Estimar Examples, Sentences & Quiz

Introduction

estimar means to estimate, to esteem, and it is one of those verbs that shows up everywhere once you start listening for it. It is a regular -ar verb verb, and this page puts it to work: real example sentences in several tenses, grouped by use, two short passages that show the verb in context, the mistakes learners make with it, a ten-question quiz and answers to common questions. If you only learn one sentence, make it «Yo estimo todos los días» — I estimate every day. The rest of this page builds out from there, tense by tense, so you can use estimar the way native speakers do — in the present for habits, in the past for finished events, and in the subjunctive after wishes and doubts.

Estimar in real example sentences

In the present: everyday use

The present is where estimar lives most of the time — routines, facts and what is happening now:

  1. Yo estimo todos los días. — I estimate every day.
  2. Tú estimas en el trabajo. — You estimate at work.
  3. Él estima con mi familia. — He estimates with my family.
  4. Nosotros estimamos por la mañana. — We estimate in the morning.

Talking about the past

In the past, choose the preterite for a finished event and the imperfect for a habit or background:

  1. Ayer yo estimé por la tarde. — Yesterday I estimated in the afternoon.
  2. Antes, yo estimaba todos los días. — In the past, I used to estimate every day.
  3. La semana pasada él estimó dos veces. — Last week He estimated twice.

Plans and things already done

The future, the conditional and the present perfect round out the picture — plans, hypotheticals and recent events:

  1. Mañana yo estimaré sin falta. — Tomorrow I will estimate without fail.
  2. Si tuviera más tiempo, yo estimaría ahora mismo. — If I had more time, I would estimate right now.
  3. Hoy yo he estimado dos veces. — Today I have estimated twice.

More everyday uses

The subjunctive, the imperative and the progressive cover wishes, commands and actions in progress:

  1. Espero que tú estimes pronto. — I hope You estimate soon.
  2. ¡estima, por favor! — Estimate, please!
  3. Ahora mismo yo estoy estimando. — Right now I am estimating.

Estimar in context

A short dialogue

Ana: «Yo estimo en el trabajo.» — I estimate at work. Luis: «¡Qué bien! Yo estimo con mi familia.» — I estimate with my family. Ana: «Mañana yo estimaré sin falta.» — Tomorrow I will estimate without fail. Luis: «Si tuviera más tiempo, yo estimaría ahora mismo.» — If I had more time, I would estimate right now. Ana: «Hoy yo he estimado dos veces.» — Today I have estimated twice.

A short paragraph

Ayer yo estimé por la tarde. Antes, yo estimaba todos los días. Hoy yo he estimado dos veces. Mañana yo estimaré sin falta.

Yesterday I estimated in the afternoon. In the past, I used to estimate every day. Today I have estimated twice. Tomorrow I will estimate without fail.

Common mistakes with estimar

1. Using the imperfect for a finished event

Wrong: Ayer yo estimaba.

Right: Ayer yo estimé.

Yesterday's finished action needs the preterite, estimé. The imperfect estimaba describes what used to happen or what was going on, not a single completed event.

2. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger

Wrong: Espero que tú estimas.

Right: Espero que tú estimes.

After espero que, Spanish requires the subjunctive: estimes, not the indicative estimas. Wishes, hopes and doubts all trigger this change.

3. Using the affirmative imperative after no

Wrong: No estima.

Right: No estimes.

Negative commands use the subjunctive-based forms: no estimes. The affirmative estima can never follow no.

4. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form

Wrong: Yo estimar todos los días.

Right: Yo estimo todos los días.

The infinitive estimar names the action; it never works as the main verb of a sentence. Conjugate it for the person: yo estimo.

5. Confusing the gerund with the past participle

Wrong: He estimando.

Right: He estimado.

The perfect tenses use haber plus the past participle: he estimado. The gerund estimando goes with estar for actions in progress («Estoy estimando»), never with haber.

Quiz: estimar in use

Test yourself on estimar in use. Choose the correct answer, then check the key below.

1. What is the yo form of estimar in the present indicative?

- (a) estima
- (b) estimamos
- (c) estimas
- (d) estimo

2. What is the tú form of estimar in the preterite?

- (a) estimé
- (b) estimamos
- (c) estimaste
- (d) estimó

3. What is the él/ella/Ud. form of estimar in the future?

- (a) estimaremos
- (b) estimaré
- (c) estimarás
- (d) estimará

4. What is the nosotros/as form of estimar in the present perfect?

- (a) ha estimado
- (b) he estimado
- (c) hemos estimado
- (d) has estimado

5. What is the yo form of estimar in the imperfect?

- (a) estimaba
- (b) estimaba
- (c) estimábamos
- (d) estimabas

6. What is the gerund of estimar?

- (a) estimar
- (b) estimado
- (c) estimando
- (d) estimo

7. What is the past participle of estimar?

- (a) estimado
- (b) estimar
- (c) estimé
- (d) estimando

8. Which sentence uses estimar correctly?

- (a) *Yo estimo todos los días.* — I estimate every day.
- (b) *Yo estimas todos los días.*
- (c) *Yo estima todos los días.*
- (d) *Yo estimar todos los días.*

9. Which sentence uses estimar correctly?

- (a) *Ayer yo estimaba por la tarde.*
- (b) *Ayer yo estimé por la tarde.* — Yesterday I estimated in the afternoon.
- (c) *Ayer yo estimo por la tarde.*
- (d) *Ayer yo estimar por la tarde.*

10. What does estimar mean?

- (a) to settle
- (b) to estimate, to esteem
- (c) to get frightened
- (d) to avoid

Answer key

1. (d) — In the present indicative, the yo form of estimar is estimo. The other options are the same tense but different persons. 2. (c) — In the preterite, the tú form of estimar is estimaste. The other options are the same tense but different persons. 3. (d) — In the future, the él/ella/Ud. form of estimar is estimará. The other options are the same tense but different persons. 4. (c) — In the present perfect, the nosotros/as form of estimar is hemos estimado. The other options are the same tense but different persons. 5. (a) — In the imperfect, the yo form of estimar is estimaba. The other options are the same tense but different persons. 6. (c) — The gerund of estimar is estimando. It is used with estar for the progressive: «Estoy estimando». 7. (a) — The past participle of estimar is estimado. It follows haber in all the perfect tenses: «he estimado». 8. (a) — Only this sentence pairs the right person with the right form of estimar; the others mix a person with another person's form, or use the infinitive instead of a conjugated form. 9. (b) — Only this sentence pairs the right person with the right form of estimar; the others mix a person with another person's form, or use the infinitive instead of a conjugated form. 10. (b) — estimar means «to estimate, to esteem».

Frequently asked questions

How do you say 'I estimate' in Spanish?

Say «Yo estimo todos los días». That is the present-tense yo form, and it is the sentence you will use most with this verb.

How do you say 'I estimated' about yesterday?

Say «Ayer yo estimé por la tarde». The preterite is the tense for a finished event: yesterday, last week, last night.

Is estimar reflexive?

No — estimar is not reflexive. It conjugates without a pronoun: yo estimo, tú estimas, él estima. If you see a -se form of a similar verb, that is a different verb with its own meaning.

Which tense do learners find hardest with estimar?

Most learners struggle with choosing between the preterite and the imperfect, not with the forms themselves. Use the preterite (estimé) for a single finished event and the imperfect (estimaba) for habits and background. After that, the subjunctive is the next step.

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