Introduction
convencer means “to convince”, and this page covers exactly one thing: convencer in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for convencer, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about convencer in the present. For example: “Yo convenzo a mi amigo todos los días.” — “I convince my friend.” Everything on this page uses the forms of convencer exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.
convencer in the Present Tense — full table
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | convenzo |
| tú | convences |
| él/ella/Ud. | convence |
| nosotros/as | convencemos |
| vosotros/as | convencéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | convencen |
Gerund: convenciendo · Past participle: convencido
The gerund is convenciendo, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy convenciendo” means the action of convencer is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is convencido, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he convencido” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how convencer is used.
How the present of convencer is formed
convencer is a -er verb. Take the stem convenc and add the present endings for -er verbs: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en, giving convenzo, convences, convence, convencemos, convencéis and convencen. convencer is spelling-changing in the present: the stem-final c becomes z before -o, so the yo form is convenzo; the other five forms build straight from the stem.
The present of convencer rewards careful reading of the table. Two details deserve attention. First, the yo form convenzo is the form you will use most when you talk about yourself, so say it out loud until it comes without thinking. Second, the nosotros form convencemos and the ellos form convencen are the ones learners confuse most often, because they are the forms used for groups. Practise the six forms in order — yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos — and the pattern will settle.
When to use the present of convencer
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use convencer in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. A habit or routine
convencer in the present describes something done regularly. When talking about my friend is part of your routine, the present is the right tense. Example: “Yo convenzo a mi amigo cada día.” — “I convince my friend.”
2. A fact or general truth
General truths about my friend also take the present. The tense states how things are, not when they happened. Example: “Él convence a mi amigo siempre.” — “He convinces my friend.”
3. Something happening right now
Use the present for what is happening at this moment. It is the simplest way to describe an action in progress when you do not need the gerund. Example: “Nosotros convencemos a mi amigo ahora mismo.” — “We convince my friend.”
4. A scheduled near-future event
Spanish often uses the present for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression. It sounds more certain than the future tense. Example: “Ellos convencen a mi amigo mañana.” — “They convince my friend.”
5. Instructions and explanations
When you explain how something works — how to talk about my friend — the present is the natural tense. Recipes, rules and directions all live in the present. Example: “Tú convences a mi amigo normalmente.” — “you convince my friend.”
Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the hardest decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the tense. Time words help: cada día and siempre point to the present, while ayer points to the preterite.
Present Tense: “Yo convenzo a mi amigo cada día.” — “I convince my friend.”
Preterite: “Yo convencí a mi amigo ayer.” — “I convinced my friend.”
The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.
Present Tense: “Él convence a mi amigo siempre.” — “He convinces my friend.”
Preterite: “Él convenció a mi amigo ayer.” — “He convinced my friend.”
The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.
Present Tense: “Nosotros convencemos a mi amigo todos los días.” — “We convince my friend.”
Preterite: “Nosotros convencimos a mi amigo ayer.” — “We convinced my friend.”
The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.
Example sentences: convencer in the present
Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.
- “Yo convenzo a mi amigo cada día.” — “I convince my friend.”
- “Tú convences a mi amigo cada día.” — “you convince my friend.”
- “Él convence a mi amigo siempre.” — “He convinces my friend.”
- “Nosotros convencemos a mi amigo todos los días.” — “We convince my friend.”
- “Vosotros convencéis a mi amigo cada semana.” — “You convince my friend.”
- “Ellos convencen a mi amigo normalmente.” — “They convince my friend.”
- “Yo convenzo a mi amigo ahora mismo.” — “I convince my friend.”
- “Él convence a mi amigo cada día.” — “He convinces my friend.”
Common mistakes
Using the unchanged stem
Learners often write convenco for the yo form, keeping the infinitive stem unchanged. The correct form is convenzo. Because convencer changes its stem vowel, the change appears in the stressed syllables of the present: say the correct form out loud a few times — yo convenzo a mi amigo — until the changed stem feels natural.
Confusing convencer with conservar
convencer and conservar look similar, and learners mix them up. They are different verbs with different meanings, so check which one the sentence needs before you conjugate. If you can substitute the English meaning of convencer — convince — the sentence needs convencer; if it needs the meaning of conservar, use that verb instead.
Using the indicative after "espero que"
After espero que (I hope that), Spanish needs the subjunctive: Espero que yo convenza a mi amigo. Using the indicative — Espero que yo convenzo — is one of the most frequent learner errors with convencer. Whenever the main clause expresses a wish, doubt or emotion, switch to the subjunctive.
Using the unchanged stem
Learners often write convenco for the yo form, keeping the infinitive stem unchanged. The correct form is convenzo. Because convencer changes its stem vowel, the change appears in the stressed syllables of the present: say the correct form out loud a few times — yo convenzo a mi amigo — until the changed stem feels natural.
Using the wrong tense for convencer
The most general mistake is choosing the wrong tense altogether: using the present where Spanish needs the preterite, or the other way round. Check the time words first — ayer and la semana pasada point to the past, cada día and siempre point to the present — and then check whether the action is finished or ongoing. If you can answer those two questions, the tense usually chooses itself.
Quiz
Test yourself on the forms above. Choose the best answer, then check the key below.
1. What is the yo form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convences
- B. convence
- C. convencemos
- D. convenzo
2. What is the tu form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convences
- B. convenzo
- C. convence
- D. convencemos
3. What is the el form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convencemos
- B. convence
- C. convenzo
- D. convences
4. What is the nosotros form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convences
- B. convence
- C. convencemos
- D. convenzo
5. What is the vosotros form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convenzo
- B. convences
- C. convence
- D. convencéis
6. What is the ellos form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convencen
- B. convenzo
- C. convences
- D. convence
7. What is the yo form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convencemos
- B. convenzo
- C. convences
- D. convence
8. What is the el form of convencer in the present tense?
- A. convences
- B. convencemos
- C. convence
- D. convenzo
Answer key
- convenzo — The present table gives yo = convenzo.
- convences — The present table gives tu = convences.
- convence — The present table gives el = convence.
- convencemos — The present table gives nosotros = convencemos.
- convencéis — The present table gives vosotros = convencéis.
- convencen — The present table gives ellos = convencen.
- convenzo — The present table gives yo = convenzo.
- convence — The present table gives el = convence.
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the present of convencer?
Take the stem convenc and add the present endings for -er verbs. The six forms are convenzo, convences, convence, convencemos, convencéis and convencen. Copy the forms from the table above rather than building them from memory until they are automatic.
When should I use the present of convencer?
Use it for habits, facts and things happening now. The five rules in the section above cover the situations you will meet most often. If the action is a routine or a present fact, the present is the right choice.
What is the difference between the present and the preterite of convencer?
The present form for yo is convenzo and the preterite form is convencí — different forms for different meanings. The present reports what happens regularly or now, while the preterite reports one finished action. The contrasted pairs above show the same situation in both tenses, so compare them side by side.
Is convencer regular in the present?
No — convencer is spelling-changing in the present: the yo form is convenzo (c → z before -o), while the other persons follow the standard -er endings. The full conjugation of convencer is on its main conjugation page, where every tense is covered.
Related links
- convencer conjugation — the full conjugation of convencer in every tense.
- convencer examples and quiz — more sentences, dialogues and a second quiz.
- Spanish present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub with every verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present tense.
- Verb quiz — practise conjugations with timed questions.