Entristecerse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb entristecerse means to become sad, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Entristecerse means to become sad, and it is used for growing sad on hearing bad news, remembering someone or watching a sad film. It is reflexive because the sadness happens to you, and it is regular, with the -cer ending behaving normally in every tense. Like every Spanish verb, entristecerse 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 me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde, and in the preterite you say me entristecí con la película triste. 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: entristecerse
  • English: to become sad
  • Verb type: irregular verb, reflexive
  • Ending: -er
  • Gerund: entristeciendo
  • Past participle: entristecido
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + entristecido)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for entristecerse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Entristecerse is reflexive: me entristezco. The -zc- spelling appears in the present (entristezco) and the subjunctive (entristezca).

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for entristecerse. 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 Pronoun Form
yo me entristezco
tú te entristeces
él/ella/Ud. se entristece
nosotros/as nos entristecemos
vosotros/as os entristecéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristecen

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me entristecí
tú te entristeciste
él/ella/Ud. se entristeció
nosotros/as nos entristecimos
vosotros/as os entristecisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristecieron

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me entristecía
tú te entristecías
él/ella/Ud. se entristecía
nosotros/as nos entristecíamos
vosotros/as os entristecíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristecían

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me entristeceré
tú te entristecerás
él/ella/Ud. se entristecerá
nosotros/as nos entristeceremos
vosotros/as os entristeceréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristecerán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me entristecería
tú te entristecerías
él/ella/Ud. se entristecería
nosotros/as nos entristeceríamos
vosotros/as os entristeceríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristecerían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he entristecido
tú te has entristecido
él/ella/Ud. se ha entristecido
nosotros/as nos hemos entristecido
vosotros/as os habéis entristecido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han entristecido

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había entristecido
tú te habías entristecido
él/ella/Ud. se había entristecido
nosotros/as nos habíamos entristecido
vosotros/as os habíais entristecido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían entristecido

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré entristecido
tú te habrás entristecido
él/ella/Ud. se habrá entristecido
nosotros/as nos habremos entristecido
vosotros/as os habréis entristecido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán entristecido

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría entristecido
tú te habrías entristecido
él/ella/Ud. se habría entristecido
nosotros/as nos habríamos entristecido
vosotros/as os habríais entristecido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían entristecido

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me entristezca
tú te entristezcas
él/ella/Ud. se entristezca
nosotros/as nos entristezcamos
vosotros/as os entristecáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristezcan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me entristeciera
tú te entristecieras
él/ella/Ud. se entristeciera
nosotros/as nos entristeciéramos
vosotros/as os entristecierais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristecieran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te entristece
él/ella/Ud. se entristezca
nosotros/as nos entristezcamos
vosotros/as os entristeced
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristezcan

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te entristezcas
él/ella/Ud. se entristezca
nosotros/as nos entristezcamos
vosotros/as os entristecáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se entristezcan

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund entristeciendo with estar for the progressive: estoy entristeciendo (or me estoy entristeciendo for this reflexive verb)
Past participle entristecido with haber for the perfect tenses: he entristecido

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 entristecerse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde. 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For entristecerse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me entristecí al recordar a su abuelo. 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 entristecerse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me entristecía con la película triste. 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 entristecerse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me entristeceré en otoño sin sus amigos. 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 entristecerse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me entristecería con la noticia de la tarde 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 entristecerse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me he entristecido al recordar a su abuelo. 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 entristecerse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había entristecido con la película triste 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 entristecerse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habré entristecido en otoño sin sus amigos. 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 entristecerse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría entristecido con la noticia de la tarde 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 here: the final consonant of the stem changes before e to keep the same sound, so learn these forms from the table rather than copying the infinitive stem. For entristecerse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él se entristezca al recordar a su abuelo. 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 entristecerse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él se entristeciera con la película triste, 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 here: the final consonant of the stem changes before e to keep the same sound, so learn these forms from the table rather than copying the infinitive stem. For entristecerse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se entristezca en otoño sin sus amigos. 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 here: the final consonant of the stem changes before e to keep the same sound, so learn these forms from the table rather than copying the infinitive stem. For entristecerse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No te entristezcas con la noticia de la tarde. 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 entristecerse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde. — I become sad at the news in the afternoon.
  2. Se entristece al recordar a su abuelo. — He/she becomes sad remembering his grandfather.
  3. Ayer, me entristecí con la película triste. — Yesterday, I became sad at the sad film.
  4. Antes, nosotros nos entristecíamos en otoño sin sus amigos. — Before, we used to become sad in autumn without his friends.
  5. Mañana, tú te entristecerás con la noticia de la tarde. — Tomorrow, you will become sad at the news in the afternoon.
  6. Yo me entristecería al recordar a su abuelo si tuviera más tiempo. — I would become sad remembering his grandfather if I had more time.
  7. Él se ha entristecido con la película triste. — He has become sad at the sad film.
  8. Espero que él se entristezca en otoño sin sus amigos. — I hope he becomes sad in autumn without his friends.
  9. Yo ya me había entristecido con la noticia de la tarde antes de salir. — I had already become sad at the news in the afternoon before leaving.
  10. Ellos se entristecían al recordar a su abuelo cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to become sad remembering his grandfather when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo entristezco con la noticia de la tarde. — Right: Yo me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde. — Entristecerse is reflexive, so the pronoun me is required: without it the verb means something else, or nothing at all.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo entristezco al recordar a su abuelo. — Right: Ayer yo entristecí al recordar a su abuelo. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: entristezco is happening now, while entristecí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating entristecerse and alegrarse as identical in every context. — Right: Entristecerse means to become sad, while alegrarse means to become happy. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: entristecerse fits sentences such as Me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde, while alegrarse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy entristecido al recordar a su abuelo. — Right: Yo he entristecido al recordar a su abuelo. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he entristecido, has entristecido, ha entristecido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo entristecí con la película triste todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo entristecía con la película triste todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (entristecía), not the preterite. The preterite (entristecí) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on entristecerse. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ con la noticia de la tarde. (present tense) A. me entristezco B. te entristeces C. se entristece D. nos entristecemos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ al recordar a su abuelo. (preterite) A. me entristecí B. te entristeciste C. se entristecieron D. se entristeció

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ con la película triste. (imperfect) A. te entristecías B. se entristecían C. nos entristecíamos D. me entristecía

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ en otoño sin sus amigos. (future) A. nos entristeceremos B. te entristecerás C. me entristeceré D. se entristecerá

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ con la noticia de la tarde si pudiera. (conditional) A. me entristecería B. te entristecerías C. se entristecería D. se entristecerían

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ al recordar a su abuelo. (present subjunctive) A. me entristezca B. te entristezcas C. nos entristezcamos D. se entristezca

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ con la película triste, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. se entristeciera B. nos entristeciéramos C. me entristeciera D. te entristecieras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ en otoño sin sus amigos. (present perfect) A. se han entristecido B. nos hemos entristecido C. me he entristecido D. te has entristecido

  9. Complete the command: No ___ con la noticia de la tarde. (negative imperative, tú) A. te entristezcas B. se entristezca C. nos entristezcamos D. os entristecáis

  10. Which is the gerund of entristecerse, used with estar for the progressive? A. entristecido B. entristezco C. entristecí D. entristeciendo

Answer key

  1. me entristezco — The first-person present of entristecerse is me entristezco. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. se entristeció — The third-person preterite of entristecerse is se entristeció, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. nos entristecíamos — The nosotros imperfect of entristecerse is nos entristecíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. te entristecerás — The second-person future of entristecerse is te entristecerás.
  5. me entristecería — The first-person conditional of entristecerse is me entristecería, the form for what would happen.
  6. se entristezca — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of entristecerse is se entristezca.
  7. me entristeciera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of entristecerse is me entristeciera.
  8. nos hemos entristecido — The nosotros present perfect of entristecerse is nos hemos entristecido: hemos + entristecido.
  9. te entristezcas — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: te entristezcas.
  10. entristeciendo — The gerund of entristecerse is entristeciendo: estoy entristeciendo. The participle entristecido is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does entristecerse mean in English?

Entristecerse means to become sad. It is used in everyday situations such as Me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is entristecerse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Entristecerse is reflexive, so it always takes a reflexive pronoun that matches the person: me, te, se, nos, os or se. For example, Me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde and él se entristece al recordar a su abuelo. If you leave the pronoun out, the verb changes meaning or stops making sense.

What is the difference between entristecerse and alegrarse?

Entristecerse means to become sad, while alegrarse means to become happy. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use entristecerse when you mean to become sad, as in Me entristezco con la noticia de la tarde, and use alegrarse for to become happy. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I become sad” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo me entristecí al recordar a su abuelo. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo me entristecía con la película triste. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo me he entristecido al recordar a su abuelo.

How do I practise entristecerse?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the entristecerse examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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