Introduction

Murmurar means “to murmur”, and this page covers exactly one thing: murmurar 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 murmurar, 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 murmurar in the present. Murmurar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo murmuro en voz baja” — "I murmur in a low voice". Everything on this page uses the forms of murmurar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Murmurar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo murmuro
tú murmuras
él/ella/Ud. murmura
nosotros/as murmuramos
vosotros/as murmuráis
ellos/ellas/Uds. murmuran

Gerund: murmurando · Past participle: murmurado

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

How the present of murmurar is formed

Murmurar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem murmur and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving murmuro, murmuras, murmura, murmuramos, murmuráis, murmuran. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, murmuráis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of murmurar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form murmuráis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form murmuro is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of murmurar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use murmurar 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, murmurar goes in the present. Example: “Yo murmuro algo en el oído” — "I murmur something in my ear".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about murmurar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él murmura durante la clase” — "He murmurs during the lesson".

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 murmuro can mean both "I murmur" and "I am murmuring". Example: “Yo murmuro en voz baja” — "I murmur in a low voice".

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 murmuramos algo en el oído” — "We murmur something in my ear".

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 murmurar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él murmura durante la clase” — "He murmurs during the lesson".

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 murmuro en voz baja” — "I murmur in a low voice".

  • Preterite: “Yo murmuré en voz baja” — "I murmured in a low voice".

  • 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 murmura algo en el oído” — "He murmurs something in my ear".

  • Preterite: “Él murmuró algo en el oído” — "He murmured something in my ear".

  • 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 murmuramos durante la clase” — "We murmur during the lesson".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros murmuramos durante la clase” — "We murmured during the lesson".

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

Example sentences: murmurar 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 murmuro algo en el oído” — "I murmur something in my ear"

  2. “Tú murmuras durante la clase” — "You murmur during the lesson"

  3. “Él murmura en voz baja” — "He murmurs in a low voice"

  4. “Nosotros murmuramos algo en el oído” — "We murmur something in my ear"

  5. “Vosotros murmuráis durante la clase” — "You murmur during the lesson"

  6. “Ellos murmuran en voz baja” — "They murmur in a low voice"

  7. “Yo murmuro algo en el oído” — "I murmur something in my ear"

  8. “Él murmura durante la clase” — "He murmurs during the lesson"

Common mistakes with murmurar 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 murmura en voz baja” Right: “Ellos murmuran en voz baja” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form murmuran. The singular murmura belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo murmura en voz baja.” Right: “Yo murmuro en voz baja” Why: Yo needs the yo form murmuro. The él form murmura belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: murmurar 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 ___ durante la clase.” (yo form)

A. murmuran B. murmuramos C. murmuras D. murmuro

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ en voz baja.” (tú form)

A. murmuramos B. murmura C. murmuras D. murmuro

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ algo en el oído.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. murmuramos B. murmuro C. murmuras D. murmura

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

A. murmuras B. murmuráis C. murmuro D. murmuramos

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ en voz baja.” (vosotros/as form)

A. murmuramos B. murmuráis C. murmuro D. murmuras

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ algo en el oído.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. murmuran B. murmuramos C. murmuras D. murmuro

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 murmuro B. Todos los días, yo murmuré

Answer key

  1. murmuro — The yo present of murmurar is murmuro.
  2. murmuras — The tú present of murmurar is murmuras.
  3. murmura — The él/ella/Ud. present of murmurar is murmura.
  4. murmuramos — The nosotros/as present of murmurar is murmuramos.
  5. murmuráis — The vosotros/as present of murmurar is murmuráis.
  6. murmuran — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of murmurar is murmuran.
  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 murmuro — 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 murmurar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo murmuro en voz baja. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of murmurar formed?

Take the stem murmur- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving murmuro, murmuras, murmura, murmuramos, murmuráis, murmuran.

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

The present (murmuro) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (murmuré) 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 murmurar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — murmuro, murmuras, murmura, murmuramos, murmuráis, murmuran — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the murmurar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of murmurar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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