Introduction

Hipotecar means “to mortgage”, and this page covers exactly one thing: hipotecar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for hipotecar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about hipotecar in the present. Hipotecar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo hipoteco la casa” — "I mortgage the house". Everything on this page uses the forms of hipotecar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Hipotecar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo hipoteco
tú hipotecas
él/ella/Ud. hipoteca
nosotros/as hipotecamos
vosotros/as hipotecáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. hipotecan

Gerund: hipotecando · Past participle: hipotecado

The gerund is hipotecando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy hipotecando” means the action of hipotecar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is hipotecado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he hipotecado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how hipotecar is used.

How the present of hipotecar is formed

Hipotecar is a spelling-changing -ar (c → qu before e) verb in the present. Take the stem hipotec and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving hipoteco, hipotecas, hipoteca, hipotecamos, hipotecáis, hipotecan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, hipotecáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of hipotecar is regular in its endings, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form hipotecáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form hipoteco is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of hipotecar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use hipotecar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, hipotecar goes in the present. Example: “Yo hipoteco para comprar el piso” — "I mortgage to buy the flat".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about hipotecar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él hipoteca con el banco” — "He mortgages with the bank".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so hipoteco can mean both "I mortgage" and "I am mortgaging". Example: “Yo hipoteco la casa” — "I mortgage the house".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros hipotecamos para comprar el piso” — "We mortgage to buy the flat".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with hipotecar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él hipoteca con el banco” — "He mortgages with the bank".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo hipoteco la casa” — "I mortgage the house".

  • Preterite: “Yo hipotequé la casa” — "I mortgaged the house".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él hipoteca para comprar el piso” — "He mortgages to buy the flat".

  • Preterite: “Él hipotecó para comprar el piso” — "He mortgaged to buy the flat".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros hipotecamos con el banco” — "We mortgage with the bank".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros hipotecamos con el banco” — "We mortgaged with the bank".

  • The two sentences look identical: hipotecamos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: hipotecar in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Yo hipoteco para comprar el piso” — "I mortgage to buy the flat"

  2. “Tú hipotecas con el banco” — "You mortgage with the bank"

  3. “Él hipoteca la casa” — "He mortgages the house"

  4. “Nosotros hipotecamos para comprar el piso” — "We mortgage to buy the flat"

  5. “Vosotros hipotecáis con el banco” — "You mortgage with the bank"

  6. “Ellos hipotecan la casa” — "They mortgage the house"

  7. “Yo hipoteco para comprar el piso” — "I mortgage to buy the flat"

  8. “Él hipoteca con el banco” — "He mortgages with the bank"

Common mistakes with hipotecar in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Ellos hipoteca la casa” Right: “Ellos hipotecan la casa” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form hipotecan. The singular hipoteca belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo hipotequé” Right: “Todos los días, yo hipoteco” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (hipotequé) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo hipoteca la casa.” Right: “Yo hipoteco la casa” Why: Yo needs the yo form hipoteco. The él form hipoteca belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo hipoteco” Right: “Ayer, yo hipotequé” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to hipotequé.

Quiz: hipotecar in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ___ con el banco.” (yo form)

A. hipotecas B. hipotecáis C. hipoteco D. hipotecamos

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la casa.” (tú form)

A. hipoteco B. hipotecamos C. hipotecan D. hipotecas

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ para comprar el piso.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. hipotecamos B. hipotecas C. hipotecáis D. hipoteca

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ con el banco.” (nosotros/as form)

A. hipotecan B. hipotecas C. hipotecamos D. hipoteca

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ la casa.” (vosotros/as form)

A. hipoteco B. hipotecáis C. hipotecamos D. hipotecan

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ para comprar el piso.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. hipotecáis B. hipotecas C. hipoteco D. hipotecan

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo hipoteco B. Todos los días, yo hipotequé

Answer key

  1. hipoteco — The yo present of hipotecar is hipoteco.
  2. hipotecas — The tú present of hipotecar is hipotecas.
  3. hipoteca — The él/ella/Ud. present of hipotecar is hipoteca.
  4. hipotecamos — The nosotros/as present of hipotecar is hipotecamos.
  5. hipotecáis — The vosotros/as present of hipotecar is hipotecáis.
  6. hipotecan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of hipotecar is hipotecan.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo hipoteco — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of hipotecar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo hipoteco la casa. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of hipotecar formed?

Take the stem hipotec- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving hipoteco, hipotecas, hipoteca, hipotecamos, hipotecáis, hipotecan.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for hipotecar?

The present (hipoteco) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (hipotequé) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise hipotecar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — hipoteco, hipotecas, hipoteca, hipotecamos, hipotecáis, hipotecan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the hipotecar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of hipotecar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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