Introduction

Correr means “to run”, and this page covers exactly one thing: correr in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly, what is true in general, and what is happening right now. On this page you will find the full present table for correr, 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 correr in the present. 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. For example: “Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — I run in the park in the morning. Everything on this page uses the forms of correr exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Correr in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo corro
tú corres
él/ella/Ud. corre
nosotros/as corremos
vosotros/as corréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. corren

Gerund: corriendo · Past participle: corrido

The gerund is corriendo, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy corriendo” means the action of correr is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is corrido, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he corrido” 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 correr is used.

How the present of correr is formed

Correr is a regular -er verb, so the present follows the standard pattern with no surprises. Take the stem corr (the infinitive without its -er ending) and add the present endings: -o for yo, -as or -es for tú, -a or -e for él/ella/Ud., -amos / -emos / -imos for nosotros, -éis for vosotros, and -an or -en for ellos/ellas/Uds.. That gives you corro, corres, corre, corremos, corréis and corren. Because the verb is regular, once you know the stem and the six endings you can produce every form without memorising a list, and the same pattern works for every other regular -er verb you learn.

When to use the present of correr

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use correr in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Running for exercise

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. Example: “Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — I run in the park in the morning.

2. Running to a 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. Example: “Ella corre a la estación para coger el tren.” — She runs to the station to catch the train.

3. Running a race

Correr una carrera or correr un maratón means to run a race or a marathon. The race is the direct object. Example: “Nosotros corremos un maratón en abril.” — We run a marathon in April.

4. Habits and routines

The present tense is the tense of routine. When something happens every day, every week or every morning, the present is the natural choice, and correr is no exception. Use time expressions such as todos los días, siempre or cada semana to make the routine explicit. Example: “Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — I run in the park in the morning.

5. What is happening right now

The present also describes an action in progress at this very moment. Spanish often prefers the simple present where English would use the continuous form, so a sentence with correr in the present can mean both “I do this” and “I am doing this now”. Context tells the listener which one you mean. Example: “Nosotros corremos un maratón en abril.” — We run a marathon in April.

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, general truths and what is happening now, while the preterite describes one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the time frame — and with it, the tense. Notice how the present sentences use words such as todos los días or siempre, while the preterite sentences use ayer or la semana pasada. Those time words are your best clue when you are choosing a tense.

  • Present Tense: “Yo corro en el parque todos los días.” — I run in the park every day.

  • Preterite: “Ayer yo corrí cinco kilómetros.” — Yesterday I ran five kilometres.

  • Todos los días describes a routine, so the present is right; ayer names one finished day, so the preterite is right.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros corremos un maratón cada año.” — We run a marathon every year.

  • Preterite: “Nosotros corrimos un maratón el año pasado.” — We ran a marathon last year.

  • Cada año signals repetition, so the present fits; el año pasado names a finished period, so the preterite fits.

  • Present Tense: “Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — I run in the park in the morning.

  • Preterite: “Ayer, yo corrí en el parque por la mañana.” — the same action, but finished yesterday instead of repeated as a habit.

  • The present sentence is true every day; the preterite sentence is true once, yesterday. That difference — routine versus one finished event — is the whole decision.

Example sentences: correr 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.

  1. “Yo corro en el parque por la mañana.” — I run in the park in the morning.

  2. “¿Tú corres todos los días?” — Do you run every day?

  3. “Ella corre a la estación para coger el tren.” — She runs to the station to catch the train.

  4. “Nosotros corremos un maratón en abril.” — We run a marathon in April.

  5. “Vosotros corréis en la pista del polideportivo.” — You run on the track at the sports centre.

  6. “Ellos corren por la playa al amanecer.” — They run along the beach at dawn.

  7. “Yo corro cinco kilómetros cada día.” — I run five kilometres every day.

  8. “Mi hermano corre más rápido que yo.” — My brother runs faster than me.

Common mistakes with correr in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. 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.

Quiz: correr in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ______ en el parque por la mañana.” (I run in the park in the morning.)

  • (a) corres
  • (b) corre
  • (c) corro

Answer: corro — The yo form of correr in the present is corro. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.

2. Complete the sentence: “¿Tú ______ todos los días?” (Do you run every day?)

  • (a) corre
  • (b) corres
  • (c) corro

Answer: corres — The tú form of correr in the present is corres. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.

3. Complete the sentence: “Ella ______ a la estación para coger el tren.” (She runs to the station to catch the train.)

  • (a) corre
  • (b) corro
  • (c) corres

Answer: corre — The él/ella/Ud. form of correr in the present is corre. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ______ un maratón en abril.” (We run a marathon in April.)

  • (a) corro
  • (b) corres
  • (c) corremos

Answer: corremos — The nosotros/as form of correr in the present is corremos. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.

5. What is the vosotros/as form of correr in the present?

  • (a) corres
  • (b) corréis
  • (c) corro

Answer: corréis — From the table above: vosotros/as takes corréis. Say it with the example sentence “Vosotros corréis en la pista del polideportivo.” to fix it in your memory.

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ por la playa al amanecer.” (They run along the beach at dawn.)

  • (a) corro
  • (b) corres
  • (c) corren

Answer: corren — The subject needs the ellos/ellas/Uds. form, which is corren.

7. Which is the correct yo form of correr in the present?

  • (a) corro
  • (b) corre
  • (c) corren

Answer: corro — The yo form is corro. The other two options are the él/ella and ellos/ellas forms.

8. Which sentence describes a habit, something that happens regularly?

  • (a) Yo corro en el parque todos los días.
  • (b) Ayer yo corrí cinco kilómetros.
  • (c) Ayer yo corrí cinco kilómetros.

Answer: Yo corro en el parque todos los días. — “Yo corro en el parque todos los días.” describes something repeated, so it takes the present tense. The other two sentences describe single finished occasions in the past, not habits.

Frequently asked questions

Is correr regular in the present tense?

Yes. Correr is a regular -er verb: the stem is corr- and the present endings are -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis and -en. There are no stem changes, so the whole table follows the standard pattern.

Does correr take a preposition before a place?

It depends. Correr en + place means to run in a place: 'Corro en el parque'. Correr a + place means to run to a place: 'Corro a la estación'. Correr por + place means to run along or through somewhere: 'Corro por la playa'.

What is the difference between correr and ir corriendo?

Correr is the verb itself, while ir corriendo means to go running, using ir + gerund. 'Voy corriendo a la estación' means I am running to the station right now, with more urgency than 'Corro a la estación'.

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