Introduction

desobedecer means “to disobey”, and this page covers exactly one thing: desobedecer 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 desobedecer, 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 desobedecer in the present. For example: “Yo desobedezco las reglas todos los días.” — “I disobey the rules.” Everything on this page uses the forms of desobedecer exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

desobedecer in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo desobedezco
tú desobedeces
él/ella/Ud. desobedece
nosotros/as desobedecemos
vosotros/as desobedecéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. desobedecen

Gerund: desobedeciendo · Past participle: desobedecido

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

How the present of desobedecer is formed

desobedecer is a -er verb. Take the stem desobedec and add the present endings for -er verbs: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en, giving desobedezco, desobedeces, desobedece, desobedecemos, desobedecéis and desobedecen. desobedecer is regular in the present, so once you know the endings you can build all six forms from the stem.

The present of desobedecer rewards careful reading of the table. Two details deserve attention. First, the yo form desobedezco is the form you will use most when you talk about yourself, so say it out loud until it comes without thinking. Second, the nosotros form desobedecemos and the ellos form desobedecen are the ones learners confuse most often, because they are the forms used for groups. Practise the six forms in order — yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos — and the pattern will settle.

When to use the present of desobedecer

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

1. A habit or routine

desobedecer in the present describes something done regularly. When talking about the rules is part of your routine, the present is the right tense. Example: “Yo desobedezco las reglas cada día.” — “I disobey the rules.”

2. A fact or general truth

General truths about the rules also take the present. The tense states how things are, not when they happened. Example: “Él desobedece las reglas siempre.” — “He disobeys the rules.”

3. Something happening right now

Use the present for what is happening at this moment. It is the simplest way to describe an action in progress when you do not need the gerund. Example: “Nosotros desobedecemos las reglas ahora mismo.” — “We disobey the rules.”

4. A scheduled near-future event

Spanish often uses the present for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression. It sounds more certain than the future tense. Example: “Ellos desobedecen las reglas mañana.” — “They disobey the rules.”

5. Instructions and explanations

When you explain how something works — how to talk about the rules — the present is the natural tense. Recipes, rules and directions all live in the present. Example: “Tú desobedeces las reglas normalmente.” — “you disobey the rules.”

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the hardest decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the tense. Time words help: cada día and siempre point to the present, while ayer points to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo desobedezco las reglas cada día.” — “I disobey the rules.”

  • Preterite: “Yo desobedecí las reglas ayer.” — “I disobeyed the rules.”

  • The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él desobedece las reglas siempre.” — “He disobeys the rules.”

  • Preterite: “Él desobedeció las reglas ayer.” — “He disobeyed the rules.”

  • The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros desobedecemos las reglas todos los días.” — “We disobey the rules.”

  • Preterite: “Nosotros desobedecimos las reglas ayer.” — “We disobeyed the rules.”

  • The two sentences use the same verb and the same situation, but the tense changes what the sentence claims: a habit or a present fact versus one finished event. That difference is the whole decision.

Example sentences: desobedecer 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 desobedezco las reglas cada día.” — “I disobey the rules.”
  2. “Tú desobedeces las reglas cada día.” — “you disobey the rules.”
  3. “Él desobedece las reglas siempre.” — “He disobeys the rules.”
  4. “Nosotros desobedecemos las reglas todos los días.” — “We disobey the rules.”
  5. “Vosotros desobedecéis las reglas cada semana.” — “You disobey the rules.”
  6. “Ellos desobedecen las reglas normalmente.” — “They disobey the rules.”
  7. “Yo desobedezco las reglas ahora mismo.” — “I disobey the rules.”
  8. “Él desobedece las reglas cada día.” — “He disobeys the rules.”

Common mistakes

Using the unchanged stem

Learners often write desobedeco for the yo form, keeping the infinitive stem unchanged. The correct form is desobedezco. Because desobedecer changes its stem vowel, the change appears in the stressed syllables of the present: say the correct form out loud a few times — yo desobedezco las reglas — until the changed stem feels natural.

Confusing desobedecer with descubrir

desobedecer and descubrir look similar, and learners mix them up. They are different verbs with different meanings, so check which one the sentence needs before you conjugate. If you can substitute the English meaning of desobedecer — disobey — the sentence needs desobedecer; if it needs the meaning of descubrir, use that verb instead.

Using the indicative after "espero que"

After espero que (I hope that), Spanish needs the subjunctive: Espero que yo desobedezca las reglas. Using the indicative — Espero que yo desobedezco — is one of the most frequent learner errors with desobedecer. Whenever the main clause expresses a wish, doubt or emotion, switch to the subjunctive.

Using the unchanged stem

Learners often write desobedeco for the yo form, keeping the infinitive stem unchanged. The correct form is desobedezco. Because desobedecer changes its stem vowel, the change appears in the stressed syllables of the present: say the correct form out loud a few times — yo desobedezco las reglas — until the changed stem feels natural.

Using the wrong tense for desobedecer

The most general mistake is choosing the wrong tense altogether: using the present where Spanish needs the preterite, or the other way round. Check the time words first — ayer and la semana pasada point to the past, cada día and siempre point to the present — and then check whether the action is finished or ongoing. If you can answer those two questions, the tense usually chooses itself.

Quiz

Test yourself on the forms above. Choose the best answer, then check the key below.

1. What is the yo form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedeces
  • B. desobedece
  • C. desobedecemos
  • D. desobedezco

2. What is the tu form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedeces
  • B. desobedezco
  • C. desobedece
  • D. desobedecemos

3. What is the el form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedecemos
  • B. desobedece
  • C. desobedezco
  • D. desobedeces

4. What is the nosotros form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedeces
  • B. desobedece
  • C. desobedecemos
  • D. desobedezco

5. What is the vosotros form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedezco
  • B. desobedeces
  • C. desobedece
  • D. desobedecéis

6. What is the ellos form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedecen
  • B. desobedezco
  • C. desobedeces
  • D. desobedece

7. What is the yo form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedecemos
  • B. desobedezco
  • C. desobedeces
  • D. desobedece

8. What is the el form of desobedecer in the present tense?

  • A. desobedeces
  • B. desobedecemos
  • C. desobedece
  • D. desobedezco

Answer key

  1. desobedezco — The present table gives yo = desobedezco.
  2. desobedeces — The present table gives tu = desobedeces.
  3. desobedece — The present table gives el = desobedece.
  4. desobedecemos — The present table gives nosotros = desobedecemos.
  5. desobedecéis — The present table gives vosotros = desobedecéis.
  6. desobedecen — The present table gives ellos = desobedecen.
  7. desobedezco — The present table gives yo = desobedezco.
  8. desobedece — The present table gives el = desobedece.

Frequently asked questions

How do you form the present of desobedecer?

Take the stem desobedec and add the present endings for -er verbs. The six forms are desobedezco, desobedeces, desobedece, desobedecemos, desobedecéis and desobedecen. Copy the forms from the table above rather than building them from memory until they are automatic.

When should I use the present of desobedecer?

Use it for habits, facts and things happening now. The five rules in the section above cover the situations you will meet most often. If the action is a routine or a present fact, the present is the right choice.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite of desobedecer?

The present form for yo is desobedezco and the preterite form is desobedecí — different forms for different meanings. The present reports what happens regularly or now, while the preterite reports one finished action. The contrasted pairs above show the same situation in both tenses, so compare them side by side.

Is desobedecer regular in the present?

Yes — desobedecer is regular in the present and follows the standard -er endings. The full conjugation of desobedecer is on its main conjugation page, where every tense is covered.

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