Definir Present Tense Conjugation in Spanish
The present tense of definir — “to define” in English — is the form you need for what happens now, for habits and for general truths. This page gives you the full present conjugation table for definir with all six persons, explains exactly how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it with real examples, and finishes with a quiz so you can test yourself. Definir means to define, and it is used for giving the meaning of a word, defining a problem, and defining a style: definir una palabra, definir el problema. It is a regular -ir verb, common in school, science and work. To see it in a real sentence: Defino una palabra difícil. — “I define a difficult word.”
Present tense conjugation table: definir
Every person of definir in the present tense. The gerund is definiendo and the past participle is definido.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | defino |
| tú | defines |
| él/ella/Ud. | define |
| nosotros/as | definimos |
| vosotros/as | definís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | definen |
The gerund is definiendo, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy definiendo” means the action of definir is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is definido, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he definido” 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 definir is used.
How the present of definir is formed
The present of definir is built from the stem defin plus the present endings for -ir verbs. Take the infinitive, drop the -ir ending, and add the ending that matches the person. The table below shows the endings, and the full table above shows them attached to the stem.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | defino |
| tú | -es | defines |
| él/ella/Ud. | -e | define |
| nosotros/as | -imos | definimos |
| vosotros/as | -ís | definís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -en | definen |
definir is a regular -ir verb in the present, so the table above is completely regular. The stem is defin and the endings are the normal -ir endings, so there are no surprises to memorise in this tense — the challenge is only using the forms naturally.
The gerund of definir is definiendo and the past participle is definido. Both are the forms you need for the progressive and the perfect tenses with haber.
When to use the present of definir
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use definir in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. A routine or habit
The present tense of definir is the tense for what happens regularly. When something is part of your routine, your week or your normal life, the present is the right choice, and definir is no exception. The time words that go with it are todos los días, cada semana, siempre and a menudo.
Example: “Defino una palabra difícil.” — I define a difficult word.
2. A general fact
The present tense also states facts that are true in general, not just today. When you describe what definir means in the world — what it does, who it affects, how it works — the present is the tense to use. There is no time limit on the statement, so no past or future form is needed.
Example: “Define el problema con claridad.” — He/she defines the problem clearly.
3. Something happening right now
The present tense describes what is happening at this very moment. You do not need the progressive (estar plus the gerund) to say what is going on now: the simple present does the job in Spanish, and it is the more common choice in everyday speech.
Example: “Defino los objetivos del proyecto.” — I define the project's objectives.
4. A plan or arrangement
Spanish uses the present tense for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression such as mañana or el lunes. When the arrangement is made, the present tense states it as a fact, and definir follows the same rule as every other verb.
Example: “Mañana, nosotros definimos su estilo en tres palabras.” — Tomorrow, we define his style in three words.
5. Asking and answering questions
Questions in the present tense ask about routines, facts and what is happening now. The answer uses the same tense, so a question and its answer stay in the present together. This is the pattern you will hear most often in conversation.
Example: “¿Defines el problema con claridad?” — Do you define the problem clearly?
The present vs the 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 now, what happens regularly, or what is generally true, 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 happening now or is already finished. Time words help: ahora and todos los días point to the present, while ayer and anoche point to the preterite.
Present: “Defino una palabra difícil.” — I define a difficult word.
Preterite: “Definí una palabra difícil.” — I defined a difficult word.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Present: “Define el problema con claridad.” — He/she defines the problem clearly.
Preterite: “Definió el problema con claridad.” — He/she defined the problem clearly.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Present: “Definimos los objetivos del proyecto.” — We define the project's objectives.
Preterite: “Definimos los objetivos del proyecto.” — We defined the project's objectives.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Example sentences: definir 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.
“Defino una palabra difícil.” — I define a difficult word.
“Defines el problema con claridad.” — You define the problem clearly.
“Define los objetivos del proyecto.” — He/she defines the project's objectives.
“Definimos su estilo en tres palabras.” — We define his style in three words.
“Definís una palabra difícil.” — You define a difficult word.
“Definen el problema con claridad.” — They define the problem clearly.
“Defino los objetivos del proyecto.” — I define the project's objectives.
“Define su estilo en tres palabras.” — He/she defines his style in three words.
Common mistakes with definir 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 define una palabra difícil.” Right: “Yo defino una palabra difícil.” Why: Yo needs the yo form defino. The form define belongs with él, ella or Ud.
Wrong: “Yo definir el problema con claridad.” Right: “Yo defino el problema con claridad.” Why: The infinitive definir cannot be the main verb of a sentence: it must be conjugated to agree with yo, giving defino.
Wrong: “Ayer yo defino el problema con claridad.” Right: “Ayer yo definí el problema con claridad.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to definí.
Wrong: “Ellos define el problema con claridad.” Right: “Ellos definen el problema con claridad.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form definen. The singular define belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Quiz: definir 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 ___ una palabra difícil.”
- (a) defino
- (b) defines
- (c) define
Answer: defino — The yo form of definir in the present is defino.
2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ el problema con claridad.”
- (a) defino
- (b) define
- (c) defines
Answer: defines — The tú form of definir in the present is defines.
3. Complete the sentence: “Él/ella ___ los objetivos del proyecto.”
- (a) defines
- (b) define
- (c) defino
Answer: define — The él/ella form of definir in the present is define.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros/as ___ su estilo en tres palabras.”
- (a) definimos
- (b) defino
- (c) defines
Answer: definimos — The nosotros/as form of definir in the present is definimos.
5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros/as ___ una palabra difícil.”
- (a) defino
- (b) defines
- (c) definís
Answer: definís — The vosotros/as form of definir in the present is definís.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos/ellas ___ el problema con claridad.”
- (a) defines
- (b) definen
- (c) defino
Answer: definen — The ellos/ellas form of definir in the present is definen.
7. What does definir mean in English?
- (a) to define
- (b) to explain
- (c) to be about
Answer: to define — Definir means to define.
8. Which sentence is in the present?
- (a) Definí una palabra difícil.
- (b) Definiré una palabra difícil.
- (c) Defino una palabra difícil.
Answer: Defino una palabra difícil. — “Defino una palabra difícil.” is in the present. The other two use different tenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is definir regular in the present?
Yes. Definir is regular in the present: defino, defines, define, definimos, definís and definen. Watch the accents on the forms that carry them, and remember that the nosotros form is the one that keeps the stem unchanged.
What is the gerund and the past participle of definir?
The gerund is definiendo, used with estar for the progressive: estoy definiendo. The past participle is definido, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he definido.
What should I watch out for with definir?
Definir is regular: definí, definía, definiré. In the present, the form to fix in your memory first is defino, because the yo form shows the stem pattern for the whole tense.
How do I practise definir in the present?
Say the six forms in the table out loud with the examples above, then use the definir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of definir — every tense of definir in one place.
- Definir examples and quiz — more sentences with definir and a ten-question quiz.
- Spanish present guide — how the present works for all Spanish verbs.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present instantly.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on definir and other verbs.