Inducir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb inducir means to induce, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Inducir means to induce or to lead to, and it is used for inducing sleep, inducing a decision, and leading someone to do something: inducir al sueño, inducir a error. It is a -ducir verb: the present is induzco, the preterite is built on induj-, and the subjunctive is induzca. Like every Spanish verb, inducir 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 induzco al sueño con música suave, and in the preterite you say induje a la calma con palabras. 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: inducir
- English: to induce
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: induciendo
- Past participle: inducido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + inducido)
- Pattern to learn: this verb is a -ducir verb: the present first person is induzco, the preterite is built on the stem induj- (induje, indujo), and the present subjunctive is induzca.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for inducir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Inducir is a -ducir verb: yo induzco, yo induje, subjunctive induzca. Learn the three stems together.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for inducir. 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 | induzco |
| tú | induces |
| él/ella/Ud. | induce |
| nosotros/as | inducimos |
| vosotros/as | inducís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inducen |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | induje |
| tú | indujiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | indujo |
| nosotros/as | indujimos |
| vosotros/as | indujisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | indujeron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | inducía |
| tú | inducías |
| él/ella/Ud. | inducía |
| nosotros/as | inducíamos |
| vosotros/as | inducíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inducían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | induciré |
| tú | inducirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | inducirá |
| nosotros/as | induciremos |
| vosotros/as | induciréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inducirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | induciría |
| tú | inducirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | induciría |
| nosotros/as | induciríamos |
| vosotros/as | induciríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inducirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he inducido |
| tú | has inducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha inducido |
| nosotros/as | hemos inducido |
| vosotros/as | habéis inducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han inducido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había inducido |
| tú | habías inducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había inducido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos inducido |
| vosotros/as | habíais inducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían inducido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré inducido |
| tú | habrás inducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá inducido |
| nosotros/as | habremos inducido |
| vosotros/as | habréis inducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán inducido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría inducido |
| tú | habrías inducido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría inducido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos inducido |
| vosotros/as | habríais inducido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían inducido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | induzca |
| tú | induzcas |
| él/ella/Ud. | induzca |
| nosotros/as | induzcamos |
| vosotros/as | inducáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | induzcan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | indujera |
| tú | indujeras |
| él/ella/Ud. | indujera |
| nosotros/as | indujéramos |
| vosotros/as | indujerais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | indujeran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | induce |
| él/ella/Ud. | induzca |
| nosotros/as | induzcamos |
| vosotros/as | inducid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | induzcan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | induzcas |
| él/ella/Ud. | induzca |
| nosotros/as | induzcamos |
| vosotros/as | inducáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | induzcan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | induciendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy induciendo |
| Past participle | inducido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he inducido |
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: -ducir verbs take -zco in the first person singular (induzco), while the other persons are regular. For inducir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Induzco al sueño con música suave. 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: -ducir verbs build the preterite on the stem induj- (induje, indujiste, indujo), with no accents on the endings. For inducir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, induje a error con datos falsos. 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 inducir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, inducía a la calma con palabras. 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 inducir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, induciré al cambio con su ejemplo. 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 inducir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Induciría al sueño con música suave 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 inducir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he inducido a error con datos falsos. 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 inducir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había inducido a la calma con palabras 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 inducir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré inducido al cambio con su ejemplo. 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 inducir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría inducido al sueño con música suave 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: -ducir verbs use the stems induzc- (subjunctive) and induj- (past subjunctive), so learn these forms as a set. For inducir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él induzca a error con datos falsos. 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: -ducir verbs use the stems induzc- (subjunctive) and induj- (past subjunctive), so learn these forms as a set. For inducir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él indujera a la calma con palabras, 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: -ducir verbs use the stems induzc- (subjunctive) and induj- (past subjunctive), so learn these forms as a set. For inducir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Induce al cambio con su ejemplo! 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: -ducir verbs use the stems induzc- (subjunctive) and induj- (past subjunctive), so learn these forms as a set. For inducir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No induzcas al sueño con música suave. 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 inducir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Induzco al sueño con música suave. — I induce sleep with soft music.
- Induce a error con datos falsos. — He/she induces error with false data.
- Ayer, induje a la calma con palabras. — Yesterday, I induced calm with words.
- Antes, nosotros inducíamos al cambio con su ejemplo. — Before, we used to induce change with his example.
- Mañana, tú inducirás al sueño con música suave. — Tomorrow, you will induce sleep with soft music.
- Yo induciría a error con datos falsos si tuviera más tiempo. — I would induce error with false data if I had more time.
- Él ha inducido a la calma con palabras. — He has induced calm with words.
- Espero que él induzca al cambio con su ejemplo. — I hope he induces change with his example.
- Yo ya había inducido al sueño con música suave antes de salir. — I had already induced sleep with soft music before leaving.
- Ellos inducían a error con datos falsos cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to induce error with false data when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo induce al sueño con música suave. — Right: Yo induzco al sueño con música suave. — The person matters: induce is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is induzco. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo induco a error con datos falsos. — Right: Yo induzco a error con datos falsos. — Inducir is a -ducir verb: the present first person is induzco, the preterite is built on the stem induj- (induje, indujo), and the present subjunctive is induzca. The form induzco follows that pattern, not the plain stem plus -o.
- Wrong: Treating inducir and provocar as identical in every context. — Right: Inducir means to induce, while provocar means to provoke, to cause. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: inducir fits sentences such as Induzco al sueño con música suave, while provocar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy inducido a error con datos falsos. — Right: Yo he inducido a error con datos falsos. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he inducido, has inducido, ha inducido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo induje a la calma con palabras todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo inducía a la calma con palabras todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (inducía), not the preterite. The preterite (induje) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on inducir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al sueño con música suave. (present tense) A. induzco B. induces C. induce D. inducimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ a error con datos falsos. (preterite) A. induje B. indujiste C. indujimos D. indujo
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a la calma con palabras. (imperfect) A. inducías B. induzco C. inducíamos D. inducía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ al cambio con su ejemplo. (future) A. induciremos B. inducirás C. induciré D. inducirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al sueño con música suave si pudiera. (conditional) A. induciría B. inducirías C. induciríamos D. induzco
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a error con datos falsos. (present subjunctive) A. induzcas B. induzcamos C. induzco D. induzca
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a la calma con palabras, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. indujéramos B. induzco C. indujera D. indujeras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ al cambio con su ejemplo. (present perfect) A. ha inducido B. hemos inducido C. he inducido D. has inducido
Complete the command: ¡___ al sueño con música suave! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. induce B. induzca C. induzcamos D. inducid
Which is the gerund of inducir, used with estar for the progressive? A. inducido B. induzco C. induje D. induciendo
Answer key
- induzco — The yo present tense of inducir is induzco.
- indujo — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of inducir is indujo.
- inducíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of inducir is inducíamos.
- inducirás — The tú future of inducir is inducirás.
- induciría — The yo conditional of inducir is induciría.
- induzca — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of inducir is induzca.
- indujera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of inducir is indujera.
- hemos inducido — The nosotros/as present perfect of inducir is hemos inducido.
- induce — The affirmative tú imperative of inducir is induce.
- induciendo — The gerund of inducir is induciendo: estoy induciendo. The participle inducido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does inducir mean in English?
Inducir means to induce. It is used in everyday situations such as Induzco al sueño con música suave. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is inducir regular or irregular?
Inducir is irregular in present, preterite, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, 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 inducir and provocar?
Inducir means to induce, while provocar means to provoke, to cause. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use inducir when you mean to induce, as in Induzco al sueño con música suave, and use provocar for to provoke, to cause. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I induce” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo induje a error con datos falsos. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo inducía a la calma con palabras. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he inducido a error con datos falsos.
How do I practise inducir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the inducir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Inducir in the preterite tense — the full preterite-tense table for inducir.
- Inducir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for inducir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Incurrir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with inducir.
- Ingerir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with inducir.
- Imprimir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with inducir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.