Planchar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb planchar means to iron, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Planchar means to iron, and it is used for ironing clothes before work, school or a special occasion. It is a regular -ar verb, and it appears in household-chore lists next to lavar, barrer and cocinar, usually with the garment as its direct object. Like every Spanish verb, planchar 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 plancho la camisa antes del trabajo, and in the preterite you say planché con cuidado y sin quemar nada. 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: planchar
- English: to iron
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: planchando
- Past participle: planchado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + planchado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for planchar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Planchar is fully regular: planché, planchaba, plancharé. The ch is a single sound, never split.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for planchar. 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 | plancho |
| tú | planchas |
| él/ella/Ud. | plancha |
| nosotros/as | planchamos |
| vosotros/as | plancháis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planchan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | planché |
| tú | planchaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | planchó |
| nosotros/as | planchamos |
| vosotros/as | planchasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plancharon |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | planchaba |
| tú | planchabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | planchaba |
| nosotros/as | planchábamos |
| vosotros/as | planchabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planchaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | plancharé |
| tú | plancharás |
| él/ella/Ud. | planchará |
| nosotros/as | plancharemos |
| vosotros/as | plancharéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plancharán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | plancharía |
| tú | plancharías |
| él/ella/Ud. | plancharía |
| nosotros/as | plancharíamos |
| vosotros/as | plancharíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plancharían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he planchado |
| tú | has planchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha planchado |
| nosotros/as | hemos planchado |
| vosotros/as | habéis planchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han planchado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había planchado |
| tú | habías planchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había planchado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos planchado |
| vosotros/as | habíais planchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían planchado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré planchado |
| tú | habrás planchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá planchado |
| nosotros/as | habremos planchado |
| vosotros/as | habréis planchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán planchado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría planchado |
| tú | habrías planchado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría planchado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos planchado |
| vosotros/as | habríais planchado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían planchado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | planche |
| tú | planches |
| él/ella/Ud. | planche |
| nosotros/as | planchemos |
| vosotros/as | planchéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planchen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | planchara |
| tú | plancharas |
| él/ella/Ud. | planchara |
| nosotros/as | plancháramos |
| vosotros/as | plancharais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plancharan |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | plancha |
| él/ella/Ud. | planche |
| nosotros/as | planchemos |
| vosotros/as | planchad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planchen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | planches |
| él/ella/Ud. | planche |
| nosotros/as | planchemos |
| vosotros/as | planchéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planchen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | planchando | with estar for the progressive: estoy planchando |
| Past participle | planchado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he planchado |
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 planchar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Plancho la camisa antes del trabajo. 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 planchar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, planché la ropa el domingo. 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 planchar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, planchaba con cuidado y sin quemar nada. 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 planchar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, plancharé los pantalones para la boda. 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 planchar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Plancharía la camisa antes del trabajo 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 planchar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he planchado la ropa el domingo. 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 planchar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había planchado con cuidado y sin quemar nada 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 planchar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré planchado los pantalones para la boda. 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 planchar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría planchado la camisa antes del trabajo 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 planchar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él planche la ropa el domingo. 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 planchar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él planchara con cuidado y sin quemar nada, 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 planchar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Plancha los pantalones para la boda! 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 planchar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No planches la camisa antes del trabajo. 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 planchar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Plancho la camisa antes del trabajo. — I iron the shirt before work.
- Plancha la ropa el domingo. — He/she irons the clothes on Sundays.
- Ayer, planché con cuidado y sin quemar nada. — Yesterday, I ironed carefully, without burning anything.
- Antes, nosotros planchábamos los pantalones para la boda. — Before, we used to iron the trousers for the wedding.
- Mañana, tú plancharás la camisa antes del trabajo. — Tomorrow, you will iron the shirt before work.
- Yo plancharía la ropa el domingo si tuviera más tiempo. — I would iron the clothes on Sundays if I had more time.
- Él ha planchado con cuidado y sin quemar nada. — He has ironed carefully, without burning anything.
- Espero que él planche los pantalones para la boda. — I hope he irons the trousers for the wedding.
- Yo ya había planchado la camisa antes del trabajo antes de salir. — I had already ironed the shirt before work before leaving.
- Ellos planchaban la ropa el domingo cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to iron the clothes on Sundays when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo plancha la camisa antes del trabajo. — Right: Yo plancho la camisa antes del trabajo. — The person matters: plancha is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is plancho. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo plancho la ropa el domingo. — Right: Ayer yo planché la ropa el domingo. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: plancho is happening now, while planché is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating planchar and lavar as identical in every context. — Right: Planchar means to iron, while lavar means to wash the clothes first. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: planchar fits sentences such as Plancho la camisa antes del trabajo, while lavar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy planchado la ropa el domingo. — Right: Yo he planchado la ropa el domingo. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he planchado, has planchado, ha planchado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo planché con cuidado y sin quemar nada todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo planchaba con cuidado y sin quemar nada todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (planchaba), not the preterite. The preterite (planché) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on planchar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la camisa antes del trabajo. (present tense) A. plancho B. planchas C. plancha D. planchamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la ropa el domingo. (preterite) A. planché B. planchaste C. plancharon D. planchó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ con cuidado y sin quemar nada. (imperfect) A. planchabas B. planchaban C. planchábamos D. planchaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ los pantalones para la boda. (future) A. plancharemos B. plancharás C. plancharé D. planchará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la camisa antes del trabajo si pudiera. (conditional) A. plancharía B. plancharías C. plancharían D. plancho
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la ropa el domingo. (present subjunctive) A. planches B. planchemos C. plancho D. planche
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ con cuidado y sin quemar nada, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. plancháramos B. plancho C. planchara D. plancharas
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ los pantalones para la boda. (present perfect) A. han planchado B. hemos planchado C. he planchado D. has planchado
Complete the command: ¡___ la camisa antes del trabajo! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. plancha B. planche C. planchemos D. planchad
Which is the gerund of planchar, used with estar for the progressive? A. planchado B. plancho C. planché D. planchando
Answer key
- plancho — The first-person present of planchar is plancho. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- planchó — The third-person preterite of planchar is planchó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- planchábamos — The nosotros imperfect of planchar is planchábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- plancharás — The second-person future of planchar is plancharás.
- plancharía — The first-person conditional of planchar is plancharía, the form for what would happen.
- planche — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of planchar is planche.
- planchara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of planchar is planchara.
- hemos planchado — The nosotros present perfect of planchar is hemos planchado: hemos + planchado.
- plancha — The affirmative tú imperative of planchar is plancha.
- planchando — The gerund of planchar is planchando: estoy planchando. The participle planchado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does planchar mean in English?
Planchar means to iron. It is used in everyday situations such as Plancho la camisa antes del trabajo. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is planchar regular or irregular?
Planchar 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 plancho in the present and planché in the preterite.
What is the difference between planchar and lavar?
Planchar means to iron, while lavar means to wash the clothes first. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use planchar when you mean to iron, as in Plancho la camisa antes del trabajo, and use lavar for to wash the clothes first. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I iron” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo planché la ropa el domingo. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo planchaba con cuidado y sin quemar nada. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he planchado la ropa el domingo.
How do I practise planchar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the planchar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Planchar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for planchar.
- Planchar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for planchar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Lavar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with planchar.
- Ordenar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with planchar.
- Pintar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with planchar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.