Pinchar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb pinchar means to puncture, to prick, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Pinchar means to puncture or to prick, and it is used for a tyre going flat, pricking your finger with a needle and puncturing a balloon. It is fully regular, and it appears in driving, sewing and medical contexts. Like every Spanish verb, pinchar 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 pincho la rueda en la autopista, and in the preterite you say pinché el globo en la fiesta. 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: pinchar
- English: to puncture, to prick
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: pinchando
- Past participle: pinchado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + pinchado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for pinchar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Pinchar is fully regular: pinché, pinchaba, pincharé. Pinchar la rueda is to puncture the tyre.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for pinchar. 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 | pincho |
| tú | pinchas |
| él/ella/Ud. | pincha |
| nosotros/as | pinchamos |
| vosotros/as | pincháis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pinchan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pinché |
| tú | pinchaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | pinchó |
| nosotros/as | pinchamos |
| vosotros/as | pinchasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pincharon |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pinchaba |
| tú | pinchabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | pinchaba |
| nosotros/as | pinchábamos |
| vosotros/as | pinchabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pinchaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pincharé |
| tú | pincharás |
| él/ella/Ud. | pinchará |
| nosotros/as | pincharemos |
| vosotros/as | pincharéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pincharán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pincharía |
| tú | pincharías |
| él/ella/Ud. | pincharía |
| nosotros/as | pincharíamos |
| vosotros/as | pincharíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pincharían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he pinchado |
| tú | has pinchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha pinchado |
| nosotros/as | hemos pinchado |
| vosotros/as | habéis pinchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han pinchado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había pinchado |
| tú | habías pinchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había pinchado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos pinchado |
| vosotros/as | habíais pinchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían pinchado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré pinchado |
| tú | habrás pinchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá pinchado |
| nosotros/as | habremos pinchado |
| vosotros/as | habréis pinchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán pinchado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría pinchado |
| tú | habrías pinchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría pinchado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos pinchado |
| vosotros/as | habríais pinchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían pinchado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pinche |
| tú | pinches |
| él/ella/Ud. | pinche |
| nosotros/as | pinchemos |
| vosotros/as | pinchéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pinchen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pinchara |
| tú | pincharas |
| él/ella/Ud. | pinchara |
| nosotros/as | pincháramos |
| vosotros/as | pincharais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pincharan |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | pincha |
| él/ella/Ud. | pinche |
| nosotros/as | pinchemos |
| vosotros/as | pinchad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pinchen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | pinches |
| él/ella/Ud. | pinche |
| nosotros/as | pinchemos |
| vosotros/as | pinchéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pinchen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | pinchando | with estar for the progressive: estoy pinchando |
| Past participle | pinchado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he pinchado |
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 pinchar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Pincho la rueda en la autopista. 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 pinchar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, pinché el dedo con la aguja. 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 pinchar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, pinchaba el globo en la fiesta. 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 pinchar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, pincharé la carne con el tenedor. 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 pinchar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Pincharía la rueda en la autopista 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 pinchar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he pinchado el dedo con la aguja. 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 pinchar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había pinchado el globo en la fiesta 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 pinchar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré pinchado la carne con el tenedor. 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 pinchar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría pinchado la rueda en la autopista 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 pinchar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él pinche el dedo con la aguja. 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 pinchar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él pinchara el globo en la fiesta, 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 pinchar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Pincha la carne con el tenedor! 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 pinchar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No pinches la rueda en la autopista. 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 pinchar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Pincho la rueda en la autopista. — I puncture the tyre on the motorway.
- Pincha el dedo con la aguja. — He/she punctures my finger with the needle.
- Ayer, pinché el globo en la fiesta. — Yesterday, I punctured the balloon at the party.
- Antes, nosotros pinchábamos la carne con el tenedor. — Before, we used to puncture the meat with the fork.
- Mañana, tú pincharás la rueda en la autopista. — Tomorrow, you will puncture the tyre on the motorway.
- Yo pincharía el dedo con la aguja si tuviera más tiempo. — I would puncture my finger with the needle if I had more time.
- Él ha pinchado el globo en la fiesta. — He has punctured the balloon at the party.
- Espero que él pinche la carne con el tenedor. — I hope he punctures the meat with the fork.
- Yo ya había pinchado la rueda en la autopista antes de salir. — I had already punctured the tyre on the motorway before leaving.
- Ellos pinchaban el dedo con la aguja cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to puncture my finger with the needle when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo pincha la rueda en la autopista. — Right: Yo pincho la rueda en la autopista. — The person matters: pincha is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is pincho. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo pincho el dedo con la aguja. — Right: Ayer yo pinché el dedo con la aguja. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: pincho is happening now, while pinché is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating pinchar and cortar as identical in every context. — Right: Pinchar means to puncture, to prick, while cortar means to cut. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: pinchar fits sentences such as Pincho la rueda en la autopista, while cortar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy pinchado el dedo con la aguja. — Right: Yo he pinchado el dedo con la aguja. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he pinchado, has pinchado, ha pinchado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo pinché el globo en la fiesta todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo pinchaba el globo en la fiesta todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (pinchaba), not the preterite. The preterite (pinché) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on pinchar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la rueda en la autopista. (present tense) A. pincho B. pinchas C. pincha D. pinchamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el dedo con la aguja. (preterite) A. pinché B. pinchaste C. pincharon D. pinchó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el globo en la fiesta. (imperfect) A. pinchabas B. pinchaban C. pinchábamos D. pinchaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ la carne con el tenedor. (future) A. pincharemos B. pincharás C. pincharé D. pinchará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la rueda en la autopista si pudiera. (conditional) A. pincharía B. pincharías C. pincharían D. pincho
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el dedo con la aguja. (present subjunctive) A. pinches B. pinchemos C. pincho D. pinche
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el globo en la fiesta, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. pincháramos B. pincho C. pinchara D. pincharas
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ la carne con el tenedor. (present perfect) A. han pinchado B. hemos pinchado C. he pinchado D. has pinchado
Complete the command: ¡___ la rueda en la autopista! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. pincha B. pinche C. pinchemos D. pinchad
Which is the gerund of pinchar, used with estar for the progressive? A. pinchado B. pincho C. pinché D. pinchando
Answer key
- pincho — The first-person present of pinchar is pincho. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- pinchó — The third-person preterite of pinchar is pinchó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- pinchábamos — The nosotros imperfect of pinchar is pinchábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- pincharás — The second-person future of pinchar is pincharás.
- pincharía — The first-person conditional of pinchar is pincharía, the form for what would happen.
- pinche — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of pinchar is pinche.
- pinchara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of pinchar is pinchara.
- hemos pinchado — The nosotros present perfect of pinchar is hemos pinchado: hemos + pinchado.
- pincha — The affirmative tú imperative of pinchar is pincha.
- pinchando — The gerund of pinchar is pinchando: estoy pinchando. The participle pinchado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does pinchar mean in English?
Pinchar means to puncture, to prick. It is used in everyday situations such as Pincho la rueda en la autopista. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is pinchar regular or irregular?
Pinchar is a fully regular -ar 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 pincho in the present and pinché in the preterite.
What is the difference between pinchar and cortar?
Pinchar means to puncture, to prick, while cortar means to cut. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use pinchar when you mean to puncture, to prick, as in Pincho la rueda en la autopista, and use cortar for to cut. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I puncture” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo pinché el dedo con la aguja. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo pinchaba el globo en la fiesta. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he pinchado el dedo con la aguja.
How do I practise pinchar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the pinchar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Pinchar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for pinchar.
- Pinchar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for pinchar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Quemar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with pinchar.
- Quebrar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with pinchar.
- Asar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with pinchar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.