Obstruir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb obstruir means to obstruct, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Obstruir means to obstruct or to block, and it is used for blocking a road, a pipe, a view and a process: obstruir la calle, obstruir el paso. It is a -uir verb: yo obstruyo, él obstruye, with y before the vowel endings. Like every Spanish verb, obstruir 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 obstruyo la calle con el camión, and in the preterite you say obstruí la tubería con hojas. 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: obstruir
- English: to obstruct
- Verb type: irregular verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: obstruyendo
- Past participle: obstruido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + obstruido)
- Pattern to learn: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for obstruir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Obstruir is a -uir verb: yo obstruyo, él obstruye, with y before the vowel endings.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for obstruir. 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 | obstruyo |
| tú | obstruyes |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruye |
| nosotros/as | obstruimos |
| vosotros/as | obstruís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruyen |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | obstruí |
| tú | obstruiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruyó |
| nosotros/as | obstruimos |
| vosotros/as | obstruisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruyeron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | obstruía |
| tú | obstruías |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruía |
| nosotros/as | obstruíamos |
| vosotros/as | obstruíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | obstruiré |
| tú | obstruirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruirá |
| nosotros/as | obstruiremos |
| vosotros/as | obstruiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | obstruiría |
| tú | obstruirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruiría |
| nosotros/as | obstruiríamos |
| vosotros/as | obstruiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he obstruido |
| tú | has obstruido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha obstruido |
| nosotros/as | hemos obstruido |
| vosotros/as | habéis obstruido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han obstruido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había obstruido |
| tú | habías obstruido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había obstruido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos obstruido |
| vosotros/as | habíais obstruido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían obstruido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré obstruido |
| tú | habrás obstruido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá obstruido |
| nosotros/as | habremos obstruido |
| vosotros/as | habréis obstruido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán obstruido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría obstruido |
| tú | habrías obstruido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría obstruido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos obstruido |
| vosotros/as | habríais obstruido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían obstruido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | obstruya |
| tú | obstruyas |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruya |
| nosotros/as | obstruyamos |
| vosotros/as | obstruyáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruyan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | obstruyera |
| tú | obstruyeras |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruyera |
| nosotros/as | obstruyéramos |
| vosotros/as | obstruyerais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruyeran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | obstruye |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruya |
| nosotros/as | obstruyamos |
| vosotros/as | obstruid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruyan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | obstruyas |
| él/ella/Ud. | obstruya |
| nosotros/as | obstruyamos |
| vosotros/as | obstruyáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | obstruyan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | obstruyendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy obstruyendo |
| Past participle | obstruido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he obstruido |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the pattern here: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo. For obstruir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Obstruyo la calle con el camión. 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. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo. For obstruir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, obstruí el paso en la puerta. 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 obstruir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, obstruía la tubería con hojas. 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 obstruir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, obstruiré la vista con el edificio. 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 obstruir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Obstruiría la calle con el camión 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 obstruir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he obstruido el paso en la puerta. 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 obstruir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había obstruido la tubería con hojas 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 obstruir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré obstruido la vista con el edificio. 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 obstruir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría obstruido la calle con el camión 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. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo. For obstruir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él obstruya el paso en la puerta. 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 obstruir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él obstruyera la tubería con hojas, 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. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo. For obstruir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Obstruye la vista con el edificio! 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. Note the spelling change here: this verb is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo. For obstruir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No obstruyas la calle con el camión. 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 obstruir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Obstruyo la calle con el camión. — I obstruct the street with the lorry.
- Obstruye el paso en la puerta. — He/she obstructs the doorway.
- Ayer, obstruí la tubería con hojas. — Yesterday, I obstructed the pipe with leaves.
- Antes, nosotros obstruíamos la vista con el edificio. — Before, we used to obstruct the view with the building.
- Mañana, tú obstruirás la calle con el camión. — Tomorrow, you will obstruct the street with the lorry.
- Yo obstruiría el paso en la puerta si tuviera más tiempo. — I would obstruct the doorway if I had more time.
- Él ha obstruido la tubería con hojas. — He has obstructed the pipe with leaves.
- Espero que él obstruya la vista con el edificio. — I hope he obstructs the view with the building.
- Yo ya había obstruido la calle con el camión antes de salir. — I had already obstructed the street with the lorry before leaving.
- Ellos obstruían el paso en la puerta cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to obstruct the doorway when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo obstruye la calle con el camión. — Right: Yo obstruyo la calle con el camión. — The person matters: obstruye is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is obstruyo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Yo obstruo el paso en la puerta. — Right: Yo obstruyo el paso en la puerta. — Obstruir is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo. The form obstruyo follows that pattern, not the plain stem plus -o.
- Wrong: Treating obstruir and bloquear as identical in every context. — Right: Obstruir means to obstruct, while bloquear means to block. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: obstruir fits sentences such as Obstruyo la calle con el camión, while bloquear belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy obstruido el paso en la puerta. — Right: Yo he obstruido el paso en la puerta. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he obstruido, has obstruido, ha obstruido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo obstruí la tubería con hojas todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo obstruía la tubería con hojas todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (obstruía), not the preterite. The preterite (obstruí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on obstruir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la calle con el camión. (present tense) A. obstruyo B. obstruyes C. obstruye D. obstruimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el paso en la puerta. (preterite) A. obstruí B. obstruiste C. obstruimos D. obstruyó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la tubería con hojas. (imperfect) A. obstruías B. obstruyo C. obstruíamos D. obstruía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la vista con el edificio. (future) A. obstruiremos B. obstruirás C. obstruiré D. obstruirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la calle con el camión si pudiera. (conditional) A. obstruiría B. obstruirías C. obstruiríamos D. obstruyo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el paso en la puerta. (present subjunctive) A. obstruyas B. obstruyamos C. obstruyo D. obstruya
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la tubería con hojas, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. obstruyéramos B. obstruyo C. obstruyera D. obstruyeras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la vista con el edificio. (present perfect) A. ha obstruido B. hemos obstruido C. he obstruido D. has obstruido
Complete the command: ¡___ la calle con el camión! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. obstruye B. obstruya C. obstruyamos D. obstruid
Which is the gerund of obstruir, used with estar for the progressive? A. obstruido B. obstruyo C. obstruí D. obstruyendo
Answer key
- obstruyo — The yo present tense of obstruir is obstruyo.
- obstruyó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of obstruir is obstruyó.
- obstruíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of obstruir is obstruíamos.
- obstruirás — The tú future of obstruir is obstruirás.
- obstruiría — The yo conditional of obstruir is obstruiría.
- obstruya — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of obstruir is obstruya.
- obstruyera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of obstruir is obstruyera.
- hemos obstruido — The nosotros/as present perfect of obstruir is hemos obstruido.
- obstruye — The affirmative tú imperative of obstruir is obstruye.
- obstruyendo — The gerund of obstruir is obstruyendo: estoy obstruyendo. The participle obstruido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does obstruir mean in English?
Obstruir means to obstruct. It is used in everyday situations such as Obstruyo la calle con el camión. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is obstruir regular or irregular?
Obstruir is a spelling-change verb: it is a -uir verb: the stem vowel i becomes y before a vowel ending, so the present is obstruyo and obstruye, and the gerund is obstruyendo. The endings are regular, so once you know the pattern you can produce every form on this page, including obstruyo in the present and obstruí in the preterite.
What is the difference between obstruir and bloquear?
Obstruir means to obstruct, while bloquear means to block. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use obstruir when you mean to obstruct, as in Obstruyo la calle con el camión, and use bloquear for to block. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I obstruct” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo obstruí el paso en la puerta. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo obstruía la tubería con hojas. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he obstruido el paso en la puerta.
How do I practise obstruir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the obstruir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Obstruir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for obstruir.
- Obstruir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for obstruir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Complete list of Spanish irregular verbs — where this verb's pattern is listed.
- Malvivir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with obstruir.
- Omitir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with obstruir.
- Intuir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with obstruir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.