Descargar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb descargar means to unload, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Descargar means to unload, and it covers unloading a lorry, downloading a file and unloading a burden. It is a spelling-change verb: the g becomes gu before e, so the preterite is descargué and the subjunctive is descargue. Like every Spanish verb, descargar 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 descargo las cajas del camión, and in the preterite you say descargué la maleta del coche. 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: descargar
- English: to unload
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: descargando
- Past participle: descargado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + descargado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for descargar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Descargar is a spelling-change verb: g becomes gu before e, so the preterite is descargué and the subjunctive is descargue.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for descargar. 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 | descargo |
| tú | descargas |
| él/ella/Ud. | descarga |
| nosotros/as | descargamos |
| vosotros/as | descargáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descargan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | descargué |
| tú | descargaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargó |
| nosotros/as | descargamos |
| vosotros/as | descargasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descargaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | descargaba |
| tú | descargabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargaba |
| nosotros/as | descargábamos |
| vosotros/as | descargabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descargaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | descargaré |
| tú | descargarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargará |
| nosotros/as | descargaremos |
| vosotros/as | descargaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descargarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | descargaría |
| tú | descargarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargaría |
| nosotros/as | descargaríamos |
| vosotros/as | descargaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descargarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he descargado |
| tú | has descargado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha descargado |
| nosotros/as | hemos descargado |
| vosotros/as | habéis descargado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han descargado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había descargado |
| tú | habías descargado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había descargado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos descargado |
| vosotros/as | habíais descargado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían descargado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré descargado |
| tú | habrás descargado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá descargado |
| nosotros/as | habremos descargado |
| vosotros/as | habréis descargado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán descargado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría descargado |
| tú | habrías descargado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría descargado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos descargado |
| vosotros/as | habríais descargado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían descargado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | descargue |
| tú | descargues |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargue |
| nosotros/as | descarguemos |
| vosotros/as | descarguéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descarguen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | descargara |
| tú | descargaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargara |
| nosotros/as | descargáramos |
| vosotros/as | descargarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descargaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | descarga |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargue |
| nosotros/as | descarguemos |
| vosotros/as | descargad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descarguen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | descargues |
| él/ella/Ud. | descargue |
| nosotros/as | descarguemos |
| vosotros/as | descarguéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | descarguen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | descargando | with estar for the progressive: estoy descargando |
| Past participle | descargado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he descargado |
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 descargar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Descargo las cajas del camión. 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 descargar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, descargué el archivo de internet. 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 descargar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, descargaba la maleta del coche. 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 descargar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, descargaré las bolsas en la cocina. 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 descargar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Descargaría las cajas del camión 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 descargar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he descargado el archivo de internet. 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 descargar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había descargado la maleta del coche 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 descargar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré descargado las bolsas en la cocina. 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 descargar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría descargado las cajas del camión 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. Note the spelling change here: the final consonant of the stem changes before e to keep the same sound, so learn these forms from the table rather than copying the infinitive stem. For descargar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él descargue el archivo de internet. 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 descargar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él descargara la maleta del coche, 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. Note the spelling change here: the final consonant of the stem changes before e to keep the same sound, so learn these forms from the table rather than copying the infinitive stem. For descargar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Descarga las bolsas en la cocina! 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. Note the spelling change here: the final consonant of the stem changes before e to keep the same sound, so learn these forms from the table rather than copying the infinitive stem. For descargar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No descargues las cajas del camión. 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 descargar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Descargo las cajas del camión. — I unload the boxes from the lorry.
- Descarga el archivo de internet. — He/she unloads the file from the internet.
- Ayer, descargué la maleta del coche. — Yesterday, I unloaded the suitcase from the car.
- Antes, nosotros descargábamos las bolsas en la cocina. — Before, we used to unload the bags in the kitchen.
- Mañana, tú descargarás las cajas del camión. — Tomorrow, you will unload the boxes from the lorry.
- Yo descargaría el archivo de internet si tuviera más tiempo. — I would unload the file from the internet if I had more time.
- Él ha descargado la maleta del coche. — He has unloaded the suitcase from the car.
- Espero que él descargue las bolsas en la cocina. — I hope he unloads the bags in the kitchen.
- Yo ya había descargado las cajas del camión antes de salir. — I had already unloaded the boxes from the lorry before leaving.
- Ellos descargaban el archivo de internet cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to unload the file from the internet when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo descarga las cajas del camión. — Right: Yo descargo las cajas del camión. — The person matters: descarga is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is descargo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo descargé el archivo de internet. — Right: Ayer yo descargué el archivo de internet. — Descargar has an irregular preterite: the correct first-person form is descargué, not the regular descargé. Learn the preterite forms in the table as a set.
- Wrong: Treating descargar and cargar as identical in every context. — Right: Descargar means to unload, while cargar means to load. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: descargar fits sentences such as Descargo las cajas del camión, while cargar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy descargado el archivo de internet. — Right: Yo he descargado el archivo de internet. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he descargado, has descargado, ha descargado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo descargué la maleta del coche todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo descargaba la maleta del coche todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (descargaba), not the preterite. The preterite (descargué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on descargar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ las cajas del camión. (present tense) A. descargo B. descargas C. descarga D. descargamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el archivo de internet. (preterite) A. descargué B. descargaste C. descargaron D. descargó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la maleta del coche. (imperfect) A. descargabas B. descargaban C. descargábamos D. descargaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ las bolsas en la cocina. (future) A. descargaremos B. descargarás C. descargaré D. descargará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ las cajas del camión si pudiera. (conditional) A. descargaría B. descargarías C. descargarían D. descargo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el archivo de internet. (present subjunctive) A. descargues B. descarguemos C. descargo D. descargue
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la maleta del coche, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. descargáramos B. descargo C. descargara D. descargaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ las bolsas en la cocina. (present perfect) A. han descargado B. hemos descargado C. he descargado D. has descargado
Complete the command: ¡___ las cajas del camión! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. descarga B. descargue C. descarguemos D. descargad
Which is the gerund of descargar, used with estar for the progressive? A. descargado B. descargo C. descargué D. descargando
Answer key
- descargo — The first-person present of descargar is descargo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- descargó — The third-person preterite of descargar is descargó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- descargábamos — The nosotros imperfect of descargar is descargábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- descargarás — The second-person future of descargar is descargarás.
- descargaría — The first-person conditional of descargar is descargaría, the form for what would happen.
- descargue — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of descargar is descargue.
- descargara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of descargar is descargara.
- hemos descargado — The nosotros present perfect of descargar is hemos descargado: hemos + descargado.
- descarga — The affirmative tú imperative of descargar is descarga.
- descargando — The gerund of descargar is descargando: estoy descargando. The participle descargado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does descargar mean in English?
Descargar means to unload. It is used in everyday situations such as Descargo las cajas del camión. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is descargar regular or irregular?
Descargar is a spelling-change verb: its stem changes spelling before e to keep the same consonant sound, for example in the preterite first person (descargué) and the present subjunctive (descargue). The rest of the verb follows the regular -ar pattern.
What is the difference between descargar and cargar?
Descargar means to unload, while cargar means to load. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use descargar when you mean to unload, as in Descargo las cajas del camión, and use cargar for to load. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I unload” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo descargué el archivo de internet. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo descargaba la maleta del coche. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he descargado el archivo de internet.
How do I practise descargar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the descargar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Descargar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for descargar.
- Descargar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for descargar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Arrastrar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with descargar.
- Regatear conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with descargar.
- Aguardar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with descargar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.