Consentir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb consentir means to consent, to allow, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Consentir means to consent or to allow, and it is used for giving permission and for spoiling a child: consentir a los niños, consentir en la propuesta. It is a stem-changing -ir verb, e to ie in the present and e to i in the preterite third person and the gerund: consiento, consintió, consintiendo. Like every Spanish verb, consentir 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 consiento a los niños con dulces, and in the preterite you say consentí que salga por la noche. 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: consentir
- English: to consent, to allow
- Verb type: irregular verb, stem-changing (e → ie)
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: consintiendo
- Past participle: consentido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + consentido)
- Stem change: e → ie in the present, present subjunctive and imperative; nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for consentir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Consentir changes e to ie in the present (consiento) and e to i in the preterite third person (consintió) and the gerund (consintiendo).
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for consentir. 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 | consiento |
| tú | consientes |
| él/ella/Ud. | consiente |
| nosotros/as | consentimos |
| vosotros/as | consentís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consienten |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | consentí |
| tú | consentiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | consintió |
| nosotros/as | consentimos |
| vosotros/as | consentisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consintieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | consentía |
| tú | consentías |
| él/ella/Ud. | consentía |
| nosotros/as | consentíamos |
| vosotros/as | consentíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consentían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | consentiré |
| tú | consentirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | consentirá |
| nosotros/as | consentiremos |
| vosotros/as | consentiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consentirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | consentiría |
| tú | consentirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | consentiría |
| nosotros/as | consentiríamos |
| vosotros/as | consentiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consentirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he consentido |
| tú | has consentido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha consentido |
| nosotros/as | hemos consentido |
| vosotros/as | habéis consentido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han consentido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había consentido |
| tú | habías consentido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había consentido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos consentido |
| vosotros/as | habíais consentido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían consentido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré consentido |
| tú | habrás consentido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá consentido |
| nosotros/as | habremos consentido |
| vosotros/as | habréis consentido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán consentido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría consentido |
| tú | habrías consentido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría consentido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos consentido |
| vosotros/as | habríais consentido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían consentido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | consienta |
| tú | consientas |
| él/ella/Ud. | consienta |
| nosotros/as | consintamos |
| vosotros/as | consintáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consientan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | consintiera |
| tú | consintieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | consintiera |
| nosotros/as | consintiéramos |
| vosotros/as | consintierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consintieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | consiente |
| él/ella/Ud. | consienta |
| nosotros/as | consintamos |
| vosotros/as | consentid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consientan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | consientas |
| él/ella/Ud. | consienta |
| nosotros/as | consintamos |
| vosotros/as | consintáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | consientan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | consintiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy consintiendo |
| Past participle | consentido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he consentido |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For consentir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Consiento a los niños con dulces. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For consentir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, consentí en la propuesta del jefe. 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 consentir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, consentía que salga por la noche. 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 consentir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, consentiré demasiado a su hija. 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 consentir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Consentiría a los niños con dulces 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 consentir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he consentido en la propuesta del jefe. 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 consentir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había consentido que salga por la noche 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 consentir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré consentido demasiado a su hija. 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 consentir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría consentido a los niños con dulces 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For consentir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él consienta en la propuesta del jefe. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For consentir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él consintiera que salga por la noche, 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For consentir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Consiente demasiado a su hija! 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: the stem changes e → ie in the singular and third-person plural forms, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. For consentir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No consientas a los niños con dulces. 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 consentir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Consiento a los niños con dulces. — I consent the children with sweets.
- Consiente en la propuesta del jefe. — He/she consents to the boss's proposal.
- Ayer, consentí que salga por la noche. — Yesterday, I consented that she go out at night.
- Antes, nosotros consentíamos demasiado a su hija. — Before, we used to consent his daughter too much.
- Mañana, tú consentirás a los niños con dulces. — Tomorrow, you will consent the children with sweets.
- Yo consentiría en la propuesta del jefe si tuviera más tiempo. — I would consent to the boss's proposal if I had more time.
- Él ha consentido que salga por la noche. — He has consented that she go out at night.
- Espero que él consienta demasiado a su hija. — I hope he consents his daughter too much.
- Yo ya había consentido a los niños con dulces antes de salir. — I had already consented the children with sweets before leaving.
- Ellos consentían en la propuesta del jefe cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to consent to the boss's proposal when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo consiente a los niños con dulces. — Right: Yo consiento a los niños con dulces. — The person matters: consiente is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is consiento. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo consento en la propuesta del jefe. — Right: Yo consiento en la propuesta del jefe. — Consentir is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so the stem changes in the present singular and third-person plural. The nosotros form keeps the original stem.
- Wrong: Treating consentir and permitir as identical in every context. — Right: Consentir means to consent, to allow, while permitir means to allow, to permit. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: consentir fits sentences such as Consiento a los niños con dulces, while permitir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy consentido en la propuesta del jefe. — Right: Yo he consentido en la propuesta del jefe. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he consentido, has consentido, ha consentido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo consentí que salga por la noche todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo consentía que salga por la noche todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (consentía), not the preterite. The preterite (consentí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on consentir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los niños con dulces. (present tense) A. consiento B. consientes C. consiente D. consentimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ en la propuesta del jefe. (preterite) A. consentí B. consentiste C. consentimos D. consintió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ que salga por la noche. (imperfect) A. consentías B. consiento C. consentíamos D. consentía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ demasiado a su hija. (future) A. consentiremos B. consentirás C. consentiré D. consentirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los niños con dulces si pudiera. (conditional) A. consentiría B. consentirías C. consentiríamos D. consiento
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en la propuesta del jefe. (present subjunctive) A. consientas B. consintamos C. consiento D. consienta
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ que salga por la noche, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. consintiéramos B. consiento C. consintiera D. consintieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ demasiado a su hija. (present perfect) A. ha consentido B. hemos consentido C. he consentido D. has consentido
Complete the command: ¡___ a los niños con dulces! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. consiente B. consienta C. consintamos D. consentid
Which is the gerund of consentir, used with estar for the progressive? A. consentido B. consiento C. consentí D. consintiendo
Answer key
- consiento — The yo present tense of consentir is consiento.
- consintió — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of consentir is consintió.
- consentíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of consentir is consentíamos.
- consentirás — The tú future of consentir is consentirás.
- consentiría — The yo conditional of consentir is consentiría.
- consienta — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of consentir is consienta.
- consintiera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of consentir is consintiera.
- hemos consentido — The nosotros/as present perfect of consentir is hemos consentido.
- consiente — The affirmative tú imperative of consentir is consiente.
- consintiendo — The gerund of consentir is consintiendo: estoy consintiendo. The participle consentido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does consentir mean in English?
Consentir means to consent, to allow. It is used in everyday situations such as Consiento a los niños con dulces. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is consentir regular or irregular?
Consentir is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so it is not fully regular: the stem changes in the present, the present subjunctive and the imperative, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. The preterite and the imperfect are regular. Check the tables above for the exact forms in each tense.
What is the difference between consentir and permitir?
Consentir means to consent, to allow, while permitir means to allow, to permit. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use consentir when you mean to consent, to allow, as in Consiento a los niños con dulces, and use permitir for to allow, to permit. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I consent” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo consentí en la propuesta del jefe. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo consentía que salga por la noche. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he consentido en la propuesta del jefe.
How do I practise consentir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the consentir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Consentir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for consentir.
- Consentir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for consentir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Confundir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with consentir.
- Constituir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with consentir.
- Concluir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with consentir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.