistó — The third-person preterite of conquistar is conquistó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- conquistábamos — The nosotros imperfect of conquistar is conquistábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- conquistarás — The second-person future of conquistar is conquistarás.
- conquistaría — The first-person conditional of conquistar is conquistaría, the form for what would happen.
- conquiste — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of conquistar is conquiste.
- conquistara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of conquistar is conquistara.
- hemos conquistado — The nosotros present perfect of conquistar is hemos conquistado: hemos + conquistado.
- conquista — The affirmative tú imperative of conquistar is conquista.
- conquistando — The gerund of conquistar is conquistando: estoy conquistando. The participle conquistado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does conquistar mean in English?
Conquistar means to conquer. It is used in everyday situations such as Conquisto la cima de la montaña. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is conquistar regular or irregular?
Conquistar 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 conquisto in the present and conquisté in the preterite.
What is the difference between conquistar and vencer?
Conquistar means to conquer, while vencer means to defeat someone or something. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use conquistar when you mean to conquer, as in Conquisto la cima de la montaña, and use vencer for to defeat someone or something. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I conquer” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo conquisté el corazón de María. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo conquistaba el mercado extranjero. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he conquistado el corazón de María.
How do I practise conquistar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the conquistar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Conquistar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for conquistar.
- Conquistar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for conquistar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Congelar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with conquistar.
- Dañar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with conquistar.
- Confirmar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with conquistar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.