Desatar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb desatar means to untie, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Desatar means to untie, and it is used for untying a knot, untying your shoes and letting a dog loose. It is the opposite of atar, and it is fully regular. Like every Spanish verb, desatar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say desato el nudo de la cuerda, and in the preterite you say desaté al perro en el parque. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: desatar
- English: to untie
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: desatando
- Past participle: desatado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + desatado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for desatar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Desatar is fully regular: desaté, desataba, desataré. Desatar el nudo is to untie the knot.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for desatar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desato |
| tú | desatas |
| él/ella/Ud. | desata |
| nosotros/as | desatamos |
| vosotros/as | desatáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desatan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desaté |
| tú | desataste |
| él/ella/Ud. | desató |
| nosotros/as | desatamos |
| vosotros/as | desatasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desataron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desataba |
| tú | desatabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | desataba |
| nosotros/as | desatábamos |
| vosotros/as | desatabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desataban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desataré |
| tú | desatarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | desatará |
| nosotros/as | desataremos |
| vosotros/as | desataréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desatarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desataría |
| tú | desatarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | desataría |
| nosotros/as | desataríamos |
| vosotros/as | desataríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desatarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he desatado |
| tú | has desatado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha desatado |
| nosotros/as | hemos desatado |
| vosotros/as | habéis desatado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han desatado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había desatado |
| tú | habías desatado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había desatado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos desatado |
| vosotros/as | habíais desatado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían desatado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré desatado |
| tú | habrás desatado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá desatado |
| nosotros/as | habremos desatado |
| vosotros/as | habréis desatado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán desatado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría desatado |
| tú | habrías desatado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría desatado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos desatado |
| vosotros/as | habríais desatado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían desatado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desate |
| tú | desates |
| él/ella/Ud. | desate |
| nosotros/as | desatemos |
| vosotros/as | desatéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desaten |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | desatara |
| tú | desataras |
| él/ella/Ud. | desatara |
| nosotros/as | desatáramos |
| vosotros/as | desatarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desataran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | desata |
| él/ella/Ud. | desate |
| nosotros/as | desatemos |
| vosotros/as | desatad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desaten |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | desates |
| él/ella/Ud. | desate |
| nosotros/as | desatemos |
| vosotros/as | desatéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | desaten |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | desatando | with estar for the progressive: estoy desatando |
| Past participle | desatado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he desatado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Desato el nudo de la cuerda. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, desaté los zapatos al llegar. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, desataba al perro en el parque. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, desataré el lazo del paquete. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Desataría el nudo de la cuerda si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he desatado los zapatos al llegar. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había desatado al perro en el parque antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré desatado el lazo del paquete. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría desatado el nudo de la cuerda con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él desate los zapatos al llegar. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él desatara al perro en el parque, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Desata el lazo del paquete! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For desatar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No desates el nudo de la cuerda. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with desatar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Desato el nudo de la cuerda. — I untie the knot in the rope.
- Desata los zapatos al llegar. — He/she unties my shoes on arriving.
- Ayer, desaté al perro en el parque. — Yesterday, I untied the dog in the park.
- Antes, nosotros desatábamos el lazo del paquete. — Before, we used to untie the bow on the parcel.
- Mañana, tú desatarás el nudo de la cuerda. — Tomorrow, you will untie the knot in the rope.
- Yo desataría los zapatos al llegar si tuviera más tiempo. — I would untie my shoes on arriving if I had more time.
- Él ha desatado al perro en el parque. — He has untied the dog in the park.
- Espero que él desate el lazo del paquete. — I hope he unties the bow on the parcel.
- Yo ya había desatado el nudo de la cuerda antes de salir. — I had already untied the knot in the rope before leaving.
- Ellos desataban los zapatos al llegar cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to untie my shoes on arriving when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo desata el nudo de la cuerda. — Right: Yo desato el nudo de la cuerda. — The person matters: desata is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is desato. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo desato los zapatos al llegar. — Right: Ayer yo desaté los zapatos al llegar. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: desato is happening now, while desaté is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating desatar and atar as identical in every context. — Right: Desatar means to untie, while atar means to tie. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: desatar fits sentences such as Desato el nudo de la cuerda, while atar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy desatado los zapatos al llegar. — Right: Yo he desatado los zapatos al llegar. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he desatado, has desatado, ha desatado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo desaté al perro en el parque todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo desataba al perro en el parque todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (desataba), not the preterite. The preterite (desaté) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on desatar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el nudo de la cuerda. (present tense) A. desato B. desatas C. desata D. desatamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ los zapatos al llegar. (preterite) A. desaté B. desataste C. desataron D. desató
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ al perro en el parque. (imperfect) A. desatabas B. desataban C. desatábamos D. desataba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el lazo del paquete. (future) A. desataremos B. desatarás C. desataré D. desatará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el nudo de la cuerda si pudiera. (conditional) A. desataría B. desatarías C. desatarían D. desato
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ los zapatos al llegar. (present subjunctive) A. desates B. desatemos C. desato D. desate
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ al perro en el parque, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. desatáramos B. desato C. desatara D. desataras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el lazo del paquete. (present perfect) A. han desatado B. hemos desatado C. he desatado D. has desatado
Complete the command: ¡___ el nudo de la cuerda! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. desata B. desate C. desatemos D. desatad
Which is the gerund of desatar, used with estar for the progressive? A. desatado B. desato C. desaté D. desatando
Answer key
- desato — The first-person present of desatar is desato. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- desató — The third-person preterite of desatar is desató, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- desatábamos — The nosotros imperfect of desatar is desatábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- desatarás — The second-person future of desatar is desatarás.
- desataría — The first-person conditional of desatar is desataría, the form for what would happen.
- desate — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of desatar is desate.
- desatara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of desatar is desatara.
- hemos desatado — The nosotros present perfect of desatar is hemos desatado: hemos + desatado.
- desata — The affirmative tú imperative of desatar is desata.
- desatando — The gerund of desatar is desatando: estoy desatando. The participle desatado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does desatar mean in English?
Desatar means to untie. It is used in everyday situations such as Desato el nudo de la cuerda. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is desatar regular or irregular?
Desatar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including desato in the present and desaté in the preterite.
What is the difference between desatar and atar?
Desatar means to untie, while atar means to tie. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use desatar when you mean to untie, as in Desato el nudo de la cuerda, and use atar for to tie. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I untie” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo desaté los zapatos al llegar. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo desataba al perro en el parque. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he desatado los zapatos al llegar.
How do I practise desatar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the desatar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Desatar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for desatar.
- Desatar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for desatar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Amarrar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with desatar.
- Atar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with desatar.
- Enchufar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with desatar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.