Fluir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb fluir means to flow, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Fluir means to flow, and it is used for water, traffic, ideas and conversations: fluir por el río, fluir la conversación. It is a -uir verb: yo fluyo, él fluye, with y before the vowel endings. Its gerund is fluyendo. Like every Spanish verb, fluir 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 fluyo por el río hacia el mar, and in the preterite you say fluí sin parar en la ciudad. 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: fluir
- English: to flow
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: fluyendo
- Past participle: fluido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + fluido)
- Pattern to learn: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for fluir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Fluir is a -uir verb: yo fluyo, él fluye, with y before the vowel endings.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for fluir. 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 | fluyo |
| tú | fluyes |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluye |
| nosotros/as | fluimos |
| vosotros/as | fluís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluyen |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | fluí |
| tú | fluiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluyó |
| nosotros/as | fluimos |
| vosotros/as | fluisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluyeron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | fluía |
| tú | fluías |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluía |
| nosotros/as | fluíamos |
| vosotros/as | fluíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | fluiré |
| tú | fluirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluirá |
| nosotros/as | fluiremos |
| vosotros/as | fluiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | fluiría |
| tú | fluirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluiría |
| nosotros/as | fluiríamos |
| vosotros/as | fluiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he fluido |
| tú | has fluido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha fluido |
| nosotros/as | hemos fluido |
| vosotros/as | habéis fluido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han fluido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había fluido |
| tú | habías fluido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había fluido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos fluido |
| vosotros/as | habíais fluido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían fluido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré fluido |
| tú | habrás fluido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá fluido |
| nosotros/as | habremos fluido |
| vosotros/as | habréis fluido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán fluido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría fluido |
| tú | habrías fluido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría fluido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos fluido |
| vosotros/as | habríais fluido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían fluido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | fluya |
| tú | fluyas |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluya |
| nosotros/as | fluyamos |
| vosotros/as | fluyáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluyan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | fluyera |
| tú | fluyeras |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluyera |
| nosotros/as | fluyéramos |
| vosotros/as | fluyerais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluyeran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | fluye |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluya |
| nosotros/as | fluyamos |
| vosotros/as | fluid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluyan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | fluyas |
| él/ella/Ud. | fluya |
| nosotros/as | fluyamos |
| vosotros/as | fluyáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | fluyan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | fluyendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy fluyendo |
| Past participle | fluido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he fluido |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the pattern here: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo. For fluir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Fluyo por el río hacia el mar. 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. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo. For fluir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, fluí con calma en la reunión. 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 fluir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, fluía sin parar en la ciudad. 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 fluir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, fluiré como el agua en el canal. 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 fluir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Fluiría por el río hacia el mar 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 fluir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he fluido con calma en la reunión. 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 fluir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había fluido sin parar en la ciudad 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 fluir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré fluido como el agua en el canal. 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 fluir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría fluido por el río hacia el mar 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: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo. For fluir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él fluya con calma en la reunión. 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 fluir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él fluyera sin parar en la ciudad, 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: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo. For fluir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Fluye como el agua en el canal! 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: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo. For fluir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No fluyas por el río hacia el mar. 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 fluir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Fluyo por el río hacia el mar. — I flow through the river to the sea.
- Fluye con calma en la reunión. — He/she flows calmly in the meeting.
- Ayer, fluí sin parar en la ciudad. — Yesterday, I flowed without stopping in the city.
- Antes, nosotros fluíamos como el agua en el canal. — Before, we used to flow like water in the canal.
- Mañana, tú fluirás por el río hacia el mar. — Tomorrow, you will flow through the river to the sea.
- Yo fluiría con calma en la reunión si tuviera más tiempo. — I would flow calmly in the meeting if I had more time.
- Él ha fluido sin parar en la ciudad. — He has flowed without stopping in the city.
- Espero que él fluya como el agua en el canal. — I hope he flows like water in the canal.
- Yo ya había fluido por el río hacia el mar antes de salir. — I had already flowed through the river to the sea before leaving.
- Ellos fluían con calma en la reunión cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to flow calmly in the meeting when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo fluye por el río hacia el mar. — Right: Yo fluyo por el río hacia el mar. — The person matters: fluye is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is fluyo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo fluo con calma en la reunión. — Right: Yo fluyo con calma en la reunión. — Fluir is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo. The form fluyo follows that pattern, not the plain stem plus -o.
- Wrong: Treating fluir and correr as identical in every context. — Right: Fluir means to flow, while correr means to run, to flow. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: fluir fits sentences such as Fluyo por el río hacia el mar, while correr belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy fluido con calma en la reunión. — Right: Yo he fluido con calma en la reunión. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he fluido, has fluido, ha fluido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo fluí sin parar en la ciudad todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo fluía sin parar en la ciudad todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (fluía), not the preterite. The preterite (fluí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on fluir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ por el río hacia el mar. (present tense) A. fluyo B. fluyes C. fluye D. fluimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ con calma en la reunión. (preterite) A. fluí B. fluiste C. fluimos D. fluyó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ sin parar en la ciudad. (imperfect) A. fluías B. fluyo C. fluíamos D. fluía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ como el agua en el canal. (future) A. fluiremos B. fluirás C. fluiré D. fluirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ por el río hacia el mar si pudiera. (conditional) A. fluiría B. fluirías C. fluiríamos D. fluyo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ con calma en la reunión. (present subjunctive) A. fluyas B. fluyamos C. fluyo D. fluya
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ sin parar en la ciudad, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. fluyéramos B. fluyo C. fluyera D. fluyeras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ como el agua en el canal. (present perfect) A. ha fluido B. hemos fluido C. he fluido D. has fluido
Complete the command: ¡___ por el río hacia el mar! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. fluye B. fluya C. fluyamos D. fluid
Which is the gerund of fluir, used with estar for the progressive? A. fluido B. fluyo C. fluí D. fluyendo
Answer key
- fluyo — The yo present tense of fluir is fluyo.
- fluyó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of fluir is fluyó.
- fluíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of fluir is fluíamos.
- fluirás — The tú future of fluir is fluirás.
- fluiría — The yo conditional of fluir is fluiría.
- fluya — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of fluir is fluya.
- fluyera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of fluir is fluyera.
- hemos fluido — The nosotros/as present perfect of fluir is hemos fluido.
- fluye — The affirmative tú imperative of fluir is fluye.
- fluyendo — The gerund of fluir is fluyendo: estoy fluyendo. The participle fluido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does fluir mean in English?
Fluir means to flow. It is used in everyday situations such as Fluyo por el río hacia el mar. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is fluir regular or irregular?
Fluir is a spelling-change verb: it is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is fluyo and fluye, and the gerund is fluyendo. The endings are regular, so once you know the pattern you can produce every form on this page, including fluyo in the present and fluí in the preterite.
What is the difference between fluir and correr?
Fluir means to flow, while correr means to run, to flow. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use fluir when you mean to flow, as in Fluyo por el río hacia el mar, and use correr for to run, to flow. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I flow” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo fluí con calma en la reunión. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo fluía sin parar en la ciudad. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he fluido con calma en la reunión.
How do I practise fluir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the fluir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Fluir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for fluir.
- Fluir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for fluir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Fingir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with fluir.
- Fundir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with fluir.
- Extinguir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with fluir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.