Introduction

Deshuesar means “to bone (meat)”, and this page covers exactly one thing: deshuesar 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 deshuesar, 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 deshuesar in the present. Deshuesar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo deshueso el pollo” — "I bone the chicken". Everything on this page uses the forms of deshuesar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Deshuesar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo deshueso
tú deshuesas
él/ella/Ud. deshuesa
nosotros/as deshuesamos
vosotros/as deshuesáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. deshuesan

Gerund: deshuesando · Past participle: deshuesado

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

How the present of deshuesar is formed

Deshuesar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem deshues and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving deshueso, deshuesas, deshuesa, deshuesamos, deshuesáis, deshuesan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, deshuesáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of deshuesar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form deshuesáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form deshueso is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of deshuesar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use deshuesar 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, deshuesar goes in the present. Example: “Yo deshueso la carne” — "I bone the meat".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about deshuesar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él deshuesa con cuidado” — "He bones carefully".

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 deshueso can mean both "I bone" and "I am boning". Example: “Yo deshueso el pollo” — "I bone the chicken".

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 deshuesamos la carne” — "We bone the meat".

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 deshuesar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él deshuesa con cuidado” — "He bones carefully".

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 deshueso el pollo” — "I bone the chicken".

  • Preterite: “Yo deshuesé el pollo” — "I boned the chicken".

  • 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 deshuesa la carne” — "He bones the meat".

  • Preterite: “Él deshuesó la carne” — "He boned the meat".

  • 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: “Nosotros deshuesamos con cuidado” — "We bone carefully".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros deshuesamos con cuidado” — "We boned carefully".

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

Example sentences: deshuesar 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 deshueso la carne” — "I bone the meat"

  2. “Tú deshuesas con cuidado” — "You bone carefully"

  3. “Él deshuesa el pollo” — "He bones the chicken"

  4. “Nosotros deshuesamos la carne” — "We bone the meat"

  5. “Vosotros deshuesáis con cuidado” — "You bone carefully"

  6. “Ellos deshuesan el pollo” — "They bone the chicken"

  7. “Yo deshueso la carne” — "I bone the meat"

  8. “Él deshuesa con cuidado” — "He bones carefully"

Common mistakes with deshuesar 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 deshuesa el pollo” Right: “Ellos deshuesan el pollo” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form deshuesan. The singular deshuesa belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo deshuesa el pollo.” Right: “Yo deshueso el pollo” Why: Yo needs the yo form deshueso. The él form deshuesa belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: deshuesar 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 cuidado.” (yo form)

A. deshueso B. deshuesáis C. deshuesas D. deshuesan

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ el pollo.” (tú form)

A. deshuesas B. deshueso C. deshuesamos D. deshuesa

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ la carne.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. deshuesan B. deshuesa C. deshuesamos D. deshuesáis

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ con cuidado.” (nosotros/as form)

A. deshuesáis B. deshuesas C. deshueso D. deshuesamos

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ el pollo.” (vosotros/as form)

A. deshueso B. deshuesas C. deshuesan D. deshuesáis

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ la carne.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. deshueso B. deshuesan C. deshuesáis D. deshuesa

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 deshueso B. Todos los días, yo deshuesé

Answer key

  1. deshueso — The yo present of deshuesar is deshueso.
  2. deshuesas — The tú present of deshuesar is deshuesas.
  3. deshuesa — The él/ella/Ud. present of deshuesar is deshuesa.
  4. deshuesamos — The nosotros/as present of deshuesar is deshuesamos.
  5. deshuesáis — The vosotros/as present of deshuesar is deshuesáis.
  6. deshuesan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of deshuesar is deshuesan.
  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 deshueso — 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 deshuesar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo deshueso el pollo. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of deshuesar formed?

Take the stem deshues- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving deshueso, deshuesas, deshuesa, deshuesamos, deshuesáis, deshuesan.

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

The present (deshueso) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (deshuesé) 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 deshuesar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — deshueso, deshuesas, deshuesa, deshuesamos, deshuesáis, deshuesan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the deshuesar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of deshuesar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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