Pararse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb pararse means to stand up, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Pararse has two everyday meanings: to stand up, as in pararse de la silla, and to stop, as in pararse en la puerta. Both are reflexive, and the context tells you which one is meant. The standing-up sense is the one learners meet first, in classroom and routine language. Like every Spanish verb, pararse 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 me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor, and in the preterite you say me paré de repente al oír su nombre. 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: pararse
  • English: to stand up
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb, reflexive
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: parando
  • Past participle: parado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + parado)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for pararse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Pararse de la silla is to stand up; pararse en seco is to stop dead. The preposition changes the sense.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for pararse. 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 Pronoun Form
yo me paro
tú te paras
él/ella/Ud. se para
nosotros/as nos paramos
vosotros/as os paráis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se paran

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me paré
tú te paraste
él/ella/Ud. se paró
nosotros/as nos paramos
vosotros/as os parasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se pararon

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me paraba
tú te parabas
él/ella/Ud. se paraba
nosotros/as nos parábamos
vosotros/as os parabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se paraban

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me pararé
tú te pararás
él/ella/Ud. se parará
nosotros/as nos pararemos
vosotros/as os pararéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se pararán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me pararía
tú te pararías
él/ella/Ud. se pararía
nosotros/as nos pararíamos
vosotros/as os pararíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se pararían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he parado
tú te has parado
él/ella/Ud. se ha parado
nosotros/as nos hemos parado
vosotros/as os habéis parado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han parado

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había parado
tú te habías parado
él/ella/Ud. se había parado
nosotros/as nos habíamos parado
vosotros/as os habíais parado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían parado

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré parado
tú te habrás parado
él/ella/Ud. se habrá parado
nosotros/as nos habremos parado
vosotros/as os habréis parado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán parado

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría parado
tú te habrías parado
él/ella/Ud. se habría parado
nosotros/as nos habríamos parado
vosotros/as os habríais parado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían parado

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me pare
tú te pares
él/ella/Ud. se pare
nosotros/as nos paremos
vosotros/as os paréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se paren

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me parara
tú te pararas
él/ella/Ud. se parara
nosotros/as nos paráramos
vosotros/as os pararais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se pararan

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te para
él/ella/Ud. se pare
nosotros/as nos paremos
vosotros/as os parad
ellos/ellas/Uds. se paren

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te pares
él/ella/Ud. se pare
nosotros/as nos paremos
vosotros/as os paréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se paren

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund parando with estar for the progressive: estoy parando (or me estoy parando for this reflexive verb)
Past participle parado with haber for the perfect tenses: he parado

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 pararse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor. 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 pararse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me paré en la puerta a esperar. 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 pararse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me paraba de repente al oír su nombre. 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 pararse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me pararé en la parada del autobús. 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 pararse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me pararía de la silla cuando entra el profesor 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 pararse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me he parado en la puerta a esperar. 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 pararse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había parado de repente al oír su nombre 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 pararse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habré parado en la parada del autobús. 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 pararse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría parado de la silla cuando entra el profesor 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 pararse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él se pare en la puerta a esperar. 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 pararse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él se parara de repente al oír su nombre, 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 pararse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se pare en la parada del autobús. 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 pararse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No te pares de la silla cuando entra el profesor. 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 pararse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor. — I stand up from the chair when the teacher comes in.
  2. Se para en la puerta a esperar. — He/she stands up in the doorway to wait.
  3. Ayer, me paré de repente al oír su nombre. — Yesterday, I stood up suddenly on hearing his name.
  4. Antes, nosotros nos parábamos en la parada del autobús. — Before, we used to stand up at the bus stop.
  5. Mañana, tú te pararás de la silla cuando entra el profesor. — Tomorrow, you will stand up from the chair when the teacher comes in.
  6. Yo me pararía en la puerta a esperar si tuviera más tiempo. — I would stand up in the doorway to wait if I had more time.
  7. Él se ha parado de repente al oír su nombre. — He has stood up suddenly on hearing his name.
  8. Espero que él se pare en la parada del autobús. — I hope he stands up at the bus stop.
  9. Yo ya me había parado de la silla cuando entra el profesor antes de salir. — I had already stood up from the chair when the teacher comes in before leaving.
  10. Ellos se paraban en la puerta a esperar cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to stand up in the doorway to wait when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor. — Right: Yo me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor. — Pararse is reflexive, so the pronoun me is required: without it the verb means something else, or nothing at all.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo paro en la puerta a esperar. — Right: Ayer yo paré en la puerta a esperar. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: paro is happening now, while paré is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating pararse and levantarse as identical in every context. — Right: Pararse means to stand up, while levantarse means to get up, especially from bed. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: pararse fits sentences such as Me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor, while levantarse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy parado en la puerta a esperar. — Right: Yo he parado en la puerta a esperar. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he parado, has parado, ha parado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo paré de repente al oír su nombre todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo paraba de repente al oír su nombre todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (paraba), not the preterite. The preterite (paré) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ de la silla cuando entra el profesor. (present tense) A. me paro B. te paras C. se para D. nos paramos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ en la puerta a esperar. (preterite) A. me paré B. te paraste C. se pararon D. se paró

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ de repente al oír su nombre. (imperfect) A. te parabas B. se paraban C. nos parábamos D. me paraba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ en la parada del autobús. (future) A. nos pararemos B. te pararás C. me pararé D. se parará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ de la silla cuando entra el profesor si pudiera. (conditional) A. me pararía B. te pararías C. se pararía D. se pararían

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en la puerta a esperar. (present subjunctive) A. me pare B. te pares C. nos paremos D. se pare

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ de repente al oír su nombre, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. se parara B. nos paráramos C. me parara D. te pararas

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ en la parada del autobús. (present perfect) A. se han parado B. nos hemos parado C. me he parado D. te has parado

  9. Complete the command: No ___ de la silla cuando entra el profesor. (negative imperative, tú) A. te pares B. se pare C. nos paremos D. os paréis

  10. Which is the gerund of pararse, used with estar for the progressive? A. parado B. paro C. paré D. parando

Answer key

  1. me paro — The first-person present of pararse is me paro. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. se paró — The third-person preterite of pararse is se paró, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. nos parábamos — The nosotros imperfect of pararse is nos parábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. te pararás — The second-person future of pararse is te pararás.
  5. me pararía — The first-person conditional of pararse is me pararía, the form for what would happen.
  6. se pare — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of pararse is se pare.
  7. me parara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of pararse is me parara.
  8. nos hemos parado — The nosotros present perfect of pararse is nos hemos parado: hemos + parado.
  9. te pares — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: te pares.
  10. parando — The gerund of pararse is parando: estoy parando. The participle parado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does pararse mean in English?

Pararse means to stand up. It is used in everyday situations such as Me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is pararse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Pararse is reflexive, so it always takes a reflexive pronoun that matches the person: me, te, se, nos, os or se. For example, Me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor and él se para en la puerta a esperar. If you leave the pronoun out, the verb changes meaning or stops making sense.

What is the difference between pararse and levantarse?

Pararse means to stand up, while levantarse means to get up, especially from bed. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use pararse when you mean to stand up, as in Me paro de la silla cuando entra el profesor, and use levantarse for to get up, especially from bed. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I stand up” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo me paré en la puerta a esperar. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo me paraba de repente al oír su nombre. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo me he parado en la puerta a esperar.

How do I practise pararse?

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

Related links