Introduction

Pastar means “to graze”, and this page covers exactly one thing: pastar 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 pastar, 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 pastar in the present. Pastar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo pasto en el campo” — "I graze in the field". Everything on this page uses the forms of pastar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Pastar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo pasto
tú pastas
él/ella/Ud. pasta
nosotros/as pastamos
vosotros/as pastáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. pastan

Gerund: pastando · Past participle: pastado

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

How the present of pastar is formed

Pastar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem past and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving pasto, pastas, pasta, pastamos, pastáis, pastan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, pastáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of pastar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form pastáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form pasto is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of pastar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use pastar 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, pastar goes in the present. Example: “Yo pasto hierba fresca” — "I graze fresh grass".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about pastar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Todo el día, él pasta” — "All day, he grazes".

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 pasto can mean both "I graze" and "I am grazing". Example: “Yo pasto en el campo” — "I graze in the field".

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 pastamos hierba fresca” — "We graze fresh grass".

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 pastar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Todo el día, él pasta” — "All day, he grazes".

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 pasto en el campo” — "I graze in the field".

  • Preterite: “Yo pasté en el campo” — "I grazed in the field".

  • 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 pasta hierba fresca” — "He grazes fresh grass".

  • Preterite: “Él pastó hierba fresca” — "He grazed fresh grass".

  • 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: “Todo el día, nosotros pastamos” — "All day, we graze".

  • Preterite: “Todo el día, nosotros pastamos” — "All day, we grazed".

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

Example sentences: pastar 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 pasto hierba fresca” — "I graze fresh grass"

  2. “Todo el día, tú pastas” — "All day, you graze"

  3. “Él pasta en el campo” — "He grazes in the field"

  4. “Nosotros pastamos hierba fresca” — "We graze fresh grass"

  5. “Todo el día, vosotros pastáis” — "All day, you graze"

  6. “Ellos pastan en el campo” — "They graze in the field"

  7. “Yo pasto hierba fresca” — "I graze fresh grass"

  8. “Todo el día, él pasta” — "All day, he grazes"

Common mistakes with pastar 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 pasta en el campo” Right: “Ellos pastan en el campo” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form pastan. The singular pasta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo pasta en el campo.” Right: “Yo pasto en el campo” Why: Yo needs the yo form pasto. The él form pasta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: pastar 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 ___ en el campo.” (yo form)

A. pastas B. pastamos C. pastan D. pasto

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ hierba fresca.” (tú form)

A. pastáis B. pastas C. pasto D. pastamos

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

A. pasta B. pasto C. pastáis D. pastas

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ hierba fresca.” (nosotros/as form)

A. pasta B. pastamos C. pastáis D. pasto

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

A. pastamos B. pastas C. pastáis D. pastan

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ hierba fresca.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. pasto B. pastáis C. pastan D. pastamos

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 pasto B. Todos los días, yo pasté

Answer key

  1. pasto — The yo present of pastar is pasto.
  2. pastas — The tú present of pastar is pastas.
  3. pasta — The él/ella/Ud. present of pastar is pasta.
  4. pastamos — The nosotros/as present of pastar is pastamos.
  5. pastáis — The vosotros/as present of pastar is pastáis.
  6. pastan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of pastar is pastan.
  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 pasto — 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 pastar?

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

How is the present of pastar formed?

Take the stem past- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving pasto, pastas, pasta, pastamos, pastáis, pastan.

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

The present (pasto) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (pasté) 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 pastar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — pasto, pastas, pasta, pastamos, pastáis, pastan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the pastar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of pastar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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