Envolver Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb envolver means to wrap, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Envolver means to wrap something up: envolver el regalo, envolver el bocadillo. Its past participle is irregular — envuelto, not envolvido — and the perfect tenses use it: he envuelto el regalo. Like every Spanish verb, envolver 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 Yo envuelvo el regalo con papel de colores — "I wrap the present in coloured paper". 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.

The stem vowel changes in the stressed forms of the present: envuelvo, envuelves, envuelve and envuelven — but nosotros and vosotros keep the plain stem: envolvemos, envolvéis. envolver has an irregular past participle: envuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he envuelto, has envuelto, ha envuelto.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: envolver
  • English: to wrap
  • Verb type: stem-changing -er verb (o → ue)
  • Ending: -er
  • Gerund: envolviendo
  • Past participle: envuelto
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + envuelto)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for envolver, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for envolver. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem.

Present indicative

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | envuelvo | | tú | envuelves | | él/ella/Ud. | envuelve | | nosotros/as | envolvemos | | vosotros/as | envolvéis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envuelven |

Preterite

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | envolví | | tú | envolviste | | él/ella/Ud. | envolvió | | nosotros/as | envolvimos | | vosotros/as | envolvisteis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envolvieron |

Imperfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | envolvía | | tú | envolvías | | él/ella/Ud. | envolvía | | nosotros/as | envolvíamos | | vosotros/as | envolvíais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envolvían |

Future

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | envolveré | | tú | envolverás | | él/ella/Ud. | envolverá | | nosotros/as | envolveremos | | vosotros/as | envolveréis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envolverán |

Conditional

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | envolvería | | tú | envolverías | | él/ella/Ud. | envolvería | | nosotros/as | envolveríamos | | vosotros/as | envolveríais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envolverían |

Present perfect

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

Pluperfect

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

Future perfect

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

Conditional perfect

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

Present subjunctive

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | envuelva | | tú | envuelvas | | él/ella/Ud. | envuelva | | nosotros/as | envolvamos | | vosotros/as | envolváis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envuelvan |

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | envolviera | | tú | envolvieras | | él/ella/Ud. | envolviera | | nosotros/as | envolviéramos | | vosotros/as | envolvierais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envolvieran |

Imperative (affirmative)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | tú | envuelve | | él/ella/Ud. | envuelva | | nosotros/as | envolvamos | | vosotros/as | envolved | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envuelvan |

Imperative (negative)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | tú | envuelvas | | él/ella/Ud. | envuelva | | nosotros/as | envolvamos | | vosotros/as | envolváis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | envuelvan |

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund envolviendo with estar for the progressive: está envolviendo
Past participle envuelto with haber for the perfect tenses: he envuelto

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 envolver, the present indicative looks like this in a real sentence: Yo envuelvo el regalo con papel de colores — "I wrap the present in coloured paper".

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 envolver, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, yo envolví el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "Yesterday, I wraped the sandwich in foil".

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 envolver, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, yo envolvía el paquete con cuidado — "As a child, I used to wrap the parcel carefully".

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 envolver, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, yo envolveré la tarta en plástico — "Tomorrow, I will wrap the cake in plastic".

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 envolver, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Yo envolvería el regalo con papel de colores si pudiera — "I would wrap the present in coloured paper if I could".

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. envolver has an irregular past participle: envuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he envuelto, has envuelto, ha envuelto. For envolver, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, yo he envuelto el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "Today, I have wraped the sandwich in foil".

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. envolver has an irregular past participle: envuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he envuelto, has envuelto, ha envuelto. For envolver, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo ya había envuelto el paquete con cuidado antes de salir — "I already had wraped the parcel carefully before leaving".

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. envolver has an irregular past participle: envuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he envuelto, has envuelto, ha envuelto. For envolver, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, yo habré envuelto la tarta en plástico — "By tomorrow, I will have wraped the cake in plastic".

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. envolver has an irregular past participle: envuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he envuelto, has envuelto, ha envuelto. For envolver, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo habría envuelto el regalo con papel de colores con más tiempo — "I would have wraped the present in coloured paper with more time".

Present subjunctive

Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For envolver, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él envuelva el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "I hope he wraps the sandwich in foil".

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past. The -ra forms are 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 envolver, the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) looks like this in a real sentence: Si yo envolviera el paquete con cuidado, todo cambiaría — "If I wraped the parcel carefully, everything would change".

Imperative (affirmative)

Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For envolver, the imperative (affirmative) looks like this in a real sentence: Envuelve la tarta en plástico. — "Wrap the cake in plastic.".

Imperative (negative)

Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For envolver, the imperative (negative) looks like this in a real sentence: No envuelvas el regalo con papel de colores. — "Do not wrap the present in coloured paper.".

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with envolver, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Yo envuelvo el regalo con papel de colores — "I wrap the present in coloured paper"
  2. Mi amigo envuelve el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "My friend wraps the sandwich in foil"
  3. Ayer, yo envolví el paquete con cuidado — "Yesterday, I wraped the parcel carefully"
  4. Antes, nosotros envolvíamos la tarta en plástico — "Before, we used to wrap the cake in plastic"
  5. Mañana, tú envolverás el libro para su amigo — "Tomorrow, you will wrap the book for his friend"
  6. Yo envolvería el regalo con papel de colores si tuviera más tiempo — "I would wrap the present in coloured paper if I had more time"
  7. Él ha envuelto el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "He has wraped the sandwich in foil"
  8. Espero que él envuelva el paquete con cuidado — "I hope he wraps the parcel carefully"
  9. Yo ya había envuelto la tarta en plástico antes de salir — "I already had wraped the cake in plastic before leaving"
  10. Ellos envolvían el libro para su amigo cuando eran jóvenes — "They used to wrap the book for his friend when they were young"

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo envolvo el bocadillo en papel de aluminio. — Right: Yo envuelvo el bocadillo en papel de aluminio. — envolver is a stem-changing verb (o → ue): the stem vowel changes in the stressed present forms, so the yo form is envuelvo, not envolvo.
  2. Wrong: Espero que él envuelve el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — Right: Espero que él envuelva el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — After espero que, Spanish requires the subjunctive: Espero que él envuelva el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — not the indicative Espero que él envuelve el bocadillo en papel de aluminio.
  3. Wrong: Ayer, yo envuelvo el paquete con cuidado — Right: Ayer, yo envolví el paquete con cuidado — Ayer points to a finished action in the past, so it needs the preterite: Ayer, yo envolví el paquete con cuidado.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo envolví la tarta en plástico todos los días — Right: De niño, yo envolvía la tarta en plástico todos los días — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect, not the preterite: De niño, yo envolvía la tarta en plástico todos los días.
  5. Wrong: Yo envuelvo en el regalo con papel de colores. — Right: Yo envuelvo el regalo con papel de colores. — envolver takes this complement directly, with no preposition: Yo envuelvo el regalo con papel de colores.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ el regalo con papel de colores — "I wrap the present in coloured paper" (present) A. envolvemos B. envuelvo C. envuelves D. envuelve

  2. Complete the sentence: Él ______ el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "He wraped the sandwich in foil" (preterite) A. envolviste B. envolvimos C. envolvió D. envolví

  3. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ______ el paquete con cuidado — "We used to wrap the parcel carefully" (imperfect) A. envolvías B. envolvíais C. envolvíamos D. envolvía

  4. Complete the sentence: Tú ______ la tarta en plástico — "You will wrap the cake in plastic" (future) A. envolveremos B. envolverás C. envolveré D. envolverá

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ el libro para su amigo — "I would wrap the book for his friend" (conditional) A. envolveríais B. envolvería C. envolverías D. envolveríamos

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ______ el regalo con papel de colores — "I hope he wraps the present in coloured paper" (present subjunctive) A. envolváis B. envuelva C. envuelvas D. envolvamos

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ______ el bocadillo en papel de aluminio, todo cambiaría — "If I wraped the sandwich in foil, everything would change" (imperfect subjunctive) A. envolviéramos B. envolvierais C. envolviera D. envolvieras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ______ el paquete con cuidado — "We have wraped the parcel carefully" (present perfect) A. has envuelto B. ha envuelto C. hemos envuelto D. he envuelto

  9. Complete the sentence: No ______ la tarta en plástico. — "Do not wrap the cake in plastic." (negative imperative) A. envolváis B. envuelvas C. envuelva D. envolvamos

  10. Which is the gerund of envolver, used with estar for the progressive? A. envolví B. envolviendo C. envuelto D. envuelvo

Answer key

  1. envuelvo — The present form for yo is envuelvo.
  2. envolvió — The preterite form for él/ella/Ud. is envolvió.
  3. envolvíamos — The imperfect form for nosotros/as is envolvíamos.
  4. envolverás — The future form for tú is envolverás.
  5. envolvería — The conditional form for yo is envolvería.
  6. envuelva — The present subjunctive form for él/ella/Ud. is envuelva.
  7. envolviera — The imperfect subjunctive form for yo is envolviera.
  8. hemos envuelto — The present perfect form for nosotros/as is hemos envuelto.
  9. envuelvas — The negative imperative form is envuelvas.
  10. envolviendo — The gerund of envolver is envolviendo: estoy envolviendo. The participle envuelto is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does envolver mean in English?

envolver means to wrap. It is used in everyday situations such as Yo envuelvo el regalo con papel de colores — "I wrap the present in coloured paper". The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is envolver regular?

No. envolver is a stem-changing -er verb (o → ue). The stem vowel changes in the stressed forms of the present: envuelvo, envuelves, envuelve and envuelven — but nosotros and vosotros keep the plain stem: envolvemos, envolvéis. The nosotros and vosotros forms keep the plain stem, which is the part learners most often get right by accident.

What is the gerund and the past participle of envolver?

The gerund is envolviendo and the past participle is envuelto. Use the gerund with estar for the progressive, and the participle with haber for the perfect tenses. Note that the participle is irregular: it is envuelto, not the regular form.

How do I say "I wrap" in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: Ayer, yo envolví el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "Yesterday, I wraped the sandwich in foil". For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: De niño, yo envolvía el paquete con cuidado — "As a child, I used to wrap the parcel carefully". For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: Hoy, yo he envuelto el bocadillo en papel de aluminio — "Today, I have wraped the sandwich in foil".

What is the difference between envolver and cubrir?

Cubrir is to cover something, often with a lid or a blanket. Envolver is to wrap it all round, as with paper or foil. Envolver means to wrap something up: envolver el regalo, envolver el bocadillo. Its past participle is irregular — envuelto, not envolvido — and the perfect tenses use it: he envuelto el regalo.

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