Introduction

Jubilarse means “to retire”, and this page covers exactly one thing: jubilarse 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 jubilarse, 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 jubilarse in the present. Jubilarse in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo me jubilo a los sesenta y cinco” — "I retire at sixty-five". Everything on this page uses the forms of jubilarse exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Jubilarse in the Present Tense — full table

Person Pronoun Form
yo me jubilo
tú te jubilas
él/ella/Ud. se jubila
nosotros/as nos jubilamos
vosotros/as os jubiláis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se jubilan

Gerund: jubilando · Past participle: jubilado

The gerund is jubilando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Me estoy jubilando” means the action of jubilarse is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is jubilado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “me he jubilado” 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 jubilarse is used.

How the present of jubilarse is formed

Jubilarse is a regular -ar, reflexive verb in the present. Take the stem jubil and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving jubilo, jubilas, jubila, jubilamos, jubiláis, jubilan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, jubiláis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. Because jubilarse is reflexive, every form takes the matching pronoun in front: me jubilo, te jubilas, se jubila. The pronoun is part of the verb, not an optional extra. The present of jubilarse is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form jubiláis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form jubilo is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of jubilarse

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use jubilarse 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, jubilarse goes in the present. Example: “El año que viene, yo me jubilo” — "Next year, I retire".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about jubilarse does not need a time word at all. Example: “Después de cuarenta años, él se jubila” — "After forty years, he retires".

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 me jubilo can mean both "I retire" and "I am retiring". Example: “Yo me jubilo a los sesenta y cinco” — "I retire at sixty-five".

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: “El año que viene, nosotros nos jubilamos” — "Next year, we retire".

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 jubilarse just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Después de cuarenta años, él se jubila” — "After forty years, he retires".

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 me jubilo a los sesenta y cinco” — "I retire at sixty-five".

  • Preterite: “Yo me jubilé a los sesenta y cinco” — "I retired at sixty-five".

  • 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: “El año que viene, él se jubila” — "Next year, he retires".

  • Preterite: “El año que viene, él se jubiló” — "Next year, he retired".

  • 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: “Después de cuarenta años, nosotros nos jubilamos” — "After forty years, we retire".

  • Preterite: “Después de cuarenta años, nosotros nos jubilamos” — "After forty years, we retired".

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

Example sentences: jubilarse 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. “El año que viene, yo me jubilo” — "Next year, I retire"

  2. “Después de cuarenta años, tú te jubilas” — "After forty years, you retire"

  3. “Él se jubila a los sesenta y cinco” — "He retires at sixty-five"

  4. “El año que viene, nosotros nos jubilamos” — "Next year, we retire"

  5. “Después de cuarenta años, vosotros os jubiláis” — "After forty years, you retire"

  6. “Ellos se jubilan a los sesenta y cinco” — "They retire at sixty-five"

  7. “El año que viene, yo me jubilo” — "Next year, I retire"

  8. “Después de cuarenta años, él se jubila” — "After forty years, he retires"

Common mistakes with jubilarse 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 jubila a los sesenta y cinco” Right: “Ellos se jubilan a los sesenta y cinco” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form jubilan. The singular jubila belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo jubilo a los sesenta y cinco.” Right: “Yo me jubilo a los sesenta y cinco” Why: Jubilarse is reflexive: the pronoun me is required. Without it the sentence means something else, or nothing at all.

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

Quiz: jubilarse 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 me ___ a los sesenta y cinco.” (yo form)

A. jubiláis B. jubilas C. jubilamos D. jubilo

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú te ___ a los sesenta y cinco.” (tú form)

A. jubiláis B. jubila C. jubilan D. jubilas

3. Complete the sentence: “Él se ___ a los sesenta y cinco.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. jubiláis B. jubila C. jubilas D. jubilo

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros nos ___ a los sesenta y cinco.” (nosotros/as form)

A. jubilamos B. jubila C. jubilas D. jubilan

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros os ___ a los sesenta y cinco.” (vosotros/as form)

A. jubiláis B. jubilan C. jubilas D. jubilamos

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos se ___ a los sesenta y cinco.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. jubilan B. jubiláis C. jubilo D. jubila

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 me jubilo B. Todos los días, yo me jubilé

Answer key

  1. jubilo — The yo present of jubilarse is jubilo.
  2. jubilas — The tú present of jubilarse is jubilas.
  3. jubila — The él/ella/Ud. present of jubilarse is jubila.
  4. jubilamos — The nosotros/as present of jubilarse is jubilamos.
  5. jubiláis — The vosotros/as present of jubilarse is jubiláis.
  6. jubilan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of jubilarse is jubilan.
  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 me jubilo — 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 jubilarse?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo me jubilo a los sesenta y cinco. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of jubilarse formed?

Take the stem jubil- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving jubilo, jubilas, jubila, jubilamos, jubiláis, jubilan.

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

The present (jubilo) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (jubilé) 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 jubilarse in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — jubilo, jubilas, jubila, jubilamos, jubiláis, jubilan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the jubilarse examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of jubilarse when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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