Dialogar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb dialogar means to talk, to dialogue, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Dialogar means to talk or to dialogue, to speak with someone to reach an understanding, especially in negotiations. It is a formal verb used in politics, work and mediation, and it is a spelling-change verb: g becomes gu before e. Like every Spanish verb, dialogar 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 dialogo con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo, and in the preterite you say dialogué con su familia del problema. 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: dialogar
- English: to talk, to dialogue
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: dialogando
- Past participle: dialogado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + dialogado)
- Spelling change: Spelling change: the stem gains u before e and a, so the present subjunctive is dialogue and the preterite first person is dialogué.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for dialogar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: g becomes gu before e, so the preterite first person is dialogué. In the present tense it is regular: dialogo.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for dialogar. 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 | dialogo |
| tú | dialogas |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialoga |
| nosotros/as | dialogamos |
| vosotros/as | dialogáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialogan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | dialogué |
| tú | dialogaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogó |
| nosotros/as | dialogamos |
| vosotros/as | dialogasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialogaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | dialogaba |
| tú | dialogabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogaba |
| nosotros/as | dialogábamos |
| vosotros/as | dialogabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialogaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | dialogaré |
| tú | dialogarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogará |
| nosotros/as | dialogaremos |
| vosotros/as | dialogaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialogarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | dialogaría |
| tú | dialogarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogaría |
| nosotros/as | dialogaríamos |
| vosotros/as | dialogaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialogarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he dialogado |
| tú | has dialogado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha dialogado |
| nosotros/as | hemos dialogado |
| vosotros/as | habéis dialogado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han dialogado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había dialogado |
| tú | habías dialogado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había dialogado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos dialogado |
| vosotros/as | habíais dialogado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían dialogado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré dialogado |
| tú | habrás dialogado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá dialogado |
| nosotros/as | habremos dialogado |
| vosotros/as | habréis dialogado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán dialogado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría dialogado |
| tú | habrías dialogado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría dialogado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos dialogado |
| vosotros/as | habríais dialogado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían dialogado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | dialogue |
| tú | dialogues |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogue |
| nosotros/as | dialoguemos |
| vosotros/as | dialoguéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialoguen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | dialogara |
| tú | dialogaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogara |
| nosotros/as | dialogáramos |
| vosotros/as | dialogarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialogaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | dialoga |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogue |
| nosotros/as | dialoguemos |
| vosotros/as | dialogad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialoguen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | dialogues |
| él/ella/Ud. | dialogue |
| nosotros/as | dialoguemos |
| vosotros/as | dialoguéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | dialoguen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | dialogando | with estar for the progressive: estoy dialogando |
| Past participle | dialogado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he dialogado |
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 dialogar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Dialogo con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. 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. Note the spelling change: the stem gains u before e and a, so the present subjunctive is dialogue and the preterite first person is dialogué. For dialogar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, dialogué con los trabajadores sobre el salario. 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 dialogar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, dialogaba con su familia del problema. 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 dialogar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, dialogaré para resolver el conflicto. 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 dialogar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Dialogaría con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo 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 dialogar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he dialogado con los trabajadores sobre el salario. 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 dialogar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había dialogado con su familia del problema 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 dialogar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré dialogado para resolver el conflicto. 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 dialogar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría dialogado con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo 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: the stem gains u before e and a, so the present subjunctive is dialogue and the preterite first person is dialogué. For dialogar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él dialogue con los trabajadores sobre el salario. 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 dialogar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él dialogara con su familia del problema, 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: the stem gains u before e and a, so the present subjunctive is dialogue and the preterite first person is dialogué. For dialogar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Dialoga para resolver el conflicto! 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: the stem gains u before e and a, so the present subjunctive is dialogue and the preterite first person is dialogué. For dialogar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No dialogues con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. 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 dialogar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Dialogo con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. — I talk with the government to reach an agreement.
- Dialoga con los trabajadores sobre el salario. — He/she talks with the workers about pay.
- Ayer, dialogué con su familia del problema. — Yesterday, I talked with his family about the problem.
- Antes, nosotros dialogábamos para resolver el conflicto. — Before, we used to talk to resolve the conflict.
- Mañana, tú dialogarás con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. — Tomorrow, you will talk with the government to reach an agreement.
- Yo dialogaría con los trabajadores sobre el salario si tuviera más tiempo. — I would talk with the workers about pay if I had more time.
- Él ha dialogado con su familia del problema. — He has talked with his family about the problem.
- Espero que él dialogue para resolver el conflicto. — I hope he talks to resolve the conflict.
- Yo ya había dialogado con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo antes de salir. — I had already talked with the government to reach an agreement before leaving.
- Ellos dialogaban con los trabajadores sobre el salario cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to talk with the workers about pay when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo dialoga con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. — Right: Yo dialogo con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. — The person matters: dialoga is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is dialogo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Espero que yo dialoge con los trabajadores sobre el salario. — Right: Espero que yo dialogue con los trabajadores sobre el salario. — Spelling change: becomes u before e, so the present subjunctive is dialogue, never dialoge.
- Wrong: Treating dialogar and hablar as identical in every context. — Right: Dialogar means to talk, to dialogue, while hablar means to talk. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: dialogar fits sentences such as Dialogo con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo, while hablar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy dialogado con los trabajadores sobre el salario. — Right: Yo he dialogado con los trabajadores sobre el salario. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he dialogado, has dialogado, ha dialogado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo dialogué con su familia del problema todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo dialogaba con su familia del problema todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (dialogaba), not the preterite. The preterite (dialogué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on dialogar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. (present tense) A. dialogo B. dialogas C. dialoga D. dialogamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ con los trabajadores sobre el salario. (preterite) A. dialogué B. dialogaste C. dialogaron D. dialogó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ con su familia del problema. (imperfect) A. dialogabas B. dialogaban C. dialogábamos D. dialogaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ para resolver el conflicto. (future) A. dialogaremos B. dialogarás C. dialogaré D. dialogará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo si pudiera. (conditional) A. dialogaría B. dialogarías C. dialogarían D. dialogo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ con los trabajadores sobre el salario. (present subjunctive) A. dialogues B. dialoguemos C. dialogo D. dialogue
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ con su familia del problema, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. dialogáramos B. dialogo C. dialogara D. dialogaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ para resolver el conflicto. (present perfect) A. han dialogado B. hemos dialogado C. he dialogado D. has dialogado
Complete the command: ¡___ con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. dialoga B. dialogue C. dialoguemos D. dialogad
Which is the gerund of dialogar, used with estar for the progressive? A. dialogado B. dialogo C. dialogué D. dialogando
Answer key
- dialogo — The first-person present of dialogar is dialogo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- dialogó — The third-person preterite of dialogar is dialogó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- dialogábamos — The nosotros imperfect of dialogar is dialogábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- dialogarás — The second-person future of dialogar is dialogarás.
- dialogaría — The first-person conditional of dialogar is dialogaría, the form for what would happen.
- dialogue — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of dialogar is dialogue.
- dialogara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of dialogar is dialogara.
- hemos dialogado — The nosotros present perfect of dialogar is hemos dialogado: hemos + dialogado.
- dialoga — The affirmative tú imperative of dialogar is dialoga.
- dialogando — The gerund of dialogar is dialogando: estoy dialogando. The participle dialogado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does dialogar mean in English?
Dialogar means to talk, to dialogue. It is used in everyday situations such as Dialogo con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is dialogar regular or irregular?
Dialogar is a spelling-change verb, so it is not fully regular. Spelling change: the stem gains u before e and a, so the present subjunctive is dialogue and the preterite first person is dialogué. The other tenses follow the regular -ar endings. Learn the changed forms from the tables above rather than applying the regular spelling.
What is the difference between dialogar and hablar?
Dialogar means to talk, to dialogue, while hablar means to talk. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use dialogar when you mean to talk, to dialogue, as in Dialogo con el gobierno para llegar a un acuerdo, and use hablar for to talk. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I talk” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo dialogué con los trabajadores sobre el salario. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo dialogaba con su familia del problema. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he dialogado con los trabajadores sobre el salario.
How do I practise dialogar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the dialogar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Dialogar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for dialogar.
- Dialogar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for dialogar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Disimular conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with dialogar.
- Descifrar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with dialogar.
- Derivar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with dialogar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.