Introduction
Lograr means “to achieve, to manage to”, and this page covers exactly one thing: lograr in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly, what is true in general, and what is happening right now. On this page you will find the full present table for lograr, 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 lograr in the present. Lograr is the verb for achieving a goal: passing an exam, winning a race, finishing a project. It is followed by an infinitive, with no preposition. For example: “Yo logro aprobar el examen.” — I manage to pass the exam. Everything on this page uses the forms of lograr exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.
Lograr in the Present Tense — full table
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | logro |
| tú | logras |
| él/ella/Ud. | logra |
| nosotros/as | logramos |
| vosotros/as | lográis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | logran |
Gerund: logrando · Past participle: logrado
The gerund is logrando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy logrando” means the action of lograr is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is logrado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he logrado” 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 lograr is used.
How the present of lograr is formed
Lograr is a regular -ar verb, so the present follows the standard pattern with no surprises. Take the stem logr (the infinitive without its -ar ending) and add the present endings: -o for yo, -as or -es for tú, -a or -e for él/ella/Ud., -amos / -emos / -imos for nosotros, -áis for vosotros, and -an or -en for ellos/ellas/Uds.. That gives you logro, logras, logra, logramos, lográis and logran. Because the verb is regular, once you know the stem and the six endings you can produce every form without memorising a list, and the same pattern works for every other regular -ar verb you learn.
When to use the present of lograr
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use lograr in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. Achieving a goal
Lograr is the verb for achieving a goal: passing an exam, winning a race, finishing a project. It is followed by an infinitive, with no preposition. Example: “Yo logro aprobar el examen.” — I manage to pass the exam.
2. Managing to do something difficult
Lograr + infinitive means to manage to do something difficult. It implies success after effort, which is what separates it from intentar. Example: “Mi hermano logra escalar la montaña.” — My brother manages to climb the mountain.
3. Achieving something with effort
Lograr algo means to achieve something: a dream, a record, a promotion. The thing achieved is the direct object. Example: “Nosotros logramos nuestro objetivo.” — We achieve our goal.
4. Habits and routines
The present tense is the tense of routine. When something happens every day, every week or every morning, the present is the natural choice, and lograr is no exception. Use time expressions such as todos los días, siempre or cada semana to make the routine explicit. Example: “Yo logro aprobar el examen.” — I manage to pass the exam.
5. What is happening right now
The present also describes an action in progress at this very moment. Spanish often prefers the simple present where English would use the continuous form, so a sentence with lograr in the present can mean both “I do this” and “I am doing this now”. Context tells the listener which one you mean. Example: “Nosotros logramos nuestro objetivo.” — We achieve our goal.
Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose
The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, general truths and what is happening now, while the preterite describes one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the time frame — and with it, the tense. Notice how the present sentences use words such as todos los días or siempre, while the preterite sentences use ayer or la semana pasada. Those time words are your best clue when you are choosing a tense.
Present Tense: “Yo logro aprobar el examen todos los años.” — I manage to pass the exam every year.
Preterite: “Ayer yo logré aprobar el examen.” — Yesterday I managed to pass the exam.
Todos los años describes a routine, so the present is right; ayer names one finished day, so the preterite is right.
Present Tense: “El equipo logra ganar el partido siempre.” — The team always manages to win the match.
Preterite: “El equipo logró ganar el partido ayer.” — The team managed to win the match yesterday.
Siempre signals repetition, so the present fits; ayer names one finished day, so the preterite fits.
Present Tense: “Yo logro aprobar el examen.” — I manage to pass the exam.
Preterite: “Ayer, yo logré aprobar el examen.” — the same action, but finished yesterday instead of repeated as a habit.
The present sentence is true every day; the preterite sentence is true once, yesterday. That difference — routine versus one finished event — is the whole decision.
Example sentences: lograr 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.
“Yo logro aprobar el examen.” — I manage to pass the exam.
“¿Tú logras dormir ocho horas?” — Do you manage to sleep eight hours?
“Mi hermano logra escalar la montaña.” — My brother manages to climb the mountain.
“Nosotros logramos nuestro objetivo.” — We achieve our goal.
“Vosotros lográis terminar a tiempo.” — You manage to finish on time.
“Ellos logran resolver el problema.” — They manage to solve the problem.
“Yo logro hablar español.” — I manage to speak Spanish.
“El equipo logra ganar el partido.” — The team manages to win the match.
Common mistakes with lograr 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: “Yo logro a aprobar el examen.” Right: “Yo logro aprobar el examen.” Why: Lograr takes an infinitive directly, with no preposition: logro aprobar, not logro a aprobar. The a belongs to verbs such as comenzar a and aprender a, not to lograr.
Wrong: “Ellos logra resolver el problema.” Right: “Ellos logran resolver el problema.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form logran. The singular logra belongs with él, ella or a singular noun such as el equipo.
Wrong: “Yo logro aprobar ayer.” Right: “Ayer yo logré aprobar el examen.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished achievement yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to logré.
Wrong: “Nosotros logras nuestro objetivo.” Right: “Nosotros logramos nuestro objetivo.” Why: Nosotros needs logramos. The tú form logras belongs with tú.
Quiz: lograr 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 ______ aprobar el examen.” (I manage to pass the exam.)
- (a) logras
- (b) logra
- (c) logro
Answer: logro — The yo form of lograr in the present is logro. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
2. Complete the sentence: “¿Tú ______ dormir ocho horas?” (Do you manage to sleep eight hours?)
- (a) logra
- (b) logras
- (c) logro
Answer: logras — The tú form of lograr in the present is logras. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
3. Complete the sentence: “Mi hermano ______ escalar la montaña.” (My brother manages to climb the mountain.)
- (a) logra
- (b) logro
- (c) logras
Answer: logra — The él/ella/Ud. form of lograr in the present is logra. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ______ nuestro objetivo.” (We achieve our goal.)
- (a) logro
- (b) logras
- (c) logramos
Answer: logramos — The nosotros/as form of lograr in the present is logramos. The other options are the forms for different persons, so they do not agree with the subject.
5. What is the vosotros/as form of lograr in the present?
- (a) logras
- (b) lográis
- (c) logro
Answer: lográis — From the table above: vosotros/as takes lográis. Say it with the example sentence “Vosotros lográis terminar a tiempo.” to fix it in your memory.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ resolver el problema.” (They manage to solve the problem.)
- (a) logro
- (b) logras
- (c) logran
Answer: logran — The subject needs the ellos/ellas/Uds. form, which is logran.
7. Which is the correct yo form of lograr in the present?
- (a) logro
- (b) logra
- (c) logran
Answer: logro — The yo form is logro. The other two options are the él/ella and ellos/ellas forms.
8. Which sentence describes a habit, something that happens regularly?
- (a) Yo logro aprobar el examen todos los años.
- (b) Ayer yo logré aprobar el examen.
- (c) Ayer yo logré aprobar el examen.
Answer: Yo logro aprobar el examen todos los años. — “Yo logro aprobar el examen todos los años.” describes something repeated, so it takes the present tense. The other two sentences describe single finished occasions in the past, not habits.
Frequently asked questions
Is lograr regular in the present tense?
Yes. Lograr is a regular -ar verb: the stem is logr- and the present endings are -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis and -an. There are no stem changes, so the whole table follows the standard pattern.
Does lograr take a preposition before an infinitive?
No. Lograr + infinitive has no preposition: 'Logro aprobar el examen', 'Logro hablar español'. Do not add a: it belongs to comenzar a and aprender a, not to lograr.
What is the difference between lograr and conseguir?
The two are near-synonyms for achieving or getting something. Conseguir is more common for getting a thing or a result ('Consigo el trabajo'), while lograr is more common for achieving a goal after effort ('Logro aprobar el examen'). In most sentences they overlap.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of lograr — every tense of lograr in one place.
- Lograr examples and quiz — more sentences with lograr and a ten-question quiz.
- Spanish present guide — how the present works for all Spanish verbs.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present instantly.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on lograr and other verbs.