Estacionar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb estacionar means to park, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Estacionar means to park, and it is the usual verb for parking in Latin America, while aparcar is more common in Spain. It is fully regular, and it is also used for stationing troops or vehicles in a place. Like every Spanish verb, estacionar 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 estaciono el coche en la plaza, and in the preterite you say estacioné en el aparcamiento del centro. 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: estacionar
- English: to park
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: estacionando
- Past participle: estacionado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + estacionado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for estacionar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Estacionar is fully regular: estacioné, estacionaba, estacionaré. In Spain, aparcar is the more common choice.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for estacionar. 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 | estaciono |
| tú | estacionas |
| él/ella/Ud. | estaciona |
| nosotros/as | estacionamos |
| vosotros/as | estacionáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | estacioné |
| tú | estacionaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacionó |
| nosotros/as | estacionamos |
| vosotros/as | estacionasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | estacionaba |
| tú | estacionabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacionaba |
| nosotros/as | estacionábamos |
| vosotros/as | estacionabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | estacionaré |
| tú | estacionarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacionará |
| nosotros/as | estacionaremos |
| vosotros/as | estacionaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | estacionaría |
| tú | estacionarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacionaría |
| nosotros/as | estacionaríamos |
| vosotros/as | estacionaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he estacionado |
| tú | has estacionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha estacionado |
| nosotros/as | hemos estacionado |
| vosotros/as | habéis estacionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han estacionado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había estacionado |
| tú | habías estacionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había estacionado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos estacionado |
| vosotros/as | habíais estacionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían estacionado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré estacionado |
| tú | habrás estacionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá estacionado |
| nosotros/as | habremos estacionado |
| vosotros/as | habréis estacionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán estacionado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría estacionado |
| tú | habrías estacionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría estacionado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos estacionado |
| vosotros/as | habríais estacionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían estacionado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | estacione |
| tú | estaciones |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacione |
| nosotros/as | estacionemos |
| vosotros/as | estacionéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | estacionara |
| tú | estacionaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacionara |
| nosotros/as | estacionáramos |
| vosotros/as | estacionarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | estaciona |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacione |
| nosotros/as | estacionemos |
| vosotros/as | estacionad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | estaciones |
| él/ella/Ud. | estacione |
| nosotros/as | estacionemos |
| vosotros/as | estacionéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | estacionen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | estacionando | with estar for the progressive: estoy estacionando |
| Past participle | estacionado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he estacionado |
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 estacionar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Estaciono el coche en la plaza. 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 estacionar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, estacioné delante del hospital. 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 estacionar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, estacionaba en el aparcamiento del centro. 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 estacionar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, estacionaré cerca del aeropuerto. 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 estacionar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Estacionaría el coche en la plaza 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 estacionar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he estacionado delante del hospital. 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 estacionar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había estacionado en el aparcamiento del centro 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 estacionar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré estacionado cerca del aeropuerto. 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 estacionar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría estacionado el coche en la plaza 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For estacionar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él estacione delante del hospital. 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 estacionar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él estacionara en el aparcamiento del centro, 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For estacionar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Estaciona cerca del aeropuerto! 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For estacionar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No estaciones el coche en la plaza. 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 estacionar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Estaciono el coche en la plaza. — I park the car in the square.
- Estaciona delante del hospital. — He/she parks in front of the hospital.
- Ayer, estacioné en el aparcamiento del centro. — Yesterday, I parked in the car park in the centre.
- Antes, nosotros estacionábamos cerca del aeropuerto. — Before, we used to park near the airport.
- Mañana, tú estacionarás el coche en la plaza. — Tomorrow, you will park the car in the square.
- Yo estacionaría delante del hospital si tuviera más tiempo. — I would park in front of the hospital if I had more time.
- Él ha estacionado en el aparcamiento del centro. — He has parked in the car park in the centre.
- Espero que él estacione cerca del aeropuerto. — I hope he parks near the airport.
- Yo ya había estacionado el coche en la plaza antes de salir. — I had already parked the car in the square before leaving.
- Ellos estacionaban delante del hospital cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to park in front of the hospital when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo estaciona el coche en la plaza. — Right: Yo estaciono el coche en la plaza. — The person matters: estaciona is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is estaciono. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo estaciono delante del hospital. — Right: Ayer yo estacioné delante del hospital. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: estaciono is happening now, while estacioné is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating estacionar and aparcar as identical in every context. — Right: Estacionar means to park, while aparcar means to park. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: estacionar fits sentences such as Estaciono el coche en la plaza, while aparcar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy estacionado delante del hospital. — Right: Yo he estacionado delante del hospital. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he estacionado, has estacionado, ha estacionado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo estacioné en el aparcamiento del centro todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo estacionaba en el aparcamiento del centro todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (estacionaba), not the preterite. The preterite (estacioné) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on estacionar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el coche en la plaza. (present tense) A. estaciono B. estacionas C. estaciona D. estacionamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ delante del hospital. (preterite) A. estacioné B. estacionaste C. estacionaron D. estacionó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ en el aparcamiento del centro. (imperfect) A. estacionabas B. estacionaban C. estacionábamos D. estacionaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ cerca del aeropuerto. (future) A. estacionaremos B. estacionarás C. estacionaré D. estacionará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el coche en la plaza si pudiera. (conditional) A. estacionaría B. estacionarías C. estacionarían D. estaciono
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ delante del hospital. (present subjunctive) A. estaciones B. estacionemos C. estaciono D. estacione
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ en el aparcamiento del centro, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. estacionáramos B. estaciono C. estacionara D. estacionaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ cerca del aeropuerto. (present perfect) A. han estacionado B. hemos estacionado C. he estacionado D. has estacionado
Complete the command: ¡___ el coche en la plaza! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. estaciona B. estacione C. estacionemos D. estacionad
Which is the gerund of estacionar, used with estar for the progressive? A. estacionado B. estaciono C. estacioné D. estacionando
Answer key
- estaciono — The first-person present of estacionar is estaciono. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- estacionó — The third-person preterite of estacionar is estacionó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- estacionábamos — The nosotros imperfect of estacionar is estacionábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- estacionarás — The second-person future of estacionar is estacionarás.
- estacionaría — The first-person conditional of estacionar is estacionaría, the form for what would happen.
- estacione — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of estacionar is estacione.
- estacionara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of estacionar is estacionara.
- hemos estacionado — The nosotros present perfect of estacionar is hemos estacionado: hemos + estacionado.
- estaciona — The affirmative tú imperative of estacionar is estaciona.
- estacionando — The gerund of estacionar is estacionando: estoy estacionando. The participle estacionado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does estacionar mean in English?
Estacionar means to park. It is used in everyday situations such as Estaciono el coche en la plaza. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is estacionar regular or irregular?
Estacionar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including estaciono in the present and estacioné in the preterite.
What is the difference between estacionar and aparcar?
Estacionar means to park, while aparcar means to park. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use estacionar when you mean to park, as in Estaciono el coche en la plaza, and use aparcar for to park. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I park” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo estacioné delante del hospital. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo estacionaba en el aparcamiento del centro. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he estacionado delante del hospital.
How do I practise estacionar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the estacionar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Estacionar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for estacionar.
- Estacionar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for estacionar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Aparcar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with estacionar.
- Arrancar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with estacionar.
- Frenar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with estacionar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.