Convertir Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish

convertir means "to convert" in English, and this page shows you how it actually sounds in everyday Spanish — not just the conjugation table, but the verb in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make with it. Convertir takes en before the result: convertir el garaje en un estudio, convertir los euros en dólares. With se it means to become: convertirse en un negocio. Below you will find twelve example sentences grouped by use, two short dialogues, the most common mistakes with corrections, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. If you want the full tables first, start with the full conjugation of convertir; if you want to study one tense in depth, see the convertir present tense page.

convertir in everyday use: examples with translations

Everyday present uses

How the verb sounds in the present, the future and in hypotheticals — the forms you will use most often.

  1. Yo convierto el garaje en un estudio — "I convert the garage into a studio"
  2. Mi amigo convierte los euros en dólares — "My friend converts euros into dollars"
  3. Mañana, tú convertirás el agua en vino — "Tomorrow, you will convert water into wine"
  4. Yo convertiría su afición en un negocio si pudiera — "I would convert his hobby into a business if I could"

Talking about the past

The same verb in the past: one finished action, a habit, something that has just happened, and something that had already happened.

  1. Ayer, yo convertí el garaje en un estudio — "Yesterday, I converted the garage into a studio"
  2. Antes, nosotros convertíamos los euros en dólares — "Before, we used to convert euros into dollars"
  3. Él ha convertido el agua en vino — "He has converted water into wine"
  4. Yo ya había convertido su afición en un negocio antes de salir — "I already had converted his hobby into a business before leaving"

Wishes, conditions and commands

The verb after espero que, in si clauses, as a command — and in the conditional perfect, for what would have happened.

  1. Espero que él convierta el garaje en un estudio — "I hope he converts the garage into a studio"
  2. Si yo convirtiera los euros en dólares, todo cambiaría — "If I converted euros into dollars, everything would change"
  3. Convierte el agua en vino. — "Convert water into wine."
  4. Yo habría convertido su afición en un negocio con más tiempo — "I would have converted his hobby into a business with more time"

convertir in conversation

Two short dialogues that use convertir the way people really speak it. Notice how the verb changes with the person, and how the same verb fits different situations.

Two friends talk about it.

  • Lucía: Hola, ¿qué tal? — "Hello, how are you?"
  • Lucía: Yo convierto el garaje en un estudio — "I convert the garage into a studio"
  • Marcos: Él convierte los euros en dólares — "He converts euros into dollars"
  • Lucía: Ayer, yo convertí el agua en vino — "Yesterday, I converted water into wine"
  • Marcos: Mañana, tú convertirás su afición en un negocio — "Tomorrow, you will convert his hobby into a business"

A practical exchange.

  • Marcos: Hola, ¿qué tal? — "Hello, how are you?"
  • Marcos: Convierte la casa en un hotel. — "Convert the house into a hotel."
  • Lucía: Él ha convertido el garaje en un estudio — "He has converted the garage into a studio"
  • Marcos: Espero que él convierta los euros en dólares — "I hope he converts euros into dollars"
  • Lucía: Antes, yo convertía el agua en vino — "Before, I used to convert water into wine"

Common mistakes with convertir

The errors learners actually make with convertir, each with the wrong form, the right form, and why the right form is right.

✗ *Yo converto su afición en un negocio.

✓ Correct: Yo convierto su afición en un negocio.

convertir is a stem-changing verb (e → ie): the stem vowel changes in the stressed present forms, so the yo form is convierto, not converto.

✗ *Espero que él convierte su afición en un negocio

✓ Correct: Espero que él convierta su afición en un negocio

After espero que, Spanish requires the subjunctive: Espero que él convierta su afición en un negocio — not the indicative Espero que él convierte su afición en un negocio.

✗ *Ayer, yo convierto la casa en un hotel

✓ Correct: Ayer, yo convertí la casa en un hotel

Ayer points to a finished action in the past, so it needs the preterite: Ayer, yo convertí la casa en un hotel.

✗ *De niño, yo convertí el garaje en un estudio todos los días

✓ Correct: De niño, yo convertía el garaje en un estudio todos los días

For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect, not the preterite: De niño, yo convertía el garaje en un estudio todos los días.

✗ *Yo convierto en el agua en vino.

✓ Correct: Yo convierto el agua en vino.

convertir takes this complement directly, with no preposition: Yo convierto el agua en vino.

Quiz: convertir in use

Ten questions on convertir — its forms, its tenses and its everyday use. Choose the best answer for each one, then check the answer key below, where every answer is explained.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ el garaje en un estudio — "I convert the garage into a studio" (present) A. convierto B. conviertes C. convierte D. convertimos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, yo ______ los euros en dólares — "Yesterday, I converted euros into dollars" (preterite) A. convertí B. convertiste C. convirtió D. convertimos

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ______ el agua en vino — "Before, we used to convert water into wine" (imperfect) A. convertíais B. convertíamos C. convertía D. convertías

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ______ su afición en un negocio — "Tomorrow, you will convert his hobby into a business" (future) A. convertiré B. convertirá C. convertiremos D. convertirás

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ la casa en un hotel — "I would convert the house into a hotel" (conditional) A. convertiría B. convertirías C. convertiríamos D. convertiríais

  6. Complete the sentence: Él ______ el garaje en un estudio — "He has converted the garage into a studio" (present perfect) A. hemos convertido B. ha convertido C. he convertido D. has convertido

  7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ______ los euros en dólares — "I hope he converts euros into dollars" (present subjunctive) A. conviertas B. convirtamos C. convirtáis D. convierta

  8. Complete the sentence: ______ el agua en vino. — "Convert water into wine." (affirmative imperative) A. convertid B. convierte C. convierta D. convirtamos

  9. Which is the gerund of convertir, used with estar for the progressive? A. convierto B. convertí C. convirtiendo D. convertido

  10. What does convertir mean in English? A. to convert B. to transform C. to enjoy D. to cross

Answer key

  1. convierto — The present form for yo is convierto.
  2. convertí — The preterite form for yo is convertí.
  3. convertíamos — The imperfect form for nosotros/as is convertíamos.
  4. convertirás — The future form for tú is convertirás.
  5. convertiría — The conditional form for yo is convertiría.
  6. ha convertido — The present perfect form for él/ella/Ud. is ha convertido.
  7. convierta — The present subjunctive form for él/ella/Ud. is convierta.
  8. convierte — The affirmative imperative form is convierte.
  9. convirtiendo — The gerund of convertir is convirtiendo: estoy convirtiendo. The participle convertido is used with haber instead.
  10. to convert — convertir means to convert.

Frequently asked questions

What does convertir mean in English?

convertir means to convert. For example: Yo convierto el garaje en un estudio — "I convert the garage into a studio". The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

What preposition goes with convertir?

convertir takes its complement directly, with no preposition, as in the examples above. Adding an extra preposition is a common learner error.

Is convertir regular?

No. convertir is a stem-changing -ir verb (e → ie). The stem vowel changes in the stressed forms of the present: convierto, conviertes, convierte and convierten — but nosotros and vosotros keep the plain stem: convertimos, convertís. In the preterite the third-person forms change too: convirtió, convirtieron, and the gerund is convirtiendo.

How do I practise convertir?

Start with the present tense table on the full conjugation page, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure, and come back to the sentences above until you can say them without looking.

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