Introduction

Malgastar means “to waste (money)”, and this page covers exactly one thing: malgastar 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 malgastar, 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 malgastar in the present. Malgastar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo malgasto el dinero” — "I waste the money". Everything on this page uses the forms of malgastar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Malgastar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo malgasto
tú malgastas
él/ella/Ud. malgasta
nosotros/as malgastamos
vosotros/as malgastáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. malgastan

Gerund: malgastando · Past participle: malgastado

The gerund is malgastando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy malgastando” means the action of malgastar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is malgastado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he malgastado” 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 malgastar is used.

How the present of malgastar is formed

Malgastar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem malgast and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving malgasto, malgastas, malgasta, malgastamos, malgastáis, malgastan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, malgastáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of malgastar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form malgastáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form malgasto is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of malgastar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use malgastar 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, malgastar goes in the present. Example: “Yo malgasto su tiempo” — "I waste his time".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about malgastar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él malgasta en tonterías” — "He wastes on silly things".

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 malgasto can mean both "I waste" and "I am wasting". Example: “Yo malgasto el dinero” — "I waste the money".

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: “Nosotros malgastamos su tiempo” — "We waste his time".

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 malgastar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él malgasta en tonterías” — "He wastes on silly things".

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 malgasto el dinero” — "I waste the money".

  • Preterite: “Yo malgasté el dinero” — "I wasted the money".

  • 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: “Él malgasta su tiempo” — "He wastes his time".

  • Preterite: “Él malgastó su tiempo” — "He wasted his time".

  • 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: “Nosotros malgastamos en tonterías” — "We waste on silly things".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros malgastamos en tonterías” — "We wasted on silly things".

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

Example sentences: malgastar 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. “Yo malgasto su tiempo” — "I waste his time"

  2. “Tú malgastas en tonterías” — "You waste on silly things"

  3. “Él malgasta el dinero” — "He wastes the money"

  4. “Nosotros malgastamos su tiempo” — "We waste his time"

  5. “Vosotros malgastáis en tonterías” — "You waste on silly things"

  6. “Ellos malgastan el dinero” — "They waste the money"

  7. “Yo malgasto su tiempo” — "I waste his time"

  8. “Él malgasta en tonterías” — "He wastes on silly things"

Common mistakes with malgastar 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 malgasta el dinero” Right: “Ellos malgastan el dinero” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form malgastan. The singular malgasta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo malgasta el dinero.” Right: “Yo malgasto el dinero” Why: Yo needs the yo form malgasto. The él form malgasta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: malgastar 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 ___ en tonterías.” (yo form)

A. malgastamos B. malgasto C. malgastáis D. malgasta

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ el dinero.” (tú form)

A. malgasta B. malgasto C. malgastas D. malgastan

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ su tiempo.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. malgasto B. malgasta C. malgastan D. malgastamos

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ en tonterías.” (nosotros/as form)

A. malgastáis B. malgastamos C. malgastan D. malgasto

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ el dinero.” (vosotros/as form)

A. malgastas B. malgastáis C. malgasta D. malgasto

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ su tiempo.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. malgastan B. malgasta C. malgasto D. malgastas

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 malgasto B. Todos los días, yo malgasté

Answer key

  1. malgasto — The yo present of malgastar is malgasto.
  2. malgastas — The tú present of malgastar is malgastas.
  3. malgasta — The él/ella/Ud. present of malgastar is malgasta.
  4. malgastamos — The nosotros/as present of malgastar is malgastamos.
  5. malgastáis — The vosotros/as present of malgastar is malgastáis.
  6. malgastan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of malgastar is malgastan.
  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 malgasto — 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 malgastar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo malgasto el dinero. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of malgastar formed?

Take the stem malgast- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving malgasto, malgastas, malgasta, malgastamos, malgastáis, malgastan.

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

The present (malgasto) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (malgasté) 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 malgastar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — malgasto, malgastas, malgasta, malgastamos, malgastáis, malgastan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the malgastar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of malgastar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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