Introduction
Correr means “to run”, and it is one of the verbs you will use every day in Spanish. Correr is the verb for running as exercise or sport: in the park, on a track, in a race. It is followed by en or por for the place. Correr a + place means to run to somewhere in a hurry. It is how you describe rushing to catch a bus or to reach a place on time. This page shows correr in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — I run in the park in the morning.
Correr in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how correr is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use correr in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — I run in the park in the morning.
“¿Tú corres todos los días?” — Do you run every day?
“Ella corre a la estación para coger el tren.” — She runs to the station to catch the train.
“Nosotros corremos un maratón en abril.” — We run a marathon in April.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show correr in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer yo corrí cinco kilómetros.” — Yesterday I ran five kilometres. (preterite)
“Nosotros corríamos en el parque cuando éramos jóvenes.” — We used to run in the park when we were young. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of correr stays the same.
“Ellos correrán un maratón en abril.” — They will run a marathon in April. (future)
“¿Tú has corrido alguna vez un maratón?” — Have you ever run a marathon? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros corréis en la pista del polideportivo.” — You run on the track at the sports centre.
“Ellos corren por la playa al amanecer.” — They run along the beach at dawn.
“Yo corro cinco kilómetros cada día.” — I run five kilometres every day.
“Mi hermano corre más rápido que yo.” — My brother runs faster than me.
Correr in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how correr appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú corres todos los días?” — Do you run every day?
Jorge: “Sí, yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — Yes, I run in the park in the morning.
Marta: “Nosotros corremos un maratón en abril.” — We run a marathon in April.
Jorge: “Y ellos corren por la playa al amanecer.” — And they run along the beach at dawn.
Marta: “Vosotros corréis en la pista del polideportivo.” — You run on the track at the sports centre.
Jorge: “Sí, y mi hermano corre más rápido que yo.” — Yes, and my brother runs faster than me.
A short paragraph
Marta corre en el parque por la mañana, y su hermano corre más rápido que ella. Nosotros corremos un maratón en abril, y ellos corren por la playa al amanecer. Yo corro cinco kilómetros cada día, y vosotros corréis en la pista del polideportivo. Correr fills the morning in this family, because running for exercise, running to a place and running a race are all part of the same verb.
Common mistakes with correr
These are the errors learners actually make with correr. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo corro a correr en el parque.” Right: “Yo corro en el parque.” Why: Correr already means to run, so a correr is unnecessary. Say simply 'Corro en el parque'. The infinitive adds nothing and sounds wrong.
Wrong: “Ellos corre por la playa.” Right: “Ellos corren por la playa.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form corren. The singular corre belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Wrong: “Yo corro cinco kilómetros ayer.” Right: “Ayer yo corrí cinco kilómetros.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to corrí.
Wrong: “Nosotros corres un maratón.” Right: “Nosotros corremos un maratón.” Why: Nosotros needs corremos. The tú form corres belongs with tú.
Wrong: “Ellos corro todos los días.” Right: “Ellos corren todos los días.” Why: The verb must agree with its subject. Ellos needs the ellos form corren, not the yo form corro. This is the most common agreement slip in the present tense, and it happens because learners memorise the yo form first and then reuse it for every person.
Quiz: correr in use
Ten questions on correr in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ en la pista del polideportivo.” (You run on the track at the sports centre.)
- (a) corres
- (b) corréis
- (c) corro
Answer: corréis — The vosotros/as form of correr in the present tense is corréis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ por la playa al amanecer.” (They run along the beach at dawn.)
- (a) corren
- (b) corro
- (c) corres
Answer: corren — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of correr in the present tense is corren.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ cinco kilómetros.” (Yesterday I ran five kilometres.)
- (a) corriste
- (b) corrió
- (c) corrí
Answer: corrí — In the preterite, the yo form of correr is corrí.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Nosotros ______ en el parque cuando éramos jóvenes.” (We used to run in the park when we were young.)
- (a) corrías
- (b) corríamos
- (c) corría
Answer: corríamos — In the imperfect, the nosotros/as form of correr is corríamos.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Ellos ______ un maratón en abril.” (They will run a marathon in April.)
- (a) correrán
- (b) correré
- (c) correrás
Answer: correrán — In the future, the ellos/ellas/Uds. form of correr is correrán.
6. What does correr mean in English?
- (a) to finish, to end
- (b) to serve
- (c) to run
Answer: to run — Correr means “to run”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo corro en el parque.
- (b) Yo corro a correr en el parque.
- (c) Ellos corre por la playa.
Answer: Yo corro en el parque. — “Yo corro en el parque.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I run five kilometres every day.” in Spanish?
- (a) Yo corren cinco kilómetros cada día.
- (b) Yo corro cinco kilómetros cada día.
- (c) Mi hermano corre más rápido que yo.
Answer: Yo corro cinco kilómetros cada día. — “Yo corro cinco kilómetros cada día.” is the correct translation. The second option means something different, and the third uses the wrong person's form.
9. What is the nosotros form of correr in the present tense?
- (a) corro
- (b) corres
- (c) corremos
Answer: corremos — The nosotros form is corremos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Ayer yo corrí cinco kilómetros.
- (b) Ellos correrán un maratón en abril.
- (c) Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.
Answer: Yo corro en el parque por la mañana. — “Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I run five kilometres' in Spanish?
Say 'Corro cinco kilómetros'. The distance is the direct object, with no preposition. Add cada día for a routine: 'Corro cinco kilómetros cada día'.
How do you say 'to run a marathon' in Spanish?
Say 'correr un maratón'. In the present: 'Nosotros corremos un maratón en abril'. The race is the direct object of correr.
Can correr mean 'to hurry'?
Yes, in context. '¡Corre!' means 'Hurry!' or 'Run!', and 'Corro a la estación' can mean I am hurrying to the station. The sense of speed is built into the verb.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of correr — every tense of correr in one place.
- Correr in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on correr and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of correr until they are automatic.