Introduction

Operar means “to operate on”, and this page covers exactly one thing: operar 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 operar, 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 operar in the present. Operar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo opero a mi abuela” — "I operate on my grandmother". Everything on this page uses the forms of operar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Operar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo opero
tú operas
él/ella/Ud. opera
nosotros/as operamos
vosotros/as operáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. operan

Gerund: operando · Past participle: operado

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

How the present of operar is formed

Operar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem oper and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving opero, operas, opera, operamos, operáis, operan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, operáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of operar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form operáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form opero is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of operar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use operar 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, operar goes in the present. Example: “El lunes, yo opero” — "On monday, I operate on".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about operar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él opera en el hospital” — "He operates on in the hospital".

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 opero can mean both "I operate on" and "I am operating on". Example: “Yo opero a mi abuela” — "I operate on my grandmother".

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: “El lunes, nosotros operamos” — "On monday, we operate on".

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 operar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él opera en el hospital” — "He operates on in the hospital".

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 opero a mi abuela” — "I operate on my grandmother".

  • Preterite: “Yo operé a mi abuela” — "I operated on my grandmother".

  • 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: “El lunes, él opera” — "On monday, he operates on".

  • Preterite: “El lunes, él operó” — "On monday, he operated on".

  • 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 operamos en el hospital” — "We operate on in the hospital".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros operamos en el hospital” — "We operated on in the hospital".

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

Example sentences: operar 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. “El lunes, yo opero” — "On monday, I operate on"

  2. “Tú operas en el hospital” — "You operate on in the hospital"

  3. “Él opera a mi abuela” — "He operates on my grandmother"

  4. “El lunes, nosotros operamos” — "On monday, we operate on"

  5. “Vosotros operáis en el hospital” — "You operate on in the hospital"

  6. “Ellos operan a mi abuela” — "They operate on my grandmother"

  7. “El lunes, yo opero” — "On monday, I operate on"

  8. “Él opera en el hospital” — "He operates on in the hospital"

Common mistakes with operar 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 opera a mi abuela” Right: “Ellos operan a mi abuela” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form operan. The singular opera belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo opera a mi abuela.” Right: “Yo opero a mi abuela” Why: Yo needs the yo form opero. The él form opera belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: operar 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 ___ a mi abuela.” (yo form)

A. operamos B. opero C. operas D. opera

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ en el hospital.” (tú form)

A. operáis B. operamos C. operas D. opera

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

A. operamos B. opero C. opera D. operáis

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

A. operáis B. operamos C. opero D. opera

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

A. operan B. opera C. opero D. operáis

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

A. opero B. operamos C. operan D. operas

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 opero B. Todos los días, yo operé

Answer key

  1. opero — The yo present of operar is opero.
  2. operas — The tú present of operar is operas.
  3. opera — The él/ella/Ud. present of operar is opera.
  4. operamos — The nosotros/as present of operar is operamos.
  5. operáis — The vosotros/as present of operar is operáis.
  6. operan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of operar is operan.
  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 opero — 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 operar?

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

How is the present of operar formed?

Take the stem oper- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving opero, operas, opera, operamos, operáis, operan.

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

The present (opero) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (operé) 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 operar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — opero, operas, opera, operamos, operáis, operan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the operar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of operar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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