Introduction

Cotillear means “to gossip”, and this page covers exactly one thing: cotillear 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 cotillear, 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 cotillear in the present. Cotillear in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo cotilleo con su vecina” — "I gossip with her neighbour". Everything on this page uses the forms of cotillear exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Cotillear in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo cotilleo
tú cotilleas
él/ella/Ud. cotillea
nosotros/as cotilleamos
vosotros/as cotilleáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. cotillean

Gerund: cotilleando · Past participle: cotilleado

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

How the present of cotillear is formed

Cotillear is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem cotille and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving cotilleo, cotilleas, cotillea, cotilleamos, cotilleáis, cotillean. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, cotilleáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of cotillear is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form cotilleáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form cotilleo is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of cotillear

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

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, cotillear goes in the present. Example: “Yo cotilleo sobre los demás” — "I gossip about other people".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about cotillear does not need a time word at all. Example: “Toda la tarde, él cotillea” — "All afternoon, he gossips".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so cotilleo can mean both "I gossip" and "I am gossiping". Example: “Yo cotilleo con su vecina” — "I gossip with her neighbour".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros cotilleamos sobre los demás” — "We gossip about other people".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with cotillear just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Toda la tarde, él cotillea” — "All afternoon, he gossips".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo cotilleo con su vecina” — "I gossip with her neighbour".

  • Preterite: “Yo cotilleé con su vecina” — "I gossiped with her neighbour".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él cotillea sobre los demás” — "He gossips about other people".

  • Preterite: “Él cotilleó sobre los demás” — "He gossiped about other people".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Toda la tarde, nosotros cotilleamos” — "All afternoon, we gossip".

  • Preterite: “Toda la tarde, nosotros cotilleamos” — "All afternoon, we gossiped".

  • The two sentences look identical: cotilleamos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: cotillear 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 cotilleo sobre los demás” — "I gossip about other people"

  2. “Toda la tarde, tú cotilleas” — "All afternoon, you gossip"

  3. “Él cotillea con su vecina” — "He gossips with her neighbour"

  4. “Nosotros cotilleamos sobre los demás” — "We gossip about other people"

  5. “Toda la tarde, vosotros cotilleáis” — "All afternoon, you gossip"

  6. “Ellos cotillean con su vecina” — "They gossip with her neighbour"

  7. “Yo cotilleo sobre los demás” — "I gossip about other people"

  8. “Toda la tarde, él cotillea” — "All afternoon, he gossips"

Common mistakes with cotillear 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: “Ellos cotillea con su vecina” Right: “Ellos cotillean con su vecina” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form cotillean. The singular cotillea belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo cotilleé” Right: “Todos los días, yo cotilleo” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (cotilleé) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo cotillea con su vecina.” Right: “Yo cotilleo con su vecina” Why: Yo needs the yo form cotilleo. The él form cotillea belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo cotilleo” Right: “Ayer, yo cotilleé” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to cotilleé.

Quiz: cotillear 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 ___ con su vecina.” (yo form)

A. cotillea B. cotillean C. cotilleo D. cotilleas

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ sobre los demás.” (tú form)

A. cotillean B. cotilleáis C. cotilleo D. cotilleas

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ con su vecina.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. cotilleo B. cotillean C. cotilleamos D. cotillea

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ sobre los demás.” (nosotros/as form)

A. cotilleáis B. cotillea C. cotillean D. cotilleamos

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ con su vecina.” (vosotros/as form)

A. cotillea B. cotilleo C. cotilleáis D. cotilleas

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ sobre los demás.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. cotilleo B. cotilleáis C. cotillean D. cotilleamos

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo cotilleo B. Todos los días, yo cotilleé

Answer key

  1. cotilleo — The yo present of cotillear is cotilleo.
  2. cotilleas — The tú present of cotillear is cotilleas.
  3. cotillea — The él/ella/Ud. present of cotillear is cotillea.
  4. cotilleamos — The nosotros/as present of cotillear is cotilleamos.
  5. cotilleáis — The vosotros/as present of cotillear is cotilleáis.
  6. cotillean — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of cotillear is cotillean.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo cotilleo — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of cotillear?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo cotilleo con su vecina. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of cotillear formed?

Take the stem cotille- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving cotilleo, cotilleas, cotillea, cotilleamos, cotilleáis, cotillean.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for cotillear?

The present (cotilleo) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (cotilleé) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise cotillear in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — cotilleo, cotilleas, cotillea, cotilleamos, cotilleáis, cotillean — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the cotillear examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of cotillear when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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