Iniciar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb iniciar means to begin, to start, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Iniciar means to begin or to start, and it is the formal partner of empezar: iniciar un proyecto, iniciar sesión, iniciar una conversación. It is common in work, computing and formal writing, and it takes a noun as its object: iniciar el trabajo, iniciar el curso. Like every Spanish verb, iniciar 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 inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero, and in the preterite you say inicié una conversación con el jefe. 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: iniciar
- English: to begin, to start
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: iniciando
- Past participle: iniciado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + iniciado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for iniciar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Iniciar is fully regular: inicié, iniciaba, iniciaré. Remember the accent on inicié.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for iniciar. 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 | inicio |
| tú | inicias |
| él/ella/Ud. | inicia |
| nosotros/as | iniciamos |
| vosotros/as | iniciáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inician |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | inicié |
| tú | iniciaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | inició |
| nosotros/as | iniciamos |
| vosotros/as | iniciasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | iniciaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | iniciaba |
| tú | iniciabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | iniciaba |
| nosotros/as | iniciábamos |
| vosotros/as | iniciabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | iniciaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | iniciaré |
| tú | iniciarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | iniciará |
| nosotros/as | iniciaremos |
| vosotros/as | iniciaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | iniciarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | iniciaría |
| tú | iniciarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | iniciaría |
| nosotros/as | iniciaríamos |
| vosotros/as | iniciaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | iniciarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he iniciado |
| tú | has iniciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha iniciado |
| nosotros/as | hemos iniciado |
| vosotros/as | habéis iniciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han iniciado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había iniciado |
| tú | habías iniciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había iniciado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos iniciado |
| vosotros/as | habíais iniciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían iniciado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré iniciado |
| tú | habrás iniciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá iniciado |
| nosotros/as | habremos iniciado |
| vosotros/as | habréis iniciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán iniciado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría iniciado |
| tú | habrías iniciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría iniciado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos iniciado |
| vosotros/as | habríais iniciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían iniciado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | inicie |
| tú | inicies |
| él/ella/Ud. | inicie |
| nosotros/as | iniciemos |
| vosotros/as | iniciéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inicien |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | iniciara |
| tú | iniciaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | iniciara |
| nosotros/as | iniciáramos |
| vosotros/as | iniciarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | iniciaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | inicia |
| él/ella/Ud. | inicie |
| nosotros/as | iniciemos |
| vosotros/as | iniciad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inicien |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | inicies |
| él/ella/Ud. | inicie |
| nosotros/as | iniciemos |
| vosotros/as | iniciéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inicien |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | iniciando | with estar for the progressive: estoy iniciando |
| Past participle | iniciado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he iniciado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For iniciar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero. 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For iniciar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, inicié sesión en el ordenador. 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 iniciar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, iniciaba una conversación con el jefe. 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 iniciar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, iniciaré el curso el lunes. 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 iniciar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Iniciaría un proyecto nuevo en enero 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 iniciar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he iniciado sesión en el ordenador. 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 iniciar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había iniciado una conversación con el jefe 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 iniciar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré iniciado el curso el lunes. 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 iniciar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría iniciado un proyecto nuevo en enero 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For iniciar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él inicie sesión en el ordenador. 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 iniciar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él iniciara una conversación con el jefe, 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For iniciar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Inicia el curso el lunes! 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. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For iniciar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No inicies un proyecto nuevo en enero. 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 iniciar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero. — I begin a new project in January.
- Inicia sesión en el ordenador. — He/she begins a session on the computer.
- Ayer, inicié una conversación con el jefe. — Yesterday, I began a conversation with the boss.
- Antes, nosotros iniciábamos el curso el lunes. — Before, we used to begin the course on Monday.
- Mañana, tú iniciarás un proyecto nuevo en enero. — Tomorrow, you will begin a new project in January.
- Yo iniciaría sesión en el ordenador si tuviera más tiempo. — I would begin a session on the computer if I had more time.
- Él ha iniciado una conversación con el jefe. — He has begun a conversation with the boss.
- Espero que él inicie el curso el lunes. — I hope he begins the course on Monday.
- Yo ya había iniciado un proyecto nuevo en enero antes de salir. — I had already begun a new project in January before leaving.
- Ellos iniciaban sesión en el ordenador cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to begin a session on the computer when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo inicia un proyecto nuevo en enero. — Right: Yo inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero. — The person matters: inicia is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is inicio. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo inicio sesión en el ordenador. — Right: Ayer yo inicié sesión en el ordenador. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: inicio is happening now, while inicié is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating iniciar and empezar as identical in every context. — Right: Iniciar means to begin, to start, while empezar means to begin, the everyday synonym. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: iniciar fits sentences such as Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero, while empezar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy iniciado sesión en el ordenador. — Right: Yo he iniciado sesión en el ordenador. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he iniciado, has iniciado, ha iniciado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo inicié una conversación con el jefe todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo iniciaba una conversación con el jefe todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (iniciaba), not the preterite. The preterite (inicié) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on iniciar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un proyecto nuevo en enero. (present tense) A. inicio B. inicias C. inicia D. iniciamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ sesión en el ordenador. (preterite) A. inicié B. iniciaste C. iniciamos D. inició
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ una conversación con el jefe. (imperfect) A. iniciabas B. inicio C. iniciábamos D. iniciaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el curso el lunes. (future) A. iniciaremos B. iniciarás C. iniciaré D. iniciará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un proyecto nuevo en enero si pudiera. (conditional) A. iniciaría B. iniciarías C. iniciaríamos D. inicio
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ sesión en el ordenador. (present subjunctive) A. inicies B. iniciemos C. inicio D. inicie
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ una conversación con el jefe, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. iniciáramos B. inicio C. iniciara D. iniciaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el curso el lunes. (present perfect) A. ha iniciado B. hemos iniciado C. he iniciado D. has iniciado
Complete the command: ¡___ un proyecto nuevo en enero! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. inicia B. inicie C. iniciemos D. iniciad
Which is the gerund of iniciar, used with estar for the progressive? A. iniciado B. inicio C. inicié D. iniciando
Answer key
- inicio — The yo present tense of iniciar is inicio.
- inició — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of iniciar is inició.
- iniciábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of iniciar is iniciábamos.
- iniciarás — The tú future of iniciar is iniciarás.
- iniciaría — The yo conditional of iniciar is iniciaría.
- inicie — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of iniciar is inicie.
- iniciara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of iniciar is iniciara.
- hemos iniciado — The nosotros/as present perfect of iniciar is hemos iniciado.
- inicia — The affirmative tú imperative of iniciar is inicia.
- iniciando — The gerund of iniciar is iniciando: estoy iniciando. The participle iniciado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does iniciar mean in English?
Iniciar means to begin, to start. It is used in everyday situations such as Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is iniciar regular or irregular?
Iniciar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including inicio in the present and inicié in the preterite.
What is the difference between iniciar and empezar?
Iniciar means to begin, to start, while empezar means to begin, the everyday synonym. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use iniciar when you mean to begin, to start, as in Inicio un proyecto nuevo en enero, and use empezar for to begin, the everyday synonym. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I begin” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo inicié sesión en el ordenador. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo iniciaba una conversación con el jefe. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he iniciado sesión en el ordenador.
How do I practise iniciar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the iniciar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Iniciar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for iniciar.
- Iniciar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for iniciar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Ingresar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with iniciar.
- Instalar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with iniciar.
- Insultar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with iniciar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.