Introduction
Emitir means “to emit, to broadcast”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Emitir means to emit or to broadcast, and it is used for radio and television programmes, sounds, light and opinions: emitir un programa, emitir un sonido. It is a regular -ir verb, common in media and science. This page shows emitir in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Emito un programa de radio.” — I emit a radio programme.
Emitir in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how emitir is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use emitir in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Emito un programa de radio.” — I emit a radio programme.
“¿Emites un sonido extraño?” — Do you emit a strange sound?
“Emite una opinión en la reunión.” — He/she emits an opinion in the meeting.
“Nosotros emitimos luz en la oscuridad.” — We emit light in the dark.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show emitir in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo emití un programa de radio.” — Yesterday, I emitted a radio programme. (preterite)
“Antes, él emitía un sonido extraño.” — Before, he used to emit a strange sound. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of emitir stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros emitiremos una opinión en la reunión.” — Tomorrow, we will emit an opinion in the meeting. (future)
“¿Tú has emitido luz en la oscuridad?” — Have you emitted light in the dark? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros emitís un programa de radio.” — You emit a radio programme.
“Ellos emiten un sonido extraño.” — They emit a strange sound.
“Yo emito una opinión en la reunión.” — I emit an opinion in the meeting.
“Mi padre emite luz en la oscuridad.” — My father emits light in the dark.
Emitir in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how emitir appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú emites un sonido extraño?” — Do you emit a strange sound?
Pedro: “Sí, yo emito un programa de radio.” — Yes, I emit a radio programme.
Marta: “Nosotros emitimos luz en la oscuridad.” — We emit light in the dark.
Pedro: “Y ellos emiten un sonido extraño.” — And they emit a strange sound.
Marta: “Vosotros emitís una opinión en la reunión.” — You emit an opinion in the meeting.
Pedro: “Sí, y él emite un programa de radio.” — Yes, and he emits a radio programme.
A short paragraph
Emite un programa de radio, y nosotros emitimos luz en la oscuridad. Yo emito un sonido extraño, y ellos emiten una opinión en la reunión. Emitir is part of everyday life, because emit, to broadcast is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with emitir
These are the errors learners actually make with emitir. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo emite un programa de radio.” Right: “Yo emito un programa de radio.” Why: The person matters: emite is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is emito. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Ayer yo emito un sonido extraño.” Right: “Ayer yo emití un sonido extraño.” Why: The present and the preterite are different tenses: emito is happening now, while emití is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
Wrong: “Treating emitir and transmitir as identical in every context.” Right: “Emitir means to emit, to broadcast, while transmitir means to transmit.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: emitir fits sentences such as Emito un programa de radio, while transmitir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy emitido un sonido extraño.” Right: “Yo he emitido un sonido extraño.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he emitido, has emitido, ha emitido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo emití una opinión en la reunión todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo emitía una opinión en la reunión todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (emitía), not the preterite. The preterite (emití) is for one finished action.
Quiz: emitir in use
Ten questions on emitir in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ un programa de radio.” (You emit a radio programme.)
- (a) emitís
- (b) emito
- (c) emites
Answer: emitís — The vosotros/as form of emitir in the present tense is emitís.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ un sonido extraño.” (They emit a strange sound.)
- (a) emites
- (b) emiten
- (c) emito
Answer: emiten — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of emitir in the present tense is emiten.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ un programa de radio.” (Yesterday I emitted a radio programme.)
- (a) emitiste
- (b) emitió
- (c) emití
Answer: emití — In the preterite, the yo form of emitir is emití.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ un sonido extraño.” (Before, he used to emit a strange sound.)
- (a) emitía
- (b) emito
- (c) emitías
Answer: emitía — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of emitir is emitía.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ una opinión en la reunión.” (Tomorrow we will emit an opinion in the meeting.)
- (a) emitirás
- (b) emitiremos
- (c) emitiré
Answer: emitiremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of emitir is emitiremos.
6. What does emitir mean in English?
- (a) to emit, to broadcast
- (b) to divide
- (c) to transmit
Answer: to emit, to broadcast — Emitir means “to emit, to broadcast”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo emite un programa de radio.
- (b) Ellos emite un sonido extraño.
- (c) Yo emito un programa de radio.
Answer: Yo emito un programa de radio. — “Yo emito un programa de radio.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I emit a radio programme.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre emite luz en la oscuridad.
- (b) Emito un programa de radio.
- (c) Emiten un programa de radio.
Answer: Emito un programa de radio. — “Emito un programa de radio.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of emitir in the present tense?
- (a) emito
- (b) emites
- (c) emitimos
Answer: emitimos — The nosotros form is emitimos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros emitiremos una opinión en la reunión.
- (b) Emito un programa de radio.
- (c) Ayer, yo emití un programa de radio.
Answer: Emito un programa de radio. — “Emito un programa de radio.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I emit a radio programme' in Spanish?
Say 'Emito un programa de radio'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Emito un programa de radio todos los días'.
How do you say 'He emits a strange sound' in Spanish?
Say 'Él emite un sonido extraño'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes emite.
What is the difference between emitir and transmitir?
Emitir means to emit, to broadcast, while transmitir means to transmit. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use emitir when you mean to emit, to broadcast, as in 'Emito un programa de radio', and use transmitir for to transmit.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of emitir — every tense of emitir in one place.
- Emitir in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on emitir and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of emitir until they are automatic.