Entretener Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb entretener means to entertain, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Entretener means to entertain, and it is used for entertaining children, entertaining guests and keeping someone busy. It follows the pattern of tener, with the present entretengo, the preterite entretuve and the future entretendré. Like every Spanish verb, entretener 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 entretengo a los niños con un juego, and in the preterite you say entretuve a su abuela con historias. 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: entretener
- English: to entertain
- Verb type: irregular verb, stem-changing (e → ie)
- Ending: -er
- Gerund: entreteniendo
- Past participle: entretenido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + entretenido)
- Stem change: e → ie in the present, present subjunctive and imperative; nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for entretener, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Entretener follows tener: the present is entretengo, the preterite is entretuve, and the future is entretendré.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for entretener. 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 | entretengo |
| tú | entretienes |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretiene |
| nosotros/as | entretenemos |
| vosotros/as | entretenéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretienen |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | entretuve |
| tú | entretuviste |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretuvo |
| nosotros/as | entretuvimos |
| vosotros/as | entretuvisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretuvieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | entretenía |
| tú | entretenías |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretenía |
| nosotros/as | entreteníamos |
| vosotros/as | entreteníais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretenían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | entretendré |
| tú | entretendrás |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretendrá |
| nosotros/as | entretendremos |
| vosotros/as | entretendréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretendrán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | entretendría |
| tú | entretendrías |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretendría |
| nosotros/as | entretendríamos |
| vosotros/as | entretendríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretendrían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he entretenido |
| tú | has entretenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha entretenido |
| nosotros/as | hemos entretenido |
| vosotros/as | habéis entretenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han entretenido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había entretenido |
| tú | habías entretenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había entretenido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos entretenido |
| vosotros/as | habíais entretenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían entretenido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré entretenido |
| tú | habrás entretenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá entretenido |
| nosotros/as | habremos entretenido |
| vosotros/as | habréis entretenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán entretenido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría entretenido |
| tú | habrías entretenido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría entretenido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos entretenido |
| vosotros/as | habríais entretenido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían entretenido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | entretenga |
| tú | entretengas |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretenga |
| nosotros/as | entretengamos |
| vosotros/as | entretengáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretengan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | entretuviera |
| tú | entretuvieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretuviera |
| nosotros/as | entretuviéramos |
| vosotros/as | entretuvierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretuvieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | entretén |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretenga |
| nosotros/as | entretengamos |
| vosotros/as | entretened |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretengan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | entretengas |
| él/ella/Ud. | entretenga |
| nosotros/as | entretengamos |
| vosotros/as | entretengáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | entretengan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | entreteniendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy entreteniendo |
| Past participle | entretenido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he entretenido |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Entretengo a los niños con un juego. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, entretuve a los invitados en la fiesta. 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 entretener, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, entretenía a su abuela con historias. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, entretendré al público con música. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Entretendría a los niños con un juego 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 entretener, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he entretenido a los invitados en la fiesta. 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 entretener, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había entretenido a su abuela con historias 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 entretener, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré entretenido al público con música. 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 entretener, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría entretenido a los niños con un juego 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él entretenga a los invitados en la fiesta. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él entretuviera a su abuela con historias, 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Entretén al público con música! 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of tener, with changes in the present, the preterite (the -uv- stem), the future and conditional, and the subjunctive. Learn the forms in the table rather than applying the regular endings. For entretener, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No entretengas a los niños con un juego. 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 entretener, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Entretengo a los niños con un juego. — I entertain the children with a game.
- Entretiene a los invitados en la fiesta. — He/she entertains the guests at the party.
- Ayer, entretuve a su abuela con historias. — Yesterday, I entertained his grandmother with stories.
- Antes, nosotros entreteníamos al público con música. — Before, we used to entertain the audience with music.
- Mañana, tú entretendrás a los niños con un juego. — Tomorrow, you will entertain the children with a game.
- Yo entretendría a los invitados en la fiesta si tuviera más tiempo. — I would entertain the guests at the party if I had more time.
- Él ha entretenido a su abuela con historias. — He has entertained his grandmother with stories.
- Espero que él entretenga al público con música. — I hope he entertains the audience with music.
- Yo ya había entretenido a los niños con un juego antes de salir. — I had already entertained the children with a game before leaving.
- Ellos entretenían a los invitados en la fiesta cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to entertain the guests at the party when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo entretiene a los niños con un juego. — Right: Yo entretengo a los niños con un juego. — The person matters: entretiene is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is entretengo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo entreteno a los invitados en la fiesta. — Right: Yo entretengo a los invitados en la fiesta. — Entretener is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so the stem changes in the present singular and third-person plural. The nosotros form keeps the original stem.
- Wrong: Treating entretener and divertir as identical in every context. — Right: Entretener means to entertain, while divertir means to amuse. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: entretener fits sentences such as Entretengo a los niños con un juego, while divertir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy entretenido a los invitados en la fiesta. — Right: Yo he entretenido a los invitados en la fiesta. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he entretenido, has entretenido, ha entretenido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo entretuve a su abuela con historias todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo entretenía a su abuela con historias todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (entretenía), not the preterite. The preterite (entretuve) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on entretener. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los niños con un juego. (present tense) A. entretengo B. entretienes C. entretiene D. entretenemos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ a los invitados en la fiesta. (preterite) A. entretuve B. entretuviste C. entretuvieron D. entretuvo
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a su abuela con historias. (imperfect) A. entretenías B. entretenían C. entreteníamos D. entretenía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ al público con música. (future) A. entretendremos B. entretendrás C. entretendré D. entretendrá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los niños con un juego si pudiera. (conditional) A. entretendría B. entretendrías C. entretendrían D. entretengo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a los invitados en la fiesta. (present subjunctive) A. entretengas B. entretengamos C. entretengo D. entretenga
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a su abuela con historias, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. entretuviéramos B. entretengo C. entretuviera D. entretuvieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ al público con música. (present perfect) A. han entretenido B. hemos entretenido C. he entretenido D. has entretenido
Complete the command: ¡___ a los niños con un juego! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. entretén B. entretenga C. entretengamos D. entretened
Which is the gerund of entretener, used with estar for the progressive? A. entretenido B. entretengo C. entretuve D. entreteniendo
Answer key
- entretengo — The first-person present of entretener is entretengo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- entretuvo — The third-person preterite of entretener is entretuvo, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- entreteníamos — The nosotros imperfect of entretener is entreteníamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- entretendrás — The second-person future of entretener is entretendrás.
- entretendría — The first-person conditional of entretener is entretendría, the form for what would happen.
- entretenga — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of entretener is entretenga.
- entretuviera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of entretener is entretuviera.
- hemos entretenido — The nosotros present perfect of entretener is hemos entretenido: hemos + entretenido.
- entretén — The affirmative tú imperative of entretener is entretén.
- entreteniendo — The gerund of entretener is entreteniendo: estoy entreteniendo. The participle entretenido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does entretener mean in English?
Entretener means to entertain. It is used in everyday situations such as Entretengo a los niños con un juego. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is entretener regular or irregular?
Entretener is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), so it is not fully regular: the stem changes in the present, the present subjunctive and the imperative, while nosotros and vosotros keep the original stem. The preterite and the imperfect are regular. Check the tables above for the exact forms in each tense.
What is the difference between entretener and divertir?
Entretener means to entertain, while divertir means to amuse. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use entretener when you mean to entertain, as in Entretengo a los niños con un juego, and use divertir for to amuse. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I entertain” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo entretuve a los invitados en la fiesta. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo entretenía a su abuela con historias. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he entretenido a los invitados en la fiesta.
How do I practise entretener?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the entretener examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Entretener in the preterite tense — the full preterite-tense table for entretener.
- Entretener examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for entretener.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Retener conjugation — another -er verb to compare with entretener.
- Mantener conjugation — another -er verb to compare with entretener.
- Contener conjugation — another -er verb to compare with entretener.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.