Introduction

Mimar means “to pamper”, and this page covers exactly one thing: mimar 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 mimar, 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 mimar in the present. Mimar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo mimo a sus nietos” — "I pamper his grandchildren". Everything on this page uses the forms of mimar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Mimar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo mimo
tú mimas
él/ella/Ud. mima
nosotros/as mimamos
vosotros/as mimáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. miman

Gerund: mimando · Past participle: mimado

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

How the present of mimar is formed

Mimar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem mim and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving mimo, mimas, mima, mimamos, mimáis, miman. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, mimáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of mimar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form mimáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form mimo is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of mimar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use mimar 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, mimar goes in the present. Example: “Yo mimo a su perro” — "I pamper his dog".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about mimar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él mima demasiado” — "He pampers too much".

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 mimo can mean both "I pamper" and "I am pampering". Example: “Yo mimo a sus nietos” — "I pamper his grandchildren".

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 mimamos a su perro” — "We pamper his dog".

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 mimar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él mima demasiado” — "He pampers too much".

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 mimo a sus nietos” — "I pamper his grandchildren".

  • Preterite: “Yo mimé a sus nietos” — "I pampered his grandchildren".

  • 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 mima a su perro” — "He pampers his dog".

  • Preterite: “Él mimó a su perro” — "He pampered his dog".

  • 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 mimamos demasiado” — "We pamper too much".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros mimamos demasiado” — "We pampered too much".

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

Example sentences: mimar 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 mimo a su perro” — "I pamper his dog"

  2. “Tú mimas demasiado” — "You pamper too much"

  3. “Él mima a sus nietos” — "He pampers his grandchildren"

  4. “Nosotros mimamos a su perro” — "We pamper his dog"

  5. “Vosotros mimáis demasiado” — "You pamper too much"

  6. “Ellos miman a sus nietos” — "They pamper his grandchildren"

  7. “Yo mimo a su perro” — "I pamper his dog"

  8. “Él mima demasiado” — "He pampers too much"

Common mistakes with mimar 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 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.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo mima a sus nietos.” Right: “Yo mimo a sus nietos” Why: Yo needs the yo form mimo. The él form mima belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: mimar 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 ___ demasiado.” (yo form)

A. mimas B. mimamos C. miman D. mimo

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ a sus nietos.” (tú form)

A. mimas B. mimamos C. miman D. mimo

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

A. mimamos B. mimas C. mimo D. mima

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

A. mimo B. mimamos C. miman D. mima

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ a sus nietos.” (vosotros/as form)

A. miman B. mimas C. mima D. mimáis

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

A. mimas B. mimo C. mimamos D. miman

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 mimo B. Todos los días, yo mimé

Answer key

  1. mimo — The yo present of mimar is mimo.
  2. mimas — The tú present of mimar is mimas.
  3. mima — The él/ella/Ud. present of mimar is mima.
  4. mimamos — The nosotros/as present of mimar is mimamos.
  5. mimáis — The vosotros/as present of mimar is mimáis.
  6. miman — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of mimar is miman.
  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 mimo — 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 mimar?

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

How is the present of mimar formed?

Take the stem mim- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving mimo, mimas, mima, mimamos, mimáis, miman.

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

The present (mimo) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (mimé) 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 mimar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — mimo, mimas, mima, mimamos, mimáis, miman — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the mimar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of mimar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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