Multar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb multar means to fine, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Multar means to fine someone, to impose a money penalty for breaking a rule. It is used for traffic fines, parking fines and fines for breaking local rules, and it is a fully regular verb that turns up in driving, travel and news contexts. Like every Spanish verb, multar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say multo al conductor por aparcar en doble fila, and in the preterite you say multé a la empresa por contaminar el río. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: multar
- English: to fine
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: multando
- Past participle: multado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + multado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for multar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Multar is fully regular: multo, multa. The fine itself is una multa, and the person fined is the object: multar a alguien.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for multar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | multo |
| tú | multas |
| él/ella/Ud. | multa |
| nosotros/as | multamos |
| vosotros/as | multáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | multé |
| tú | multaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | multó |
| nosotros/as | multamos |
| vosotros/as | multasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | multaba |
| tú | multabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | multaba |
| nosotros/as | multábamos |
| vosotros/as | multabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | multaré |
| tú | multarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | multará |
| nosotros/as | multaremos |
| vosotros/as | multaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | multaría |
| tú | multarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | multaría |
| nosotros/as | multaríamos |
| vosotros/as | multaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he multado |
| tú | has multado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha multado |
| nosotros/as | hemos multado |
| vosotros/as | habéis multado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han multado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había multado |
| tú | habías multado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había multado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos multado |
| vosotros/as | habíais multado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían multado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré multado |
| tú | habrás multado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá multado |
| nosotros/as | habremos multado |
| vosotros/as | habréis multado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán multado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría multado |
| tú | habrías multado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría multado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos multado |
| vosotros/as | habríais multado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían multado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | multe |
| tú | multes |
| él/ella/Ud. | multe |
| nosotros/as | multemos |
| vosotros/as | multéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | multara |
| tú | multaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | multara |
| nosotros/as | multáramos |
| vosotros/as | multarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | multa |
| él/ella/Ud. | multe |
| nosotros/as | multemos |
| vosotros/as | multad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | multes |
| él/ella/Ud. | multe |
| nosotros/as | multemos |
| vosotros/as | multéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | multen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | multando | with estar for the progressive: estoy multando |
| Past participle | multado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he multado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Multo al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, multé al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, multaba a la empresa por contaminar el río. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, multaré con cincuenta euros por exceso de velocidad. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Multaría al conductor por aparcar en doble fila si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he multado al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había multado a la empresa por contaminar el río antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré multado con cincuenta euros por exceso de velocidad. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría multado al conductor por aparcar en doble fila con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él multe al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él multara a la empresa por contaminar el río, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Multa con cincuenta euros por exceso de velocidad! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For multar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No multes al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with multar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Multo al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. — I fine the driver for double parking.
- Multa al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. — He/she fines the cyclist for running the red light.
- Ayer, multé a la empresa por contaminar el río. — Yesterday, I fined the company for polluting the river.
- Antes, nosotros multábamos con cincuenta euros por exceso de velocidad. — Before, we used to fine with fifty euros for speeding.
- Mañana, tú multarás al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. — Tomorrow, you will fine the driver for double parking.
- Yo multaría al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo si tuviera más tiempo. — I would fine the cyclist for running the red light if I had more time.
- Él ha multado a la empresa por contaminar el río. — He has fined the company for polluting the river.
- Espero que él multe con cincuenta euros por exceso de velocidad. — I hope he fines with fifty euros for speeding.
- Yo ya había multado al conductor por aparcar en doble fila antes de salir. — I had already fined the driver for double parking before leaving.
- Ellos multaban al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to fine the cyclist for running the red light when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo multa al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. — Right: Yo multo al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. — The person matters: multa is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is multo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo multo al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. — Right: Ayer yo multé al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: multo is happening now, while multé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating multar and sancionar as identical in every context. — Right: Multar means to fine, while sancionar means to sanction, in a wider sense. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: multar fits sentences such as Multo al conductor por aparcar en doble fila, while sancionar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy multado al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. — Right: Yo he multado al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he multado, has multado, ha multado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo multé a la empresa por contaminar el río todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo multaba a la empresa por contaminar el río todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (multaba), not the preterite. The preterite (multé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on multar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. (present tense) A. multo B. multas C. multa D. multamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. (preterite) A. multé B. multaste C. multaron D. multó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a la empresa por contaminar el río. (imperfect) A. multabas B. multaban C. multábamos D. multaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ con cincuenta euros por exceso de velocidad. (future) A. multaremos B. multarás C. multaré D. multará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al conductor por aparcar en doble fila si pudiera. (conditional) A. multaría B. multarías C. multarían D. multo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. (present subjunctive) A. multes B. multemos C. multo D. multe
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a la empresa por contaminar el río, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. multáramos B. multo C. multara D. multaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ con cincuenta euros por exceso de velocidad. (present perfect) A. han multado B. hemos multado C. he multado D. has multado
Complete the command: ¡___ al conductor por aparcar en doble fila! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. multa B. multe C. multemos D. multad
Which is the gerund of multar, used with estar for the progressive? A. multado B. multo C. multé D. multando
Answer key
- multo — The first-person present of multar is multo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- multó — The third-person preterite of multar is multó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- multábamos — The nosotros imperfect of multar is multábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- multarás — The second-person future of multar is multarás.
- multaría — The first-person conditional of multar is multaría, the form for what would happen.
- multe — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of multar is multe.
- multara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of multar is multara.
- hemos multado — The nosotros present perfect of multar is hemos multado: hemos + multado.
- multa — The affirmative tú imperative of multar is multa.
- multando — The gerund of multar is multando: estoy multando. The participle multado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does multar mean in English?
Multar means to fine. It is used in everyday situations such as Multo al conductor por aparcar en doble fila. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is multar regular or irregular?
Multar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including multo in the present and multé in the preterite.
What is the difference between multar and sancionar?
Multar means to fine, while sancionar means to sanction, in a wider sense. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use multar when you mean to fine, as in Multo al conductor por aparcar en doble fila, and use sancionar for to sanction, in a wider sense. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I fine” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo multé al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo multaba a la empresa por contaminar el río. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he multado al ciclista por saltarse el semáforo.
How do I practise multar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the multar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Multar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for multar.
- Multar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for multar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Condenar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with multar.
- Sancionar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with multar.
- Indultar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with multar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.