Pintar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb pintar means to paint, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Pintar means to paint, and it covers painting walls, painting pictures and painting as a hobby or a job. It also appears in the idiom pintar bien or mal, to look good or bad, as in esa camisa te pinta bien. It is a fully regular -ar verb. Like every Spanish verb, pintar 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 pinto la pared de azul, and in the preterite you say pinté la casa en verano. 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: pintar
  • English: to paint
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: pintando
  • Past participle: pintado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + pintado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for pintar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Pintar is fully regular. Do not confuse it with dibujar: pintar uses paint, dibujar uses a pencil.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for pintar. 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 pinto
tú pintas
él/ella/Ud. pinta
nosotros/as pintamos
vosotros/as pintáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. pintan

Preterite

Person Form
yo pinté
tú pintaste
él/ella/Ud. pintó
nosotros/as pintamos
vosotros/as pintasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. pintaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo pintaba
tú pintabas
él/ella/Ud. pintaba
nosotros/as pintábamos
vosotros/as pintabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. pintaban

Future

Person Form
yo pintaré
tú pintarás
él/ella/Ud. pintará
nosotros/as pintaremos
vosotros/as pintaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. pintarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo pintaría
tú pintarías
él/ella/Ud. pintaría
nosotros/as pintaríamos
vosotros/as pintaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. pintarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he pintado
tú has pintado
él/ella/Ud. ha pintado
nosotros/as hemos pintado
vosotros/as habéis pintado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han pintado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había pintado
tú habías pintado
él/ella/Ud. había pintado
nosotros/as habíamos pintado
vosotros/as habíais pintado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían pintado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré pintado
tú habrás pintado
él/ella/Ud. habrá pintado
nosotros/as habremos pintado
vosotros/as habréis pintado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán pintado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría pintado
tú habrías pintado
él/ella/Ud. habría pintado
nosotros/as habríamos pintado
vosotros/as habríais pintado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían pintado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo pinte
tú pintes
él/ella/Ud. pinte
nosotros/as pintemos
vosotros/as pintéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. pinten

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo pintara
tú pintaras
él/ella/Ud. pintara
nosotros/as pintáramos
vosotros/as pintarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. pintaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú pinta
él/ella/Ud. pinte
nosotros/as pintemos
vosotros/as pintad
ellos/ellas/Uds. pinten

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú pintes
él/ella/Ud. pinte
nosotros/as pintemos
vosotros/as pintéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. pinten

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund pintando with estar for the progressive: estoy pintando
Past participle pintado with haber for the perfect tenses: he pintado

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 pintar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Pinto la pared de azul. 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 pintar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, pinté un cuadro al óleo. 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 pintar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, pintaba la casa en verano. 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 pintar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, pintaré con acuarelas los domingos. 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 pintar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Pintaría la pared de azul 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 pintar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he pintado un cuadro al óleo. 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 pintar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había pintado la casa en verano 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 pintar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré pintado con acuarelas los domingos. 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 pintar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría pintado la pared de azul 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 pintar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él pinte un cuadro al óleo. 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 pintar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él pintara la casa en verano, 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 pintar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Pinta con acuarelas los domingos! 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 pintar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No pintes la pared de azul. 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 pintar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Pinto la pared de azul. — I paint the wall blue.
  2. Pinta un cuadro al óleo. — He/she paints a picture in oils.
  3. Ayer, pinté la casa en verano. — Yesterday, I painted the house in summer.
  4. Antes, nosotros pintábamos con acuarelas los domingos. — Before, we used to paint with watercolours on Sundays.
  5. Mañana, tú pintarás la pared de azul. — Tomorrow, you will paint the wall blue.
  6. Yo pintaría un cuadro al óleo si tuviera más tiempo. — I would paint a picture in oils if I had more time.
  7. Él ha pintado la casa en verano. — He has painted the house in summer.
  8. Espero que él pinte con acuarelas los domingos. — I hope he paints with watercolours on Sundays.
  9. Yo ya había pintado la pared de azul antes de salir. — I had already painted the wall blue before leaving.
  10. Ellos pintaban un cuadro al óleo cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to paint a picture in oils when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo pinta la pared de azul. — Right: Yo pinto la pared de azul. — The person matters: pinta is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is pinto. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo pinto un cuadro al óleo. — Right: Ayer yo pinté un cuadro al óleo. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: pinto is happening now, while pinté is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating pintar and dibujar as identical in every context. — Right: Pintar means to paint, while dibujar means to draw, with a pencil rather than paint. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: pintar fits sentences such as Pinto la pared de azul, while dibujar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy pintado un cuadro al óleo. — Right: Yo he pintado un cuadro al óleo. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he pintado, has pintado, ha pintado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo pinté la casa en verano todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo pintaba la casa en verano todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (pintaba), not the preterite. The preterite (pinté) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on pintar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la pared de azul. (present tense) A. pinto B. pintas C. pinta D. pintamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ un cuadro al óleo. (preterite) A. pinté B. pintaste C. pintaron D. pintó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ la casa en verano. (imperfect) A. pintabas B. pintaban C. pintábamos D. pintaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ con acuarelas los domingos. (future) A. pintaremos B. pintarás C. pintaré D. pintará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la pared de azul si pudiera. (conditional) A. pintaría B. pintarías C. pintarían D. pinto

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ un cuadro al óleo. (present subjunctive) A. pintes B. pintemos C. pinto D. pinte

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ la casa en verano, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. pintáramos B. pinto C. pintara D. pintaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ con acuarelas los domingos. (present perfect) A. han pintado B. hemos pintado C. he pintado D. has pintado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ la pared de azul! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. pinta B. pinte C. pintemos D. pintad

  10. Which is the gerund of pintar, used with estar for the progressive? A. pintado B. pinto C. pinté D. pintando

Answer key

  1. pinto — The first-person present of pintar is pinto. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. pintó — The third-person preterite of pintar is pintó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. pintábamos — The nosotros imperfect of pintar is pintábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. pintarás — The second-person future of pintar is pintarás.
  5. pintaría — The first-person conditional of pintar is pintaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. pinte — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of pintar is pinte.
  7. pintara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of pintar is pintara.
  8. hemos pintado — The nosotros present perfect of pintar is hemos pintado: hemos + pintado.
  9. pinta — The affirmative tú imperative of pintar is pinta.
  10. pintando — The gerund of pintar is pintando: estoy pintando. The participle pintado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does pintar mean in English?

Pintar means to paint. It is used in everyday situations such as Pinto la pared de azul. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is pintar regular or irregular?

Pintar 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 pinto in the present and pinté in the preterite.

What is the difference between pintar and dibujar?

Pintar means to paint, while dibujar means to draw, with a pencil rather than paint. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use pintar when you mean to paint, as in Pinto la pared de azul, and use dibujar for to draw, with a pencil rather than paint. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I paint” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo pinté un cuadro al óleo. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo pintaba la casa en verano. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he pintado un cuadro al óleo.

How do I practise pintar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the pintar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

Related links