Introduction

desplazar means “to move, to displace”. It belongs to the group of Spanish verbs that express “to move, to displace”, and once you can conjugate it you can say a surprising amount with a single verb. This page is the complete reference for desplazar: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, with notes on usage, real example sentences, common mistakes, a quiz and frequently asked questions. desplazar is a irregular -ar verb. If it is irregular in a tense, the note under that table says so plainly, and the forms in the table are the correct ones — copy them, do not guess them from the infinitive. A first example to fix the verb in your mind: “Yo desplazo la mesa todos los días.” — “I move the table.”

Quick facts
Infinitive desplazar
English to move, to displace
Verb type Irregular -ar verb
Gerund desplazando
Past participle desplazado
Auxiliary verb haber

Full conjugation tables

Gerund: desplazando · Past participle: desplazado

Present Indicative

Person Form
yo desplazo
tú desplazas
él/ella/Ud. desplaza
nosotros/as desplazamos
vosotros/as desplazáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. desplazan

The present tense describes habits, facts and what is happening now. For desplazar, the yo form is desplazo, as in “Yo desplazo la mesa.” — “I move the table.”

Preterite

Person Form
yo desplacé
tú desplazaste
él/ella/Ud. desplazó
nosotros/as desplazamos
vosotros/as desplazasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. desplazaron

The preterite describes completed actions in the past — things that started and finished. For desplazar, the yo form is desplacé, as in “Yo desplacé la mesa.” — “I moved the table.”

Imperfect

Person Form
yo desplazaba
tú desplazabas
él/ella/Ud. desplazaba
nosotros/as desplazábamos
vosotros/as desplazabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. desplazaban

The imperfect describes the past as background: habits, descriptions and actions in progress. For desplazar, the yo form is desplazaba, as in “Yo desplazaba la mesa.” — “I used to move the table.”

Future

Person Form
yo desplazaré
tú desplazarás
él/ella/Ud. desplazará
nosotros/as desplazaremos
vosotros/as desplazaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. desplazarán

The future tense states what will happen. It is also used for predictions and promises. For desplazar, the yo form is desplazaré, as in “Yo desplazaré la mesa.” — “I will move the table.”

Conditional

Person Form
yo desplazaría
tú desplazarías
él/ella/Ud. desplazaría
nosotros/as desplazaríamos
vosotros/as desplazaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. desplazarían

The conditional expresses what would happen: wishes, polite requests and hypothetical results. For desplazar, the yo form is desplazaría, as in “Yo desplazaría la mesa.” — “I would move the table.”

Present Perfect

Person Form
yo he desplazado
tú has desplazado
él/ella/Ud. ha desplazado
nosotros/as hemos desplazado
vosotros/as habéis desplazado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han desplazado

The present perfect connects the past with the present: something that has happened, often today or recently. For desplazar, the yo form is he desplazado, as in “Yo he desplazado la mesa.” — “I have moved the table.”

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había desplazado
tú habías desplazado
él/ella/Ud. había desplazado
nosotros/as habíamos desplazado
vosotros/as habíais desplazado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían desplazado

The pluperfect describes an event that happened before another past event. For desplazar, the yo form is había desplazado, as in “Yo había desplazado la mesa.” — “I had moved the table.”

Future Perfect

Person Form
yo habré desplazado
tú habrás desplazado
él/ella/Ud. habrá desplazado
nosotros/as habremos desplazado
vosotros/as habréis desplazado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán desplazado

The future perfect describes something that will already be finished by a future moment. For desplazar, the yo form is habré desplazado, as in “Yo habré desplazado la mesa.” — “I will have moved the table.”

Conditional Perfect

Person Form
yo habría desplazado
tú habrías desplazado
él/ella/Ud. habría desplazado
nosotros/as habríamos desplazado
vosotros/as habríais desplazado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían desplazado

The conditional perfect describes what would have happened under different conditions. For desplazar, the yo form is habría desplazado, as in “Yo habría desplazado la mesa.” — “I would have moved the table.”

Present Subjunctive

Person Form
yo desplace
tú desplaces
él/ella/Ud. desplace
nosotros/as desplacemos
vosotros/as desplacéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. desplacen

The present subjunctive is used after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and influence. For desplazar, the yo form is desplace, as in “Espero que yo desplace la mesa.” — “I hope that I move the table.”

Imperfect Subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo desplazara
tú desplazaras
él/ella/Ud. desplazara
nosotros/as desplazáramos
vosotros/as desplazarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. desplazaran

The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past versions of subjunctive clauses, and after "si" in hypothetical sentences. For desplazar, the yo form is desplazara, as in “Si yo desplazara la mesa, ...” — “If I moved the table, ...”

The -se variant of this tense follows the same pattern with -se instead of -ra: desplazara becomes desplazase, and the same change applies to every person. Both variants mean the same thing; -ra is more common in everyday speech.

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú desplaza
Ud. desplace
nosotros/as desplacemos
vosotros/as desplazad
Uds. desplacen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú desplaces
Ud. desplace
nosotros/as desplacemos
vosotros/as desplacéis
Uds. desplacen

The imperative is for orders, requests and advice. The affirmative tú form is desplaza, as in “¡Desplaza la mesa” — “Move the table” For the negative imperative, Spanish uses the subjunctive forms: no desplaces. Note that the affirmative and negative forms differ, so check the table above before you give an order with desplazar.

Example sentences

Here are ten sentences with desplazar, covering different tenses and persons. Read each one out loud, then read the translation, and notice how the verb form changes while the meaning stays the same.

  1. “Yo desplazo la mesa cada día.” — “I move the table.”
  2. “Él desplaza la mesa todos los días.” — “He moves the table.”
  3. “Yo desplacé la mesa ayer.” — “I moved the table.”
  4. “Él desplazó la mesa ayer.” — “He moved the table.”
  5. “Yo desplazaba la mesa cuando era joven.” — “I used to move the table.”
  6. “Nosotros desplazaremos la mesa mañana.” — “We will move the table.”
  7. “Si pudiera, yo desplazaría la mesa.” — “If I could, i would move the table.”
  8. “Yo he desplazado la mesa hoy.” — “I have moved the table.”
  9. “Espero que yo desplace la mesa.” — “I hope that I move the table.”
  10. “estoy desplazando la mesa ahora mismo.” — “I am moving the table.”

Common mistakes

Forgetting the accent in the preterite

The yo preterite form is desplacé, with an accent on the stressed vowel. Writing it without the accent — desplace — is a spelling error, and in speech the stress lands in the wrong place. Preterite yo forms that end in a vowel carry that accent, so check it every time you write the preterite of desplazar.

Mixing up present and preterite nosotros

For desplazar, the nosotros form is the same in the present and the preterite: desplazamos. Only the context tells you which tense is meant, so pay attention to the time words around it — cada día points to the present, ayer points to the preterite. Do not invent a different form for one of the tenses.

Using ser instead of haber in perfect tenses

Spanish perfect tenses always use haber, never ser: yo he desplazado la mesa. English speakers sometimes reach for soy because English uses to be in some passives, but soy desplazado is not the present perfect of desplazar — it is a passive construction with a different meaning.

Confusing desplazar with descubrir

desplazar 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 desplazar — move — the sentence needs desplazar; 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 desplace la mesa. Using the indicative — Espero que yo desplazo — is one of the most frequent learner errors with desplazar. Whenever the main clause expresses a wish, doubt or emotion, switch to the subjunctive.

Quiz

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

1. What is the yo form of desplazar in the present?

  • A. desplazas
  • B. desplaza
  • C. desplazamos
  • D. desplazo

2. What is the tu form of desplazar in the preterite?

  • A. desplazamos
  • B. desplazaste
  • C. desplacé
  • D. desplazó

3. What is the el form of desplazar in the imperfect?

  • A. desplazabas
  • B. desplazábamos
  • C. desplazabais
  • D. desplazaba

4. What is the nosotros form of desplazar in the future?

  • A. desplazará
  • B. desplazaremos
  • C. desplazaré
  • D. desplazarás

5. What is the vosotros form of desplazar in the present perfect?

  • A. he desplazado
  • B. has desplazado
  • C. ha desplazado
  • D. habéis desplazado

6. What is the ellos form of desplazar in the present subjunctive?

  • A. desplace
  • B. desplacen
  • C. desplace
  • D. desplaces

7. What is the yo form of desplazar in the preterite?

  • A. desplazaste
  • B. desplazó
  • C. desplazamos
  • D. desplacé

8. What is the tu form of desplazar in the imperfect?

  • A. desplazábamos
  • B. desplazabas
  • C. desplazaba
  • D. desplazaba

9. What is the el form of desplazar in the future?

  • A. desplazaré
  • B. desplazarás
  • C. desplazaremos
  • D. desplazará

10. What is the nosotros form of desplazar in the conditional?

  • A. desplazaría
  • B. desplazaríamos
  • C. desplazaría
  • D. desplazarías

Answer key

  1. desplazo — The present table gives yo = desplazo.
  2. desplazaste — The preterite table gives tu = desplazaste.
  3. desplazaba — The imperfect table gives el = desplazaba.
  4. desplazaremos — The future table gives nosotros = desplazaremos.
  5. habéis desplazado — The present perfect table gives vosotros = habéis desplazado.
  6. desplacen — The present subjunctive table gives ellos = desplacen.
  7. desplacé — The preterite table gives yo = desplacé.
  8. desplazabas — The imperfect table gives tu = desplazabas.
  9. desplazará — The future table gives el = desplazará.
  10. desplazaríamos — The conditional table gives nosotros = desplazaríamos.

Frequently asked questions

Is desplazar regular or irregular?

desplazar is a irregular -ar verb. It follows the regular patterns for its ending in every tense. The tables on this page show the correct form for every person, so use them rather than guessing.

What is the past participle of desplazar?

The past participle of desplazar is desplazado. You use it with haber in the perfect tenses — he desplazado, había desplazado, habré desplazado — and after estar in passive-style descriptions. It is the regular participle for its verb class. Learn it together with the gerund desplazando and you have the two non-finite forms covered.

What is the gerund of desplazar?

The gerund of desplazar is desplazando. You use it with estar to describe an action in progress, as in estoy desplazando, and after verbs such as seguir and ir. Keep it distinct from the past participle desplazado, which belongs with haber, not with estar.

What is the yo form of desplazar in the present?

The yo form is desplazo — “Yo desplazo la mesa.” means “I move the table.” That is the form you will use most often when you talk about yourself. For other persons, use the present table above: tú desplazas, él desplaza, nosotros desplazamos, ellos desplazan.

What is the difference between desplazar and descubrir?

desplazar means “to move, to displace”, while descubrir means “to discover”. They share letters and sometimes a root, but they are different verbs. If your sentence means “to move, to displace”, use desplazar; if it is about the meaning of descubrir, use descubrir instead. Checking the English meaning first prevents most mix-ups.

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