Nombrar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb nombrar means to name, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Nombrar means to name or to appoint, and it covers naming a person, appointing someone to a post and naming streets or things. It is a fully regular -ar verb, and the double meaning — to give a name and to appoint — is its main learning point. Like every Spanish verb, nombrar 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 nombro a su hijo mayor director, and in the preterite you say nombré las calles de la ciudad. 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: nombrar
  • English: to name
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: nombrando
  • Past participle: nombrado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + nombrado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for nombrar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Nombrar is fully regular: nombré, nombraba, nombraré. Nombrar a alguien director means to appoint them director.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for nombrar. 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 nombro
tú nombras
él/ella/Ud. nombra
nosotros/as nombramos
vosotros/as nombráis
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombran

Preterite

Person Form
yo nombré
tú nombraste
él/ella/Ud. nombró
nosotros/as nombramos
vosotros/as nombrasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombraron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo nombraba
tú nombrabas
él/ella/Ud. nombraba
nosotros/as nombrábamos
vosotros/as nombrabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombraban

Future

Person Form
yo nombraré
tú nombrarás
él/ella/Ud. nombrará
nosotros/as nombraremos
vosotros/as nombraréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombrarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo nombraría
tú nombrarías
él/ella/Ud. nombraría
nosotros/as nombraríamos
vosotros/as nombraríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombrarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he nombrado
tú has nombrado
él/ella/Ud. ha nombrado
nosotros/as hemos nombrado
vosotros/as habéis nombrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han nombrado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había nombrado
tú habías nombrado
él/ella/Ud. había nombrado
nosotros/as habíamos nombrado
vosotros/as habíais nombrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían nombrado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré nombrado
tú habrás nombrado
él/ella/Ud. habrá nombrado
nosotros/as habremos nombrado
vosotros/as habréis nombrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán nombrado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría nombrado
tú habrías nombrado
él/ella/Ud. habría nombrado
nosotros/as habríamos nombrado
vosotros/as habríais nombrado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían nombrado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo nombre
tú nombres
él/ella/Ud. nombre
nosotros/as nombremos
vosotros/as nombréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombren

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo nombrara
tú nombraras
él/ella/Ud. nombrara
nosotros/as nombráramos
vosotros/as nombrarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombraran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú nombra
él/ella/Ud. nombre
nosotros/as nombremos
vosotros/as nombrad
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombren

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú nombres
él/ella/Ud. nombre
nosotros/as nombremos
vosotros/as nombréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. nombren

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund nombrando with estar for the progressive: estoy nombrando
Past participle nombrado with haber for the perfect tenses: he nombrado

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 nombrar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Nombro a su hijo mayor director. 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 nombrar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, nombré el nuevo ministro el lunes. 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 nombrar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, nombraba las calles de la ciudad. 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 nombrar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, nombraré a su sucesor antes de irse. 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 nombrar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Nombraría a su hijo mayor director 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 nombrar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he nombrado el nuevo ministro el lunes. 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 nombrar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había nombrado las calles de la ciudad 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 nombrar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré nombrado a su sucesor antes de irse. 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 nombrar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría nombrado a su hijo mayor director 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 nombrar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él nombre el nuevo ministro el lunes. 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 nombrar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él nombrara las calles de la ciudad, 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 nombrar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Nombra a su sucesor antes de irse! 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 nombrar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No nombres a su hijo mayor director. 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 nombrar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Nombro a su hijo mayor director. — I name her eldest son as director.
  2. Nombra el nuevo ministro el lunes. — He/she names the new minister on Monday.
  3. Ayer, nombré las calles de la ciudad. — Yesterday, I named the streets of the city.
  4. Antes, nosotros nombrábamos a su sucesor antes de irse. — Before, we used to name his successor before leaving.
  5. Mañana, tú nombrarás a su hijo mayor director. — Tomorrow, you will name her eldest son as director.
  6. Yo nombraría el nuevo ministro el lunes si tuviera más tiempo. — I would name the new minister on Monday if I had more time.
  7. Él ha nombrado las calles de la ciudad. — He has named the streets of the city.
  8. Espero que él nombre a su sucesor antes de irse. — I hope he names his successor before leaving.
  9. Yo ya había nombrado a su hijo mayor director antes de salir. — I had already named her eldest son as director before leaving.
  10. Ellos nombraban el nuevo ministro el lunes cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to name the new minister on Monday when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo nombra a su hijo mayor director. — Right: Yo nombro a su hijo mayor director. — The person matters: nombra is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is nombro. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Vosotros nombrais el nuevo ministro el lunes. — Right: Vosotros nombráis el nuevo ministro el lunes. — The vosotros present form carries a written accent: nombráis, not nombrais. The accent marks the stressed vowel.
  3. Wrong: Treating nombrar and llamar as identical in every context. — Right: Nombrar means to name, while llamar means to call someone by a name. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: nombrar fits sentences such as Nombro a su hijo mayor director, while llamar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy nombrado el nuevo ministro el lunes. — Right: Yo he nombrado el nuevo ministro el lunes. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he nombrado, has nombrado, ha nombrado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo nombré las calles de la ciudad todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo nombraba las calles de la ciudad todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (nombraba), not the preterite. The preterite (nombré) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on nombrar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a su hijo mayor director. (present tense) A. nombro B. nombras C. nombra D. nombramos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el nuevo ministro el lunes. (preterite) A. nombré B. nombraste C. nombraron D. nombró

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ las calles de la ciudad. (imperfect) A. nombrabas B. nombraban C. nombrábamos D. nombraba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ a su sucesor antes de irse. (future) A. nombraremos B. nombrarás C. nombraré D. nombrará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a su hijo mayor director si pudiera. (conditional) A. nombraría B. nombrarías C. nombrarían D. nombro

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el nuevo ministro el lunes. (present subjunctive) A. nombres B. nombremos C. nombro D. nombre

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ las calles de la ciudad, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. nombráramos B. nombro C. nombrara D. nombraras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ a su sucesor antes de irse. (present perfect) A. han nombrado B. hemos nombrado C. he nombrado D. has nombrado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ a su hijo mayor director! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. nombra B. nombre C. nombremos D. nombrad

  10. Which is the gerund of nombrar, used with estar for the progressive? A. nombrado B. nombro C. nombré D. nombrando

Answer key

  1. nombro — The first-person present of nombrar is nombro. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. nombró — The third-person preterite of nombrar is nombró, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. nombrábamos — The nosotros imperfect of nombrar is nombrábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. nombrarás — The second-person future of nombrar is nombrarás.
  5. nombraría — The first-person conditional of nombrar is nombraría, the form for what would happen.
  6. nombre — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of nombrar is nombre.
  7. nombrara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of nombrar is nombrara.
  8. hemos nombrado — The nosotros present perfect of nombrar is hemos nombrado: hemos + nombrado.
  9. nombra — The affirmative tú imperative of nombrar is nombra.
  10. nombrando — The gerund of nombrar is nombrando: estoy nombrando. The participle nombrado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does nombrar mean in English?

Nombrar means to name. It is used in everyday situations such as Nombro a su hijo mayor director. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is nombrar regular or irregular?

Nombrar 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 nombro in the present and nombré in the preterite.

What is the difference between nombrar and llamar?

Nombrar means to name, while llamar means to call someone by a name. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use nombrar when you mean to name, as in Nombro a su hijo mayor director, and use llamar for to call someone by a name. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I name” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo nombré el nuevo ministro el lunes. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo nombraba las calles de la ciudad. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he nombrado el nuevo ministro el lunes.

How do I practise nombrar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the nombrar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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