Contradecir Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb contradecir means to contradict, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Contradecir means to contradict, and it is used for contradicting a statement, contradicting yourself and contradicting someone in a debate. It follows the pattern of decir, with the present contradigo, the preterite contradije and the irregular participle contradicho. Like every Spanish verb, contradecir 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 contradigo a su jefe en la reunión, and in the preterite you say contradije al testigo en el juicio. 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: contradecir
  • English: to contradict
  • Verb type: irregular verb, stem-changing (e → i)
  • Ending: -ir
  • Gerund: contradiciendo
  • Past participle: contradicho
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + contradicho)
  • Stem change: e → i 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 contradecir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Contradecir follows decir: the present is contradigo, the preterite is contradije, and the participle is contradicho.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for contradecir. 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 contradigo
tú contradices
él/ella/Ud. contradice
nosotros/as contradecimos
vosotros/as contradecís
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradicen

Preterite

Person Form
yo contradije
tú contradijiste
él/ella/Ud. contradijo
nosotros/as contradijimos
vosotros/as contradijisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradijeron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo contradecía
tú contradecías
él/ella/Ud. contradecía
nosotros/as contradecíamos
vosotros/as contradecíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradecían

Future

Person Form
yo contradeciré
tú contradecirás
él/ella/Ud. contradecirá
nosotros/as contradeciremos
vosotros/as contradeciréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradecirán

Conditional

Person Form
yo contradeciría
tú contradecirías
él/ella/Ud. contradeciría
nosotros/as contradeciríamos
vosotros/as contradeciríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradecirían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he contradicho
tú has contradicho
él/ella/Ud. ha contradicho
nosotros/as hemos contradicho
vosotros/as habéis contradicho
ellos/ellas/Uds. han contradicho

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había contradicho
tú habías contradicho
él/ella/Ud. había contradicho
nosotros/as habíamos contradicho
vosotros/as habíais contradicho
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían contradicho

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré contradicho
tú habrás contradicho
él/ella/Ud. habrá contradicho
nosotros/as habremos contradicho
vosotros/as habréis contradicho
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán contradicho

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría contradicho
tú habrías contradicho
él/ella/Ud. habría contradicho
nosotros/as habríamos contradicho
vosotros/as habríais contradicho
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían contradicho

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo contradiga
tú contradigas
él/ella/Ud. contradiga
nosotros/as contradigamos
vosotros/as contradigáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradigan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo contradijera
tú contradijeras
él/ella/Ud. contradijera
nosotros/as contradijéramos
vosotros/as contradijerais
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradijeran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú contradice
él/ella/Ud. contradiga
nosotros/as contradigamos
vosotros/as contradecid
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradigan

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú contradigas
él/ella/Ud. contradiga
nosotros/as contradigamos
vosotros/as contradigáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. contradigan

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund contradiciendo with estar for the progressive: estoy contradiciendo
Past participle contradicho with haber for the perfect tenses: he contradicho

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: it follows the pattern of decir, with a -g- in the present (as in predigo), a -j- stem in the preterite (as in predije), and an irregular participle where one applies. Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For contradecir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Contradigo a su jefe en la reunión. 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: it follows the pattern of decir, with a -g- in the present (as in predigo), a -j- stem in the preterite (as in predije), and an irregular participle where one applies. Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For contradecir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, contradije sus palabras de ayer. 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 contradecir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, contradecía al testigo en el juicio. 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 contradecir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, contradeciré a su amigo sin querer. 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 contradecir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Contradeciría a su jefe en la reunión 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is contradicho, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For contradecir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he contradicho sus palabras de ayer. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is contradicho, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For contradecir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había contradicho al testigo en el juicio 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is contradicho, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For contradecir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré contradicho a su amigo sin querer. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is contradicho, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For contradecir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría contradicho a su jefe en la reunión 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: it follows the pattern of decir, with a -g- in the present (as in predigo), a -j- stem in the preterite (as in predije), and an irregular participle where one applies. Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For contradecir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él contradiga sus palabras de ayer. 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: it follows the pattern of decir, with a -g- in the present (as in predigo), a -j- stem in the preterite (as in predije), and an irregular participle where one applies. Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For contradecir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él contradijera al testigo en el juicio, 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: it follows the pattern of decir, with a -g- in the present (as in predigo), a -j- stem in the preterite (as in predije), and an irregular participle where one applies. Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For contradecir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Contradice a su amigo sin querer! 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: it follows the pattern of decir, with a -g- in the present (as in predigo), a -j- stem in the preterite (as in predije), and an irregular participle where one applies. Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For contradecir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No contradigas a su jefe en la reunión. 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 contradecir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Contradigo a su jefe en la reunión. — I contradict his boss in the meeting.
  2. Contradice sus palabras de ayer. — He/she contradicts his words from yesterday.
  3. Ayer, contradije al testigo en el juicio. — Yesterday, I contradicted the witness in the trial.
  4. Antes, nosotros contradecíamos a su amigo sin querer. — Before, we used to contradict his friend without meaning to.
  5. Mañana, tú contradecirás a su jefe en la reunión. — Tomorrow, you will contradict his boss in the meeting.
  6. Yo contradeciría sus palabras de ayer si tuviera más tiempo. — I would contradict his words from yesterday if I had more time.
  7. Él ha contradicho al testigo en el juicio. — He has contradicted the witness in the trial.
  8. Espero que él contradiga a su amigo sin querer. — I hope he contradicts his friend without meaning to.
  9. Yo ya había contradicho a su jefe en la reunión antes de salir. — I had already contradicted his boss in the meeting before leaving.
  10. Ellos contradecían sus palabras de ayer cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to contradict his words from yesterday when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo contradice a su jefe en la reunión. — Right: Yo contradigo a su jefe en la reunión. — The person matters: contradice is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is contradigo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo contradeco sus palabras de ayer. — Right: Yo contradigo sus palabras de ayer. — Contradecir is a stem-changing verb (e → i), so the stem changes in the present singular and third-person plural. The nosotros form keeps the original stem.
  3. Wrong: Treating contradecir and negar as identical in every context. — Right: Contradecir means to contradict, while negar means to deny. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: contradecir fits sentences such as Contradigo a su jefe en la reunión, while negar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy contradicho sus palabras de ayer. — Right: Yo he contradicho sus palabras de ayer. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he contradicho, has contradicho, ha contradicho. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo contradije al testigo en el juicio todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo contradecía al testigo en el juicio todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (contradecía), not the preterite. The preterite (contradije) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on contradecir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a su jefe en la reunión. (present tense) A. contradigo B. contradices C. contradice D. contradecimos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ sus palabras de ayer. (preterite) A. contradije B. contradijiste C. contradijeron D. contradijo

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ al testigo en el juicio. (imperfect) A. contradecías B. contradecían C. contradecíamos D. contradecía

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ a su amigo sin querer. (future) A. contradeciremos B. contradecirás C. contradeciré D. contradecirá

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a su jefe en la reunión si pudiera. (conditional) A. contradeciría B. contradecirías C. contradecirían D. contradigo

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ sus palabras de ayer. (present subjunctive) A. contradigas B. contradigamos C. contradigo D. contradiga

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ al testigo en el juicio, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. contradijéramos B. contradigo C. contradijera D. contradijeras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ a su amigo sin querer. (present perfect) A. han contradicho B. hemos contradicho C. he contradicho D. has contradicho

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ a su jefe en la reunión! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. contradice B. contradiga C. contradigamos D. contradecid

  10. Which is the gerund of contradecir, used with estar for the progressive? A. contradicho B. contradigo C. contradije D. contradiciendo

Answer key

  1. contradigo — The first-person present of contradecir is contradigo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. contradijo — The third-person preterite of contradecir is contradijo, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. contradecíamos — The nosotros imperfect of contradecir is contradecíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. contradecirás — The second-person future of contradecir is contradecirás.
  5. contradeciría — The first-person conditional of contradecir is contradeciría, the form for what would happen.
  6. contradiga — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of contradecir is contradiga.
  7. contradijera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of contradecir is contradijera.
  8. hemos contradicho — The nosotros present perfect of contradecir is hemos contradicho: hemos + contradicho.
  9. contradice — The affirmative tú imperative of contradecir is contradice.
  10. contradiciendo — The gerund of contradecir is contradiciendo: estoy contradiciendo. The participle contradicho is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does contradecir mean in English?

Contradecir means to contradict. It is used in everyday situations such as Contradigo a su jefe en la reunión. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is contradecir regular or irregular?

Contradecir is a stem-changing verb (e → i), 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 contradecir and negar?

Contradecir means to contradict, while negar means to deny. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use contradecir when you mean to contradict, as in Contradigo a su jefe en la reunión, and use negar for to deny. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I contradict” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo contradije sus palabras de ayer. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo contradecía al testigo en el juicio. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he contradicho sus palabras de ayer.

How do I practise contradecir?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the contradecir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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