Persistir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb persistir means to persist, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Persistir means to persist or to keep going, and it is used for continuing despite difficulty: persistir en el esfuerzo, persistir en la idea. It takes en. It is a regular -ir verb. Like every Spanish verb, persistir 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 persisto en el esfuerzo cada día, and in the preterite you say persistí a pesar de las dificultades. 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: persistir
- English: to persist
- Verb type: regular -ir verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: persistiendo
- Past participle: persistido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + persistido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for persistir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Persistir takes en: persisto en el esfuerzo. It is fully regular: persistí, persistía, persistiré.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for persistir. 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 | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persisto |
| tú | persistes |
| él/ella/Ud. | persiste |
| nosotros/as | persistimos |
| vosotros/as | persistís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persisten |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persistí |
| tú | persististe |
| él/ella/Ud. | persistió |
| nosotros/as | persistimos |
| vosotros/as | persististeis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persistía |
| tú | persistías |
| él/ella/Ud. | persistía |
| nosotros/as | persistíamos |
| vosotros/as | persistíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persistiré |
| tú | persistirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | persistirá |
| nosotros/as | persistiremos |
| vosotros/as | persistiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persistiría |
| tú | persistirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | persistiría |
| nosotros/as | persistiríamos |
| vosotros/as | persistiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he persistido |
| tú | has persistido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha persistido |
| nosotros/as | hemos persistido |
| vosotros/as | habéis persistido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han persistido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había persistido |
| tú | habías persistido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había persistido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos persistido |
| vosotros/as | habíais persistido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían persistido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré persistido |
| tú | habrás persistido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá persistido |
| nosotros/as | habremos persistido |
| vosotros/as | habréis persistido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán persistido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría persistido |
| tú | habrías persistido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría persistido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos persistido |
| vosotros/as | habríais persistido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían persistido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persista |
| tú | persistas |
| él/ella/Ud. | persista |
| nosotros/as | persistamos |
| vosotros/as | persistáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persistiera |
| tú | persistieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | persistiera |
| nosotros/as | persistiéramos |
| vosotros/as | persistierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | persiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | persista |
| nosotros/as | persistamos |
| vosotros/as | persistid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | persistas |
| él/ella/Ud. | persista |
| nosotros/as | persistamos |
| vosotros/as | persistáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persistan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | persistiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy persistiendo |
| Past participle | persistido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he persistido |
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 persistir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Persisto en el esfuerzo cada día. 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 persistir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, persistí en la idea del proyecto. 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 persistir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, persistía a pesar de las dificultades. 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 persistir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, persistiré en su opinión en la reunión. 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 persistir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Persistiría en el esfuerzo cada día 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 persistir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he persistido en la idea del proyecto. 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 persistir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había persistido a pesar de las dificultades 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 persistir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré persistido en su opinión en la reunión. 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 persistir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría persistido en el esfuerzo cada día 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 persistir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él persista en la idea del proyecto. 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 persistir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él persistiera a pesar de las dificultades, 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 persistir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Persiste en su opinión en la reunión! 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 persistir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No persistas en el esfuerzo cada día. 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 persistir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Persisto en el esfuerzo cada día. — I persist in the effort every day.
- Persiste en la idea del proyecto. — He/she persists in the project's idea.
- Ayer, persistí a pesar de las dificultades. — Yesterday, I persisted despite the difficulties.
- Antes, nosotros persistíamos en su opinión en la reunión. — Before, we used to persist in his opinion in the meeting.
- Mañana, tú persistirás en el esfuerzo cada día. — Tomorrow, you will persist in the effort every day.
- Yo persistiría en la idea del proyecto si tuviera más tiempo. — I would persist in the project's idea if I had more time.
- Él ha persistido a pesar de las dificultades. — He has persisted despite the difficulties.
- Espero que él persista en su opinión en la reunión. — I hope he persists in his opinion in the meeting.
- Yo ya había persistido en el esfuerzo cada día antes de salir. — I had already persisted in the effort every day before leaving.
- Ellos persistían en la idea del proyecto cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to persist in the project's idea when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo persiste en el esfuerzo cada día. — Right: Yo persisto en el esfuerzo cada día. — The person matters: persiste is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is persisto. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo persisto en la idea del proyecto. — Right: Ayer yo persistí en la idea del proyecto. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: persisto is happening now, while persistí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating persistir and insistir as identical in every context. — Right: Persistir means to persist, while insistir means to insist. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: persistir fits sentences such as Persisto en el esfuerzo cada día, while insistir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy persistido en la idea del proyecto. — Right: Yo he persistido en la idea del proyecto. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he persistido, has persistido, ha persistido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo persistí a pesar de las dificultades todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo persistía a pesar de las dificultades todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (persistía), not the preterite. The preterite (persistí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on persistir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en el esfuerzo cada día. (present tense) A. persisto B. persistes C. persiste D. persistimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ en la idea del proyecto. (preterite) A. persistí B. persististe C. persistimos D. persistió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ a pesar de las dificultades. (imperfect) A. persistías B. persisto C. persistíamos D. persistía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ en su opinión en la reunión. (future) A. persistiremos B. persistirás C. persistiré D. persistirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en el esfuerzo cada día si pudiera. (conditional) A. persistiría B. persistirías C. persistiríamos D. persisto
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en la idea del proyecto. (present subjunctive) A. persistas B. persistamos C. persisto D. persista
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ a pesar de las dificultades, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. persistiéramos B. persisto C. persistiera D. persistieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ en su opinión en la reunión. (present perfect) A. ha persistido B. hemos persistido C. he persistido D. has persistido
Complete the command: ¡___ en el esfuerzo cada día! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. persiste B. persista C. persistamos D. persistid
Which is the gerund of persistir, used with estar for the progressive? A. persistido B. persisto C. persistí D. persistiendo
Answer key
- persisto — The yo present tense of persistir is persisto.
- persistió — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of persistir is persistió.
- persistíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of persistir is persistíamos.
- persistirás — The tú future of persistir is persistirás.
- persistiría — The yo conditional of persistir is persistiría.
- persista — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of persistir is persista.
- persistiera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of persistir is persistiera.
- hemos persistido — The nosotros/as present perfect of persistir is hemos persistido.
- persiste — The affirmative tú imperative of persistir is persiste.
- persistiendo — The gerund of persistir is persistiendo: estoy persistiendo. The participle persistido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does persistir mean in English?
Persistir means to persist. It is used in everyday situations such as Persisto en el esfuerzo cada día. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is persistir regular or irregular?
Persistir is a fully regular -ir verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including persisto in the present and persistí in the preterite.
What is the difference between persistir and insistir?
Persistir means to persist, while insistir means to insist. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use persistir when you mean to persist, as in Persisto en el esfuerzo cada día, and use insistir for to insist. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I persist” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo persistí en la idea del proyecto. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo persistía a pesar de las dificultades. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he persistido en la idea del proyecto.
How do I practise persistir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the persistir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Persistir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for persistir.
- Persistir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for persistir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Percibir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with persistir.
- Persuadir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with persistir.
- Oprimir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with persistir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.