Introduction

equivaler means “to be equivalent to”, and it is one of the verbs you will use every day in Spanish. It is the verb for expressing “to be equivalent to” in everyday Spanish — in conversation, at work, and at home. This page shows equivaler 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 form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Este bono equivale a diez euros por la mañana.” — “This voucher is equivalent to ten euros.”

equivaler in real example sentences

The twelve sentences below are grouped by how equivaler 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 {verb} in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.

  1. “Este bono equivale a diez euros cada día.” — “This voucher is equivalent to ten euros.”
  2. “Este bono equivale a diez euros cada día.” — “This voucher is equivalent to ten euros.”
  3. “Este bono equivale a diez euros siempre.” — “This voucher is equivalent to ten euros.”
  4. “Este bono equivale a diez euros todos los días.” — “This voucher is equivalent to ten euros.”

Talking about the past

The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show {verb} in the past, so you can talk about what already happened. 5. “Este bono equivalió a diez euros ayer.” — “This voucher was equivalent to ten euros.” (preterite) 6. “Este bono equivalió a diez euros ayer.” — “This voucher was equivalent to ten euros.” (preterite) 7. “Este bono equivalía a diez euros cuando era joven.” — “This voucher used to be equivalent to ten euros.” (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 {verb} stays the same. 8. “Este bono equivaldrá a diez euros mañana.” — “This voucher will be equivalent to ten euros.” (future) 9. “Este bono ha equivalido a diez euros hoy.” — “This voucher has been equivalent to ten euros.” (present-perfect) 10. “Espero que este bono equivalga a diez euros.” — “I hope that this voucher is equivalent to ten euros.” (present-subjunctive)

More everyday uses

Two more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action. 11. “Este bono equivale a diez euros cada semana.” — “This voucher is equivalent to ten euros.” 12. “Estos bonos equivalen a diez euros normalmente.” — “These vouchers are equivalent to ten euros.”

equivaler 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 equivaler appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.

Dialogue on the phone

Lucía: “¿Este bono equivale a diez euros?” — This voucher is equivalent to ten euros?

Pedro: “Sí, este bono equivale a diez euros cada día.” — Yes, it is equivalent to ten euros every day.

Lucía: “¿Y estos bonos? ¿También equivalen a diez euros?” — And the others? They are equivalent to ten euros too?

Pedro: “Sí, todos equivalen a diez euros. Es normal.” — Yes, they all are equivalent to ten euros. It is normal.

A short paragraph

Este bono equivale a diez euros cada día — that one sentence already tells you a lot about how equivaler works in real Spanish: who does it, when, and with what. Around it you can build a whole paragraph: what happened yesterday, what is happening now, and what will happen tomorrow, all with the same verb. When you write your own paragraph, start with the present — yo equivalgo a diez euros — then add one past sentence and one future sentence, and you have practised three tenses with one verb. That is the fastest way to make equivaler yours: use it in a story, not only in a table.

Common mistakes

Using the unchanged stem

Learners often write equivalo for the yo form, keeping the infinitive stem unchanged. The correct form is equivalgo. Because equivaler changes its stem vowel, the change appears in the stressed syllables of the present: say the correct form out loud a few times — yo equivalgo a diez euros — until the changed stem feels natural.

Forgetting the accent in the preterite

The yo preterite form is equivalí, with an accent on the stressed vowel. Writing it without the accent — equivali — is a spelling error, and in speech the stress lands in the wrong place. Preterite yo forms that end in a vowel carry that accent, so check it every time you write the preterite of equivaler.

Using ser instead of haber in perfect tenses

Spanish perfect tenses always use haber, never ser: yo he equivalido a diez euros. English speakers sometimes reach for soy because English uses to be in some passives, but soy equivalido is not the present perfect of equivaler — it is a passive construction with a different meaning.

Confusing equivaler with cubrir

equivaler and cubrir look similar, and learners mix them up. They are different verbs with different meanings, so check which one the sentence needs before you conjugate. If you can substitute the English meaning of equivaler — be equivalent to — the sentence needs equivaler; if it needs the meaning of cubrir, use that verb instead.

Using the indicative after "espero que"

After espero que (I hope that), Spanish needs the subjunctive: Espero que yo equivalga a diez euros. Using the indicative — Espero que yo equivalgo — is one of the most frequent learner errors with equivaler. Whenever the main clause expresses a wish, doubt or emotion, switch to the subjunctive.

Quiz

Test yourself on the forms above. Choose the best answer, then check the key below.

1. What is the yo form of equivaler in the present?

  • A. equivales
  • B. equivale
  • C. equivalemos
  • D. equivalgo

2. What is the tu form of equivaler in the preterite?

  • A. equivalimos
  • B. equivaliste
  • C. equivalí
  • D. equivalió

3. What is the el form of equivaler in the imperfect?

  • A. equivalías
  • B. equivalíamos
  • C. equivalíais
  • D. equivalía

4. What is the nosotros form of equivaler in the future?

  • A. equivaldrá
  • B. equivaldremos
  • C. equivaldré
  • D. equivaldrás

5. What is the vosotros form of equivaler in the present perfect?

  • A. he equivalido
  • B. has equivalido
  • C. ha equivalido
  • D. habéis equivalido

6. What is the ellos form of equivaler in the present subjunctive?

  • A. equivalga
  • B. equivalgan
  • C. equivalga
  • D. equivalgas

7. What is the yo form of equivaler in the preterite?

  • A. equivaliste
  • B. equivalió
  • C. equivalimos
  • D. equivalí

8. What is the tu form of equivaler in the imperfect?

  • A. equivalíamos
  • B. equivalías
  • C. equivalía
  • D. equivalía

9. What is the el form of equivaler in the future?

  • A. equivaldré
  • B. equivaldrás
  • C. equivaldremos
  • D. equivaldrá

10. What is the nosotros form of equivaler in the conditional?

  • A. equivaldría
  • B. equivaldríamos
  • C. equivaldría
  • D. equivaldrías

Answer key

  1. equivalgo — The present table gives yo = equivalgo.
  2. equivaliste — The preterite table gives tu = equivaliste.
  3. equivalía — The imperfect table gives el = equivalía.
  4. equivaldremos — The future table gives nosotros = equivaldremos.
  5. habéis equivalido — The present perfect table gives vosotros = habéis equivalido.
  6. equivalgan — The present subjunctive table gives ellos = equivalgan.
  7. equivalí — The preterite table gives yo = equivalí.
  8. equivalías — The imperfect table gives tu = equivalías.
  9. equivaldrá — The future table gives el = equivaldrá.
  10. equivaldríamos — The conditional table gives nosotros = equivaldríamos.

Frequently asked questions

How do I use equivaler in a sentence?

Put the subject first, then the conjugated form, then the rest: “Este bono equivale a diez euros.” — “This voucher is equivalent to ten euros.” Change the form for the person and the tense, but keep the sentence pattern the same.

What is the most useful form of equivaler to learn first?

Learn the present yo form equivalgo first, then the preterite yo form equivalí and the participle equivalido. With those three you can talk about the present, the past and the perfect tenses. Add the gerund equivaliendo next, and you can describe actions in progress too.

Is equivaler reflexive?

No — equivaler is not reflexive. It takes a direct object, not a reflexive pronoun: yo equivalgo a diez euros. Do not add me or se to it unless the sentence genuinely needs a pronoun for another reason.

Where can I see the full conjugation of equivaler?

On the main conjugation page for equivaler, which has every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, plus notes, examples and a quiz. The present-tense page covers one tense in depth if that is what you need right now.

Related links