Introduction

Pegarse means “to stick”, and this page covers exactly one thing: pegarse 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 pegarse, 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 pegarse in the present. Pegarse in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo me pego el cartel en la pared” — "I stick the poster on the wall". Everything on this page uses the forms of pegarse exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Pegarse in the Present Tense — full table

Person Pronoun Form
yo me pego
tú te pegas
él/ella/Ud. se pega
nosotros/as nos pegamos
vosotros/as os pegáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se pegan

Gerund: pegando · Past participle: pegado

The gerund is pegando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Me estoy pegando” means the action of pegarse is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is pegado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “me he pegado” 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 pegarse is used.

How the present of pegarse is formed

Pegarse is a spelling-changing -ar (g → gu before e), reflexive verb in the present. Take the stem peg and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving pego, pegas, pega, pegamos, pegáis, pegan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, pegáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. Because pegarse is reflexive, every form takes the matching pronoun in front: me pego, te pegas, se pega. The pronoun is part of the verb, not an optional extra. The present of pegarse is regular in its endings, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form pegáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form pego is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of pegarse

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use pegarse 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, pegarse goes in the present. Example: “Yo me pego con pegamento” — "I stick with glue".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about pegarse does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él se pega a su hermano” — "He sticks to his brother".

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 me pego can mean both "I stick" and "I am sticking". Example: “Yo me pego el cartel en la pared” — "I stick the poster on the wall".

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 nos pegamos con pegamento” — "We stick with glue".

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 pegarse just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él se pega a su hermano” — "He sticks to his brother".

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 me pego el cartel en la pared” — "I stick the poster on the wall".

  • Preterite: “Yo me pegué el cartel en la pared” — "I stuck the poster on the wall".

  • 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 se pega con pegamento” — "He sticks with glue".

  • Preterite: “Él se pegó con pegamento” — "He stuck with glue".

  • 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 nos pegamos a su hermano” — "We stick to his brother".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros nos pegamos a su hermano” — "We stuck to his brother".

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

Example sentences: pegarse 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 me pego con pegamento” — "I stick with glue"

  2. “Tú te pegas a su hermano” — "You stick to his brother"

  3. “Él se pega el cartel en la pared” — "He sticks the poster on the wall"

  4. “Nosotros nos pegamos con pegamento” — "We stick with glue"

  5. “Vosotros os pegáis a su hermano” — "You stick to his brother"

  6. “Ellos se pegan el cartel en la pared” — "They stick the poster on the wall"

  7. “Yo me pego con pegamento” — "I stick with glue"

  8. “Él se pega a su hermano” — "He sticks to his brother"

Common mistakes with pegarse 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 pega el cartel en la pared” Right: “Ellos se pegan el cartel en la pared” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form pegan. The singular pega belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo pego el cartel en la pared.” Right: “Yo me pego el cartel en la pared” Why: Pegarse is reflexive: the pronoun me is required. Without it the sentence means something else, or nothing at all.

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

Quiz: pegarse 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 me ___ a su hermano.” (yo form)

A. pegas B. pegamos C. pega D. pego

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú te ___ el cartel en la pared.” (tú form)

A. pegas B. pegan C. pego D. pegamos

3. Complete the sentence: “Él se ___ con pegamento.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. pego B. pegáis C. pega D. pegas

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros nos ___ a su hermano.” (nosotros/as form)

A. pegas B. pegan C. pego D. pegamos

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros os ___ el cartel en la pared.” (vosotros/as form)

A. pega B. pegas C. pegan D. pegáis

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos se ___ con pegamento.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. pego B. pegan C. pegamos D. pegáis

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 me pego B. Todos los días, yo me pegué

Answer key

  1. pego — The yo present of pegarse is pego.
  2. pegas — The tú present of pegarse is pegas.
  3. pega — The él/ella/Ud. present of pegarse is pega.
  4. pegamos — The nosotros/as present of pegarse is pegamos.
  5. pegáis — The vosotros/as present of pegarse is pegáis.
  6. pegan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of pegarse is pegan.
  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 me pego — 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 pegarse?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo me pego el cartel en la pared. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of pegarse formed?

Take the stem peg- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving pego, pegas, pega, pegamos, pegáis, pegan.

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

The present (pego) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (pegué) 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 pegarse in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — pego, pegas, pega, pegamos, pegáis, pegan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the pegarse examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of pegarse when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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