Introduction

copiar means “to copy”. It belongs to the group of Spanish verbs that express “to copy”, and once you can conjugate it you can say a surprising amount with a single verb. This page is the complete reference for copiar: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, with notes on usage, real example sentences, common mistakes, a quiz and frequently asked questions. copiar is a regular -ar verb. If it is irregular in a tense, the note under that table says so plainly, and the forms in the table are the correct ones — copy them, do not guess them from the infinitive. A first example to fix the verb in your mind: “Yo copio el texto todos los días.” — “I copy the text.”

Quick facts
Infinitive copiar
English to copy
Verb type Regular -ar verb
Gerund copiando
Past participle copiado
Auxiliary verb haber

Full conjugation tables

Gerund: copiando · Past participle: copiado

Present Indicative

Person Form
yo copio
tú copias
él/ella/Ud. copia
nosotros/as copiamos
vosotros/as copiáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. copian

The present tense describes habits, facts and what is happening now. For copiar, the yo form is copio, as in “Yo copio el texto.” — “I copy the text.”

Preterite

Person Form
yo copié
tú copiaste
él/ella/Ud. copió
nosotros/as copiamos
vosotros/as copiasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. copiaron

The preterite describes completed actions in the past — things that started and finished. For copiar, the yo form is copié, as in “Yo copié el texto.” — “I copyed the text.”

Imperfect

Person Form
yo copiaba
tú copiabas
él/ella/Ud. copiaba
nosotros/as copiábamos
vosotros/as copiabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. copiaban

The imperfect describes the past as background: habits, descriptions and actions in progress. For copiar, the yo form is copiaba, as in “Yo copiaba el texto.” — “I used to copy the text.”

Future

Person Form
yo copiaré
tú copiarás
él/ella/Ud. copiará
nosotros/as copiaremos
vosotros/as copiaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. copiarán

The future tense states what will happen. It is also used for predictions and promises. For copiar, the yo form is copiaré, as in “Yo copiaré el texto.” — “I will copy the text.”

Conditional

Person Form
yo copiaría
tú copiarías
él/ella/Ud. copiaría
nosotros/as copiaríamos
vosotros/as copiaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. copiarían

The conditional expresses what would happen: wishes, polite requests and hypothetical results. For copiar, the yo form is copiaría, as in “Yo copiaría el texto.” — “I would copy the text.”

Present Perfect

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

The present perfect connects the past with the present: something that has happened, often today or recently. For copiar, the yo form is he copiado, as in “Yo he copiado el texto.” — “I have copyed the text.”

Pluperfect

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

The pluperfect describes an event that happened before another past event. For copiar, the yo form is había copiado, as in “Yo había copiado el texto.” — “I had copyed the text.”

Future Perfect

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

The future perfect describes something that will already be finished by a future moment. For copiar, the yo form is habré copiado, as in “Yo habré copiado el texto.” — “I will have copyed the text.”

Conditional Perfect

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

The conditional perfect describes what would have happened under different conditions. For copiar, the yo form is habría copiado, as in “Yo habría copiado el texto.” — “I would have copyed the text.”

Present Subjunctive

Person Form
yo copie
tú copies
él/ella/Ud. copie
nosotros/as copiemos
vosotros/as copiéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. copien

The present subjunctive is used after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and influence. For copiar, the yo form is copie, as in “Espero que yo copie el texto.” — “I hope that I copy the text.”

Imperfect Subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo copiara
tú copiaras
él/ella/Ud. copiara
nosotros/as copiáramos
vosotros/as copiarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. copiaran

The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past versions of subjunctive clauses, and after "si" in hypothetical sentences. For copiar, the yo form is copiara, as in “Si yo copiara el texto, ...” — “If I copyed the text, ...”

The -se variant of this tense follows the same pattern with -se instead of -ra: copiara becomes copiase, and the same change applies to every person. Both variants mean the same thing; -ra is more common in everyday speech.

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú copia
Ud. copie
nosotros/as copiemos
vosotros/as copiad
Uds. copien

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú copies
Ud. copie
nosotros/as copiemos
vosotros/as copiéis
Uds. copien

The imperative is for orders, requests and advice. The affirmative tú form is copia, as in “¡Copia el texto” — “Copy the text” For the negative imperative, Spanish uses the subjunctive forms: no copies. Note that the affirmative and negative forms differ, so check the table above before you give an order with copiar.

Example sentences

Here are ten sentences with copiar, covering different tenses and persons. Read each one out loud, then read the translation, and notice how the verb form changes while the meaning stays the same.

  1. “Yo copio el texto cada día.” — “I copy the text.”
  2. “Él copia el texto todos los días.” — “He copies the text.”
  3. “Yo copié el texto ayer.” — “I copyed the text.”
  4. “Él copió el texto ayer.” — “He copyed the text.”
  5. “Yo copiaba el texto cuando era joven.” — “I used to copy the text.”
  6. “Nosotros copiaremos el texto mañana.” — “We will copy the text.”
  7. “Si pudiera, yo copiaría el texto.” — “If I could, i would copy the text.”
  8. “Yo he copiado el texto hoy.” — “I have copyed the text.”
  9. “Espero que yo copie el texto.” — “I hope that I copy the text.”
  10. “estoy copiando el texto ahora mismo.” — “I am copying the text.”

Common mistakes

Forgetting the accent in the preterite

The yo preterite form is copié, with an accent on the stressed vowel. Writing it without the accent — copie — is a spelling error, and in speech the stress lands in the wrong place. Preterite yo forms that end in a vowel carry that accent, so check it every time you write the preterite of copiar.

Mixing up present and preterite nosotros

For copiar, the nosotros form is the same in the present and the preterite: copiamos. Only the context tells you which tense is meant, so pay attention to the time words around it — cada día points to the present, ayer points to the preterite. Do not invent a different form for one of the tenses.

Using ser instead of haber in perfect tenses

Spanish perfect tenses always use haber, never ser: yo he copiado el texto. English speakers sometimes reach for soy because English uses to be in some passives, but soy copiado is not the present perfect of copiar — it is a passive construction with a different meaning.

Confusing copiar with corresponder

copiar and corresponder 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 copiar — copy — the sentence needs copiar; if it needs the meaning of corresponder, use that verb instead.

Using the indicative after "espero que"

After espero que (I hope that), Spanish needs the subjunctive: Espero que yo copie el texto. Using the indicative — Espero que yo copio — is one of the most frequent learner errors with copiar. Whenever the main clause expresses a wish, doubt or emotion, switch to the subjunctive.

Quiz

Test yourself on the forms above. Choose the best answer, then check the key below.

1. What is the yo form of copiar in the present?

  • A. copias
  • B. copia
  • C. copiamos
  • D. copio

2. What is the tu form of copiar in the preterite?

  • A. copiamos
  • B. copiaste
  • C. copié
  • D. copió

3. What is the el form of copiar in the imperfect?

  • A. copiabas
  • B. copiábamos
  • C. copiabais
  • D. copiaba

4. What is the nosotros form of copiar in the future?

  • A. copiará
  • B. copiaremos
  • C. copiaré
  • D. copiarás

5. What is the vosotros form of copiar in the present perfect?

  • A. he copiado
  • B. has copiado
  • C. ha copiado
  • D. habéis copiado

6. What is the ellos form of copiar in the present subjunctive?

  • A. copie
  • B. copien
  • C. copie
  • D. copies

7. What is the yo form of copiar in the preterite?

  • A. copiaste
  • B. copió
  • C. copiamos
  • D. copié

8. What is the tu form of copiar in the imperfect?

  • A. copiábamos
  • B. copiabas
  • C. copiaba
  • D. copiaba

9. What is the el form of copiar in the future?

  • A. copiaré
  • B. copiarás
  • C. copiaremos
  • D. copiará

10. What is the nosotros form of copiar in the conditional?

  • A. copiaría
  • B. copiaríamos
  • C. copiaría
  • D. copiarías

Answer key

  1. copio — The present table gives yo = copio.
  2. copiaste — The preterite table gives tu = copiaste.
  3. copiaba — The imperfect table gives el = copiaba.
  4. copiaremos — The future table gives nosotros = copiaremos.
  5. habéis copiado — The present perfect table gives vosotros = habéis copiado.
  6. copien — The present subjunctive table gives ellos = copien.
  7. copié — The preterite table gives yo = copié.
  8. copiabas — The imperfect table gives tu = copiabas.
  9. copiará — The future table gives el = copiará.
  10. copiaríamos — The conditional table gives nosotros = copiaríamos.

Frequently asked questions

Is copiar regular or irregular?

copiar is a regular -ar verb. It follows the regular patterns for its ending in every tense. The tables on this page show the correct form for every person, so use them rather than guessing.

What is the past participle of copiar?

The past participle of copiar is copiado. You use it with haber in the perfect tenses — he copiado, había copiado, habré copiado — and after estar in passive-style descriptions. It is the regular participle for its verb class. Learn it together with the gerund copiando and you have the two non-finite forms covered.

What is the gerund of copiar?

The gerund of copiar is copiando. You use it with estar to describe an action in progress, as in estoy copiando, and after verbs such as seguir and ir. Keep it distinct from the past participle copiado, which belongs with haber, not with estar.

What is the yo form of copiar in the present?

The yo form is copio — “Yo copio el texto.” means “I copy the text.” That is the form you will use most often when you talk about yourself. For other persons, use the present table above: tú copias, él copia, nosotros copiamos, ellos copian.

What is the difference between copiar and corresponder?

copiar means “to copy”, while corresponder means “to correspond”. They share letters and sometimes a root, but they are different verbs. If your sentence means “to copy”, use copiar; if it is about the meaning of corresponder, use corresponder instead. Checking the English meaning first prevents most mix-ups.

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