Imponer Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb imponer means to impose, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Imponer means to impose, and it is used for imposing a fine, imposing rules and imposing your opinion on others. It follows the pattern of poner, with the present impongo, the preterite impuse and the irregular participle impuesto. Like every Spanish verb, imponer 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 impongo una multa al conductor, and in the preterite you say impuse su opinión en la reunión. 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: imponer
  • English: to impose
  • Verb type: irregular verb
  • Ending: -er
  • Gerund: imponiendo
  • Past participle: impuesto
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + impuesto)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for imponer, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Imponer follows poner: the present is impongo, the preterite is impuse, and the participle is impuesto.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for imponer. 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 impongo
tú impones
él/ella/Ud. impone
nosotros/as imponemos
vosotros/as imponéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. imponen

Preterite

Person Form
yo impuse
tú impusiste
él/ella/Ud. impuso
nosotros/as impusimos
vosotros/as impusisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. impusieron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo imponía
tú imponías
él/ella/Ud. imponía
nosotros/as imponíamos
vosotros/as imponíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. imponían

Future

Person Form
yo impondré
tú impondrás
él/ella/Ud. impondrá
nosotros/as impondremos
vosotros/as impondréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. impondrán

Conditional

Person Form
yo impondría
tú impondrías
él/ella/Ud. impondría
nosotros/as impondríamos
vosotros/as impondríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. impondrían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he impuesto
tú has impuesto
él/ella/Ud. ha impuesto
nosotros/as hemos impuesto
vosotros/as habéis impuesto
ellos/ellas/Uds. han impuesto

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había impuesto
tú habías impuesto
él/ella/Ud. había impuesto
nosotros/as habíamos impuesto
vosotros/as habíais impuesto
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían impuesto

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré impuesto
tú habrás impuesto
él/ella/Ud. habrá impuesto
nosotros/as habremos impuesto
vosotros/as habréis impuesto
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán impuesto

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría impuesto
tú habrías impuesto
él/ella/Ud. habría impuesto
nosotros/as habríamos impuesto
vosotros/as habríais impuesto
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían impuesto

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo imponga
tú impongas
él/ella/Ud. imponga
nosotros/as impongamos
vosotros/as impongáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. impongan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo impusiera
tú impusieras
él/ella/Ud. impusiera
nosotros/as impusiéramos
vosotros/as impusierais
ellos/ellas/Uds. impusieran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú impón
él/ella/Ud. imponga
nosotros/as impongamos
vosotros/as imponed
ellos/ellas/Uds. impongan

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú impongas
él/ella/Ud. imponga
nosotros/as impongamos
vosotros/as impongáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. impongan

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund imponiendo with estar for the progressive: estoy imponiendo
Past participle impuesto with haber for the perfect tenses: he impuesto

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Impongo una multa al conductor. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, impuse reglas nuevas en el colegio. 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 imponer, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, imponía su opinión en la reunión. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, impondré un castigo al alumno. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Impondría una multa al conductor 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is impuesto, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For imponer, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he impuesto reglas nuevas en el colegio. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is impuesto, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For imponer, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había impuesto su opinión en la reunión 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is impuesto, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For imponer, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré impuesto un castigo al alumno. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb only because the past participle is impuesto, not the regular form — the auxiliary haber is completely regular. For imponer, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría impuesto una multa al conductor 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él imponga reglas nuevas en el colegio. 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él impusiera su opinión en la reunión, 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Impón un castigo al alumno! 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. This tense is irregular for this verb: it follows the pattern of poner, with a -g- in the present (as in compongo), a -s- stem in the preterite (as in compuse), and an irregular participle (as in compuesto). Learn the forms in the table rather than guessing them from the infinitive. For imponer, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No impongas una multa al conductor. 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 imponer, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Impongo una multa al conductor. — I impose a fine on the driver.
  2. Impone reglas nuevas en el colegio. — He/she imposes new rules in the school.
  3. Ayer, impuse su opinión en la reunión. — Yesterday, I imposed his opinion in the meeting.
  4. Antes, nosotros imponíamos un castigo al alumno. — Before, we used to impose a punishment on the pupil.
  5. Mañana, tú impondrás una multa al conductor. — Tomorrow, you will impose a fine on the driver.
  6. Yo impondría reglas nuevas en el colegio si tuviera más tiempo. — I would impose new rules in the school if I had more time.
  7. Él ha impuesto su opinión en la reunión. — He has imposed his opinion in the meeting.
  8. Espero que él imponga un castigo al alumno. — I hope he imposes a punishment on the pupil.
  9. Yo ya había impuesto una multa al conductor antes de salir. — I had already imposed a fine on the driver before leaving.
  10. Ellos imponían reglas nuevas en el colegio cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to impose new rules in the school when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo impone una multa al conductor. — Right: Yo impongo una multa al conductor. — The person matters: impone is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is impongo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo imponí reglas nuevas en el colegio. — Right: Ayer yo impuse reglas nuevas en el colegio. — Imponer has an irregular preterite: the correct first-person form is impuse, not the regular imponí. Learn the preterite forms in the table as a set.
  3. Wrong: Treating imponer and obligar as identical in every context. — Right: Imponer means to impose, while obligar means to force. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: imponer fits sentences such as Impongo una multa al conductor, while obligar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy impuesto reglas nuevas en el colegio. — Right: Yo he impuesto reglas nuevas en el colegio. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he impuesto, has impuesto, ha impuesto. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo impuse su opinión en la reunión todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo imponía su opinión en la reunión todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (imponía), not the preterite. The preterite (impuse) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on imponer. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ una multa al conductor. (present tense) A. impongo B. impones C. impone D. imponemos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ reglas nuevas en el colegio. (preterite) A. impuse B. impusiste C. impusieron D. impuso

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ su opinión en la reunión. (imperfect) A. imponías B. imponían C. imponíamos D. imponía

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ un castigo al alumno. (future) A. impondremos B. impondrás C. impondré D. impondrá

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ una multa al conductor si pudiera. (conditional) A. impondría B. impondrías C. impondrían D. impongo

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ reglas nuevas en el colegio. (present subjunctive) A. impongas B. impongamos C. impongo D. imponga

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ su opinión en la reunión, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. impusiéramos B. impongo C. impusiera D. impusieras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ un castigo al alumno. (present perfect) A. han impuesto B. hemos impuesto C. he impuesto D. has impuesto

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ una multa al conductor! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. impón B. imponga C. impongamos D. imponed

  10. Which is the gerund of imponer, used with estar for the progressive? A. impuesto B. impongo C. impuse D. imponiendo

Answer key

  1. impongo — The first-person present of imponer is impongo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. impuso — The third-person preterite of imponer is impuso, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. imponíamos — The nosotros imperfect of imponer is imponíamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. impondrás — The second-person future of imponer is impondrás.
  5. impondría — The first-person conditional of imponer is impondría, the form for what would happen.
  6. imponga — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of imponer is imponga.
  7. impusiera — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of imponer is impusiera.
  8. hemos impuesto — The nosotros present perfect of imponer is hemos impuesto: hemos + impuesto.
  9. impón — The affirmative tú imperative of imponer is impón.
  10. imponiendo — The gerund of imponer is imponiendo: estoy imponiendo. The participle impuesto is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does imponer mean in English?

Imponer means to impose. It is used in everyday situations such as Impongo una multa al conductor. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is imponer regular or irregular?

Imponer is irregular in present, preterite, future, conditional, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. The other tenses follow the regular pattern. Learn the irregular forms from the tables above rather than guessing them from the infinitive.

What is the difference between imponer and obligar?

Imponer means to impose, while obligar means to force. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use imponer when you mean to impose, as in Impongo una multa al conductor, and use obligar for to force. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I impose” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo impuse reglas nuevas en el colegio. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo imponía su opinión en la reunión. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he impuesto reglas nuevas en el colegio.

How do I practise imponer?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the imponer examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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