Mimar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

mimar means "to pamper, to spoil" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows mimar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of mimar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with mimar

To pamper

Mimar means to pamper. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Yo mimo a sus nietos — "I pamper his grandchildren"
  2. Él mima a su perro — "He pampers his dog"
  3. Yo mimé demasiado — "I pampered too much"
  4. Yo mimaba a sus nietos — "I used to pamper his grandchildren"
  5. Yo mimaré a su perro — "I will pamper his dog"
  6. Yo he mimado demasiado — "I have pampered too much"

To spoil

Mimar means to spoil. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Él mimó demasiado — "He pampered too much"
  2. Él mimaba a sus nietos — "He used to pamper his grandchildren"
  3. Tú mimarás a su perro — "You will pamper his dog"
  4. Yo mimaría demasiado — "I would pamper too much"
  5. Yo había mimado a sus nietos — "I had pampered his grandchildren"
  6. Nosotros mimamos a su perro — "We pamper his dog"

Mimar in conversation

The two dialogues below show mimar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú mimas a sus nietos? — "Do you pamper his grandchildren?"
  • Sí, yo mimo a sus nietos cada día. — "Yes, I pamper his grandchildren every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú mimaste a su perro? — "And yesterday? Did you pamper his dog?"
  • Sí, yo mimé a su perro. — "Yes, I pampered his dog."
  • Mañana, yo mimaré demasiado también. — "Tomorrow, I will pamper too much too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros mimáis a sus nietos? — "Do you pamper his grandchildren?"
  • Sí, nosotros mimamos a sus nietos los fines de semana. — "Yes, We pamper his grandchildren at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos miman a su perro? — "And them? Do they pamper his dog?"
  • Sí, ellos miman a su perro también. — "Yes, They pamper his dog too."
  • Mañana nosotros mimaremos a su perro otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will pamper his dog again."

Useful phrases with mimar

Four patterns you can use with mimar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a mimar a sus nietos. — "I am going to pamper his grandchildren."
  • Quiero mimar a su perro. — "I want to pamper his dog."
  • Me gusta mimar demasiado. — "I like to pamper too much."
  • Acabo de mimar a sus nietos. — "I have just pampered his grandchildren."

Common mistakes with mimar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos mima a sus nietos.
  • Right: Ellos miman a sus nietos.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form miman. The singular mima belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo mimé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo mimo.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy mimado a su perro.
  • Right: Yo he mimado a su perro.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he mimado, has mimado, ha mimado.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo mimo.
  • Right: Ayer, yo mimé.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (mimé). The present (mimo) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él mima a sus nietos.
  • Right: Espero que él mime a sus nietos.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: mime. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: mimar in use

Ten questions on mimar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of mimar in the present tense?

  • (a) mimen
  • (b) habrán mimado
  • (c) mimaríamos
  • (d) mimo

Answer: (d) mimo. The I form in the present is mimo.

2. What is the he / she form of mimar in the present tense?

  • (a) mimaras
  • (b) habían mimado
  • (c) miman
  • (d) mima

Answer: (d) mima. The he / she form in the present is mima.

3. What is the he / she form of mimar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) mimó
  • (b) miméis
  • (c) mimé
  • (d) habías mimado

Answer: (a) mimó. The he / she form in the preterite is mimó.

4. What is the I form of mimar in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) mimaréis
  • (b) habían mimado
  • (c) mimaba
  • (d) había mimado

Answer: (c) mimaba. The I form in the imperfect is mimaba.

5. What is the I form of mimar in the future tense?

  • (a) habríais mimado
  • (b) mimaré
  • (c) mimarás
  • (d) mimara

Answer: (b) mimaré. The I form in the future is mimaré.

6. What is the I form of mimar in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) mimarais
  • (b) he mimado
  • (c) mimaríais
  • (d) miman

Answer: (b) he mimado. The I form in the present perfect is he mimado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a sus nietos.

  • (a) mime
  • (b) mimen
  • (c) mimes
  • (d) mimemos

Answer: (a) mime. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is mime.

8. What is the we form of mimar in the present tense?

  • (a) habrá mimado
  • (b) habríais mimado
  • (c) mimamos
  • (d) hemos mimado

Answer: (c) mimamos. The we form in the present is mimamos.

9. What is the I form of mimar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) mimé
  • (b) mimaríais
  • (c) mimaban
  • (d) mimarías

Answer: (a) mimé. The I form in the preterite is mimé.

10. What is the they form of mimar in the present tense?

  • (a) mimarían
  • (b) miman
  • (c) mimara
  • (d) habrían mimado

Answer: (b) miman. The they form in the present is miman.

Frequently asked questions about mimar

Is mimar regular?

Yes. Mimar is a regular -ar verb: mimo, mimas, mima. See the full conjugation of mimar for every tense.

What is the past participle of mimar?

The past participle is mimado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he mimado. The gerund is mimando, used with estar: estoy mimando.

How do I say “I pamper” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo mimé a su perro. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo mimaba demasiado.

How can I practise mimar?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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