Inmortalizar Present Tense in Spanish
inmortalizar means "to immortalise" in English, and the present tense is the form you use when you talk about what happens regularly, what is generally true, and what is happening now. This page gives you the full present-tense table for inmortalizar, explains how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it, contrasts it with the closest tense, and finishes with examples, the mistakes learners actually make, a quiz and answers to the most common questions. A natural example is: Cada día, yo inmortalizo el momento con una foto. — "Every day, I immortalise the moment with a photo." Once you can say that sentence confidently, try changing the person and the complement using the table below.
The present tense of inmortalizar: full table
Every person of inmortalizar in the present tense. The gerund is inmortalizando and the past participle is inmortalizado.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | inmortalizo |
| tú | inmortalizas |
| él/ella/Ud. | inmortaliza |
| nosotros/as | inmortalizamos |
| vosotros/as | inmortalizáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | inmortalizan |
The gerund of inmortalizar is inmortalizando and the past participle is inmortalizado. The gerund is used for the progressive (estoy inmortalizando), and the participle is used with haber in all perfect tenses (he inmortalizado).
How the present tense of inmortalizar is formed
The present tense of inmortalizar is built from the stem inmortaliz- plus the regular -ar endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an. Take the infinitive, remove the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person: yo inmortalizo, tú inmortalizas, él inmortaliza, nosotros inmortalizamos, vosotros inmortalizáis and ellos inmortalizan. Once you know the pattern for one regular -ar verb, you can apply it to hundreds of others.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | inmortalizo |
| tú | -as | inmortalizas |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | inmortaliza |
| nosotros/as | -amos | inmortalizamos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | inmortalizáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | inmortalizan |
Watch the spelling: the z becomes c before e, so the yo preterite is inmortalicé and the subjunctive forms start with c, for example inmortalice.
Two more forms belong with this tense. The gerund is inmortalizando, used for the progressive with estar: estoy inmortalizando. The past participle is inmortalizado, used with haber in all perfect tenses: he inmortalizado. Both forms appear constantly, so they are worth memorising on their own.
When to use the present tense with inmortalizar
1. Routines and habits
The present tense describes what happens regularly. For example: Cada día, yo inmortalizo el momento con una foto. — "Every day, I immortalise the moment with a photo." The complement in this sentence is about the moment with a photo, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear inmortalizar in the present tense.
2. Things happening now
The present tense describes what is happening at this moment. For example: Ahora, tú inmortalizas a su abuelo en un retrato. — "Now, you immortalise his grandfather in a portrait." The complement in this sentence is about his grandfather in a portrait, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear inmortalizar in the present tense.
3. General truths
The present tense states facts that are generally true, not tied to one moment. For example: Normalmente, él inmortaliza la victoria en un libro. — "Normally, he/she immortalises the victory in a book." The complement in this sentence is about the victory in a book, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear inmortalizar in the present tense.
4. Plans and the near future
The present tense is also used for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression. Spanish speakers often say the present where English would use a future: the plan is so certain that it feels like a fact. For example: Mañana, nosotros inmortalizamos el día con un vídeo. — "Tomorrow, we immortalise the day with a video." The complement in this sentence is about the day with a video, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear inmortalizar in the present tense.
5. Frequent actions
With words such as siempre, a menudo and todos los días, the present tense shows how often something happens. For example: Siempre, ellos inmortalizan el momento con una foto. — "Always, they immortalise the moment with a photo." The complement in this sentence is about the moment with a photo, which is exactly the kind of situation where you will hear inmortalizar in the present tense.
Present vs preterite: inmortalizar
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, routines and general truths, while the preterite describes one action that started and finished in the past. The three pairs below show the difference with inmortalizar.
Pair 1
- Present (habit): Cada día, yo inmortalizo el momento con una foto. — "Every day, I immortalise the moment with a photo."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, yo inmortalicé el momento con una foto. — "Yesterday, I immortalised the moment with a photo."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 2
- Present (habit): Cada día, tú inmortalizas a su abuelo en un retrato. — "Every day, you immortalise his grandfather in a portrait."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, tú inmortalizaste a su abuelo en un retrato. — "Yesterday, you immortalised his grandfather in a portrait."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Pair 3
- Present (habit): Cada día, él inmortaliza la victoria en un libro. — "Every day, he/she immortalises the victory in a book."
- Preterite (one finished action): Ayer, él inmortalizó la victoria en un libro. — "Yesterday, he/she immortalised the victory in a book."
The first sentence describes something that happens regularly. The second describes something that happened once, yesterday, and is now finished. If you can add cada día, use the present; if you can add ayer, use the preterite.
Examples: inmortalizar in the present tense
These eight sentences show inmortalizar in the present tense with a different person each time. Read them aloud, then try changing the person and the complement to make your own versions.
- Yo inmortalizo el momento con una foto. — "I immortalise the moment with a photo."
- Tú inmortalizas a su abuelo en un retrato. — "you immortalise his grandfather in a portrait."
- Él inmortaliza la victoria en un libro. — "he/she immortalises the victory in a book."
- Nosotros inmortalizamos el día con un vídeo. — "we immortalise the day with a video."
- Vosotros inmortalizáis el momento con una foto. — "you (plural) immortalise the moment with a photo."
- Ellos inmortalizan a su abuelo en un retrato. — "they immortalise his grandfather in a portrait."
- Yo inmortalizo la victoria en un libro. — "I immortalise the victory in a book."
- Tú inmortalizas el día con un vídeo. — "you immortalise the day with a video."
Common mistakes with inmortalizar in the present tense
Mistake 1: Dropping the accent on the vosotros form
- Wrong: Vosotros inmortalizais el momento con una foto.
- Right: Vosotros inmortalizáis el momento con una foto.
- Why: The vosotros form inmortalizáis carries a written accent. Without it the word is misspelled.
Mistake 2: Adding a reflexive pronoun that does not belong
- Wrong: Yo me inmortalizo el momento con una foto.
- Right: Yo inmortalizo el momento con una foto.
- Why: inmortalizar is not reflexive, so there is no pronoun to add. The extra pronoun changes the meaning of the sentence.
Mistake 3: Using the present tense for yesterday
- Wrong: Ayer, yo inmortalizo a su abuelo en un retrato.
- Right: Ayer, yo inmortalicé a su abuelo en un retrato.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite: Ayer, yo inmortalicé a su abuelo en un retrato. — "Yesterday, I immortalised his grandfather in a portrait." The present tense is for habits and routines, not for yesterday.
Mistake 4: Using the present tense for a past habit
- Wrong: Antes, yo inmortalizo la victoria en un libro.
- Right: Antes, yo inmortalizaba la victoria en un libro.
- Why: Antes means before, in the past, so a past habit needs the imperfect: Antes, yo inmortalizaba la victoria en un libro. — "In the past, I used to immortalise the victory in a book." The present tense describes what happens now, not what used to happen.
Mistake 5: Using the él form for nosotros
- Wrong: Nosotros inmortaliza el momento con una foto.
- Right: Nosotros inmortalizamos el momento con una foto.
- Why: The person and the ending must match: nosotros takes inmortalizamos, while inmortaliza belongs to él and ella. Check the person first, then choose the form.
Quiz: the present tense of inmortalizar
Test yourself with eight questions on the present tense of inmortalizar. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the yo form of inmortalizar in the present tense?
- (a) inmortalizas
- (b) inmortaliza
- (c) inmortalizamos
- (d) inmortalizo
Answer: (d) inmortalizo. The yo form is inmortalizo. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
2. What is the tú form of inmortalizar in the present tense?
- (a) inmortaliza
- (b) inmortalizamos
- (c) inmortalizas
- (d) inmortalizo
Answer: (c) inmortalizas. The tú form is inmortalizas. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
3. What is the él/ella form of inmortalizar in the present tense?
- (a) inmortalizamos
- (b) inmortaliza
- (c) inmortalizo
- (d) inmortalizas
Answer: (b) inmortaliza. The él/ella form is inmortaliza. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
4. What is the nosotros form of inmortalizar in the present tense?
- (a) inmortalizamos
- (b) inmortalizo
- (c) inmortalizas
- (d) inmortaliza
Answer: (a) inmortalizamos. The nosotros form is inmortalizamos. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
5. What is the ellos/ellas form of inmortalizar in the present tense?
- (a) inmortalizo
- (b) inmortalizas
- (c) inmortaliza
- (d) inmortalizan
Answer: (d) inmortalizan. The ellos/ellas form is inmortalizan. The other options are other persons, so check the person before you answer.
6. Complete the sentence: Cada día, yo ___ el momento con una foto.
- (a) inmortaliza
- (b) inmortalizamos
- (c) inmortalizo
- (d) inmortalizas
Answer: (c) inmortalizo. The sentence needs the yo form inmortalizo (Every day, I immortalise the moment with a photo.)
7. What is the gerund of inmortalizar?
- (a) inmortalizo
- (b) inmortalizar
- (c) inmortalizando
- (d) inmortalizado
Answer: (c) inmortalizando. The gerund is inmortalizando, used for the progressive: estoy inmortalizando.
8. Which sentence describes a habit, something you do regularly?
- (a) Mañana, yo inmortalizaré a su abuelo en un retrato.
- (b) Cada día, yo inmortalizo a su abuelo en un retrato.
- (c) Antes, yo inmortalizaba a su abuelo en un retrato.
- (d) Ayer, yo inmortalicé a su abuelo en un retrato.
Answer: (b) Cada día, yo inmortalizo a su abuelo en un retrato.. Cada día, yo inmortalizo a su abuelo en un retrato. (Every day, I immortalise his grandfather in a portrait.) describes a habit, so it uses the present tense. Ayer, yo inmortalicé a su abuelo en un retrato. is a single completed action, and Mañana, yo inmortalizaré a su abuelo en un retrato. is in the future.
Frequently asked questions about the present tense of inmortalizar
Is inmortalizar regular in the present tense?
Almost. inmortalizar is a spelling-changing (z → c before e) -ar verb, so its endings are regular, but watch the spelling: Watch the spelling: the z becomes c before e, so the yo preterite is inmortalicé and the subjunctive forms start with c, for example inmortalice.
How do you say 'immortalise' in a sentence?
Use the present tense with a complement: Cada día, yo inmortalizo el momento con una foto. — "Every day, I immortalise the moment with a photo." Change the person using the table above, and change the complement to talk about your own life.
When do I use the present tense instead of the preterite with inmortalizar?
Use the present for habits and routines: Cada día, yo inmortalizo a su abuelo en un retrato. — "Every day, I immortalise his grandfather in a portrait." Use the preterite for one finished action: Ayer, yo inmortalicé a su abuelo en un retrato. — "Yesterday, I immortalised his grandfather in a portrait." If the action happens regularly, choose the present; if it happened once and is finished, choose the preterite.
Can I use the present tense for the future with inmortalizar?
Yes, when the plan is already fixed. Mañana, nosotros inmortalizamos el día con un vídeo. — "Tomorrow, we immortalise the day with a video." Spanish often uses the present for a plan that feels certain, where English would use the future. Add a time word such as mañana so the listener knows you mean the future.