Persuadir Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb persuadir means to persuade, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Persuadir means to persuade, and it is the verb for convincing someone with words: persuadir a María, persuadir con argumentos. It takes a for the person persuaded, and de plus an infinitive for what they are persuaded to do. It is a regular -ir verb. Like every Spanish verb, persuadir 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 persuado a María con argumentos, and in the preterite you say persuadí al jefe con datos. 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: persuadir
- English: to persuade
- Verb type: regular -ir verb
- Ending: -ir
- Gerund: persuadiendo
- Past participle: persuadido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + persuadido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for persuadir, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Persuadir takes a for the person: persuado a María. Add de plus an infinitive for the action: persuadir de viajar.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for persuadir. 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 | persuado |
| tú | persuades |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuade |
| nosotros/as | persuadimos |
| vosotros/as | persuadís |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuaden |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persuadí |
| tú | persuadiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuadió |
| nosotros/as | persuadimos |
| vosotros/as | persuadisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persuadía |
| tú | persuadías |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuadía |
| nosotros/as | persuadíamos |
| vosotros/as | persuadíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persuadiré |
| tú | persuadirás |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuadirá |
| nosotros/as | persuadiremos |
| vosotros/as | persuadiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadirán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persuadiría |
| tú | persuadirías |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuadiría |
| nosotros/as | persuadiríamos |
| vosotros/as | persuadiríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadirían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he persuadido |
| tú | has persuadido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha persuadido |
| nosotros/as | hemos persuadido |
| vosotros/as | habéis persuadido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han persuadido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había persuadido |
| tú | habías persuadido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había persuadido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos persuadido |
| vosotros/as | habíais persuadido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían persuadido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré persuadido |
| tú | habrás persuadido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá persuadido |
| nosotros/as | habremos persuadido |
| vosotros/as | habréis persuadido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán persuadido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría persuadido |
| tú | habrías persuadido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría persuadido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos persuadido |
| vosotros/as | habríais persuadido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían persuadido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persuada |
| tú | persuadas |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuada |
| nosotros/as | persuadamos |
| vosotros/as | persuadáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | persuadiera |
| tú | persuadieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuadiera |
| nosotros/as | persuadiéramos |
| vosotros/as | persuadierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | persuade |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuada |
| nosotros/as | persuadamos |
| vosotros/as | persuadid |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | persuadas |
| él/ella/Ud. | persuada |
| nosotros/as | persuadamos |
| vosotros/as | persuadáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | persuadan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | persuadiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy persuadiendo |
| Past participle | persuadido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he persuadido |
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 persuadir, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Persuado a María con argumentos. 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 persuadir, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, persuadí a su padre de viajar. 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 persuadir, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, persuadía al jefe con datos. 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 persuadir, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, persuadiré a los niños de estudiar. 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 persuadir, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Persuadiría a María con argumentos 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 persuadir, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he persuadido a su padre de viajar. 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 persuadir, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había persuadido al jefe con datos 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 persuadir, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré persuadido a los niños de estudiar. 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 persuadir, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría persuadido a María con argumentos 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 persuadir, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él persuada a su padre de viajar. 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 persuadir, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él persuadiera al jefe con datos, 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 persuadir, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Persuade a los niños de estudiar! 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 persuadir, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No persuadas a María con argumentos. 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 persuadir, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Persuado a María con argumentos. — I persuade María with arguments.
- Persuade a su padre de viajar. — He/she persuades his father to travel.
- Ayer, persuadí al jefe con datos. — Yesterday, I persuaded the boss with data.
- Antes, nosotros persuadíamos a los niños de estudiar. — Before, we used to persuade the children to study.
- Mañana, tú persuadirás a María con argumentos. — Tomorrow, you will persuade María with arguments.
- Yo persuadiría a su padre de viajar si tuviera más tiempo. — I would persuade his father to travel if I had more time.
- Él ha persuadido al jefe con datos. — He has persuaded the boss with data.
- Espero que él persuada a los niños de estudiar. — I hope he persuades the children to study.
- Yo ya había persuadido a María con argumentos antes de salir. — I had already persuaded María with arguments before leaving.
- Ellos persuadían a su padre de viajar cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to persuade his father to travel when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo persuade a María con argumentos. — Right: Yo persuado a María con argumentos. — The person matters: persuade is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is persuado. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo persuado a su padre de viajar. — Right: Ayer yo persuadí a su padre de viajar. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: persuado is happening now, while persuadí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating persuadir and convencer as identical in every context. — Right: Persuadir means to persuade, while convencer means to convince. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: persuadir fits sentences such as Persuado a María con argumentos, while convencer belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy persuadido a su padre de viajar. — Right: Yo he persuadido a su padre de viajar. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he persuadido, has persuadido, ha persuadido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo persuadí al jefe con datos todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo persuadía al jefe con datos todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (persuadía), not the preterite. The preterite (persuadí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on persuadir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a María con argumentos. (present tense) A. persuado B. persuades C. persuade D. persuadimos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ a su padre de viajar. (preterite) A. persuadí B. persuadiste C. persuadimos D. persuadió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ al jefe con datos. (imperfect) A. persuadías B. persuado C. persuadíamos D. persuadía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ a los niños de estudiar. (future) A. persuadiremos B. persuadirás C. persuadiré D. persuadirá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a María con argumentos si pudiera. (conditional) A. persuadiría B. persuadirías C. persuadiríamos D. persuado
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a su padre de viajar. (present subjunctive) A. persuadas B. persuadamos C. persuado D. persuada
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ al jefe con datos, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. persuadiéramos B. persuado C. persuadiera D. persuadieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ a los niños de estudiar. (present perfect) A. ha persuadido B. hemos persuadido C. he persuadido D. has persuadido
Complete the command: ¡___ a María con argumentos! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. persuade B. persuada C. persuadamos D. persuadid
Which is the gerund of persuadir, used with estar for the progressive? A. persuadido B. persuado C. persuadí D. persuadiendo
Answer key
- persuado — The yo present tense of persuadir is persuado.
- persuadió — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of persuadir is persuadió.
- persuadíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of persuadir is persuadíamos.
- persuadirás — The tú future of persuadir is persuadirás.
- persuadiría — The yo conditional of persuadir is persuadiría.
- persuada — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of persuadir is persuada.
- persuadiera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of persuadir is persuadiera.
- hemos persuadido — The nosotros/as present perfect of persuadir is hemos persuadido.
- persuade — The affirmative tú imperative of persuadir is persuade.
- persuadiendo — The gerund of persuadir is persuadiendo: estoy persuadiendo. The participle persuadido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does persuadir mean in English?
Persuadir means to persuade. It is used in everyday situations such as Persuado a María con argumentos. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is persuadir regular or irregular?
Persuadir 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 persuado in the present and persuadí in the preterite.
What is the difference between persuadir and convencer?
Persuadir means to persuade, while convencer means to convince. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use persuadir when you mean to persuade, as in Persuado a María con argumentos, and use convencer for to convince. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I persuade” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo persuadí a su padre de viajar. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo persuadía al jefe con datos. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he persuadido a su padre de viajar.
How do I practise persuadir?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the persuadir examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Persuadir in the present tense — the full present-tense table for persuadir.
- Persuadir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for persuadir.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Persistir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with persuadir.
- Redimir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with persuadir.
- Percibir conjugation — another -ir verb to compare with persuadir.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.