Peinar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish
Introduction
peinar means "to comb" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows peinar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of peinar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.
Example sentences with peinar
Everyday use
Peinar means to comb. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.
- Yo peino el pelo — "I comb my hair"
- Él peina a mi hija — "He combs my daughter"
- Yo peiné delante del espejo — "I combed in front of the mirror"
- Yo peinaba el pelo — "I used to comb my hair"
- Yo peinaré a mi hija — "I will comb my daughter"
- Yo he peinado delante del espejo — "I have combed in front of the mirror"
In the past and the future
The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.
- Él peinó delante del espejo — "He combed in front of the mirror"
- Él peinaba el pelo — "He used to comb my hair"
- Tú peinarás a mi hija — "You will comb my daughter"
- Yo peinaría delante del espejo — "I would comb in front of the mirror"
- Yo había peinado el pelo — "I had combed my hair"
- Nosotros peinamos a mi hija — "We comb my daughter"
Peinar in conversation
The two dialogues below show peinar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.
Dialogue 1
- ¿Tú peinas el pelo? — "Do you comb my hair?"
- Sí, yo peino el pelo cada día. — "Yes, I comb my hair every day."
- ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú peinaste a mi hija? — "And yesterday? Did you comb my daughter?"
- Sí, yo peiné a mi hija. — "Yes, I combed my daughter."
- Mañana, yo peinaré delante del espejo también. — "Tomorrow, I will comb in front of the mirror too."
Dialogue 2
- ¿Vosotros peináis el pelo? — "Do you comb my hair?"
- Sí, nosotros peinamos el pelo los fines de semana. — "Yes, We comb my hair at the weekends."
- ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos peinan a mi hija? — "And them? Do they comb my daughter?"
- Sí, ellos peinan a mi hija también. — "Yes, They comb my daughter too."
- Mañana nosotros peinaremos a mi hija otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will comb my daughter again."
Useful phrases with peinar
Four patterns you can use with peinar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.
- Voy a peinar el pelo. — "I am going to comb my hair."
- Quiero peinar a mi hija. — "I want to comb my daughter."
- Me gusta peinar delante del espejo. — "I like to comb in front of the mirror."
- Acabo de peinar el pelo. — "I have just combed my hair."
Common mistakes with peinar in everyday use
Mistake 1
- Wrong: Ellos peina el pelo.
- Right: Ellos peinan el pelo.
- Why: Ellos needs the ellos form peinan. The singular peina belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Mistake 2
- Wrong: Todos los días, yo peiné.
- Right: Todos los días, yo peino.
- Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.
Mistake 3
- Wrong: Peinar es lo mismo que peinarse.
- Right: Peinar means to comb; peinarse means to comb (one's hair).
- Why: Peinar and peinarse describe different things. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable.
Mistake 4
- Wrong: Ayer, yo peino.
- Right: Ayer, yo peiné.
- Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (peiné). The present (peino) is for habits and for now.
Mistake 5
- Wrong: Espero que él peina el pelo.
- Right: Espero que él peine el pelo.
- Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: peine. The indicative form would be wrong here.
Quiz: peinar in use
Ten questions on peinar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.
1. What is the I form of peinar in the present tense?
- (a) habréis peinado
- (b) peino
- (c) habría peinado
- (d) peinaríamos
Answer: (b) peino. The I form in the present is peino.
2. What is the he / she form of peinar in the present tense?
- (a) habrá peinado
- (b) peinará
- (c) peinamos
- (d) peina
Answer: (d) peina. The he / she form in the present is peina.
3. What is the he / she form of peinar in the preterite tense?
- (a) peináramos
- (b) peinó
- (c) ha peinado
- (d) habrás peinado
Answer: (b) peinó. The he / she form in the preterite is peinó.
4. What is the I form of peinar in the imperfect tense?
- (a) peinaban
- (b) habrían peinado
- (c) peinaremos
- (d) peinaba
Answer: (d) peinaba. The I form in the imperfect is peinaba.
5. What is the I form of peinar in the future tense?
- (a) peinan
- (b) peinaré
- (c) peinaríamos
- (d) peinó
Answer: (b) peinaré. The I form in the future is peinaré.
6. What is the I form of peinar in the present perfect tense?
- (a) he peinado
- (b) peinad
- (c) peinabais
- (d) habrías peinado
Answer: (a) he peinado. The I form in the present perfect is he peinado.
7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el pelo.
- (a) peine
- (b) peinéis
- (c) peinemos
- (d) peines
Answer: (a) peine. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is peine.
8. What is the we form of peinar in the present tense?
- (a) peinamos
- (b) habríais peinado
- (c) peinábamos
- (d) peinaban
Answer: (a) peinamos. The we form in the present is peinamos.
9. What is the I form of peinar in the preterite tense?
- (a) peiné
- (b) peinabas
- (c) he peinado
- (d) peinan
Answer: (a) peiné. The I form in the preterite is peiné.
10. What is the they form of peinar in the present tense?
- (a) peiné
- (b) peinasteis
- (c) peinéis
- (d) peinan
Answer: (d) peinan. The they form in the present is peinan.
Frequently asked questions about peinar
Is peinar regular?
Yes. Peinar is a regular -ar verb: peino, peinas, peina. See the full conjugation of peinar for every tense.
What is the difference between peinar and peinarse?
Peinar means to comb. Peinarse means to comb (one's hair). Use peinar when you mean to comb, as in Yo peino el pelo.
How do I say “I comb” in the past?
For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo peiné a mi hija. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo peinaba delante del espejo.
How can I practise peinar?
Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.