Plantar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb plantar means to plant, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Plantar is a regular -ar verb, so the tables below show you exactly how it behaves in every tense. On this page you will find the full conjugation of plantar in all thirteen tenses, notes on when to use each one, example sentences, the mistakes learners make most often, a ten-question quiz and answers to the questions students ask about this verb. For example, in the present tense you say Yo planto un árbol — "I plant a tree" — and in the preterite you say Yo planté flores en el jardín — "I planted flowers in the garden". 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: plantar
- English: to plant
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: plantando
- Past participle: plantado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + plantado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for plantar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for plantar. 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.
Gerund: plantando · Past participle: plantado
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | planto |
| tú | plantas |
| él/ella/Ud. | planta |
| nosotros/as | plantamos |
| vosotros/as | plantáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plantan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | planté |
| tú | plantaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | plantó |
| nosotros/as | plantamos |
| vosotros/as | plantasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plantaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | plantaba |
| tú | plantabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | plantaba |
| nosotros/as | plantábamos |
| vosotros/as | plantabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plantaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | plantaré |
| tú | plantarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | plantará |
| nosotros/as | plantaremos |
| vosotros/as | plantaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plantarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | plantaría |
| tú | plantarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | plantaría |
| nosotros/as | plantaríamos |
| vosotros/as | plantaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plantarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he plantado |
| tú | has plantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha plantado |
| nosotros/as | hemos plantado |
| vosotros/as | habéis plantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han plantado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había plantado |
| tú | habías plantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había plantado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos plantado |
| vosotros/as | habíais plantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían plantado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré plantado |
| tú | habrás plantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá plantado |
| nosotros/as | habremos plantado |
| vosotros/as | habréis plantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán plantado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría plantado |
| tú | habrías plantado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría plantado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos plantado |
| vosotros/as | habríais plantado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían plantado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | plante |
| tú | plantes |
| él/ella/Ud. | plante |
| nosotros/as | plantemos |
| vosotros/as | plantéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planten |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | plantara |
| tú | plantaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | plantara |
| nosotros/as | plantáramos |
| vosotros/as | plantarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | plantaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | planta |
| él/ella/Ud. | plante |
| nosotros/as | plantemos |
| vosotros/as | plantad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planten |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | plantes |
| él/ella/Ud. | plante |
| nosotros/as | plantemos |
| vosotros/as | plantéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | planten |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | plantando | with estar for the progressive: estoy plantando |
| Past participle | plantado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he plantado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. It is the tense you will use most often in everyday conversation, for habits with words like todos los días and for statements that are true in general. For plantar, the present indicative looks like this in a real sentence: Yo planto flores en el jardín — "I plant flowers in the garden". Learn the present indicative 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 in the past — things that started and ended, often with time words like ayer, anoche or la semana pasada. The preterite moves a story forward, one completed event at a time. For plantar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Yo planté tomates en primavera — "I planted tomatoes in spring". 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 words like antes, de niño or mientras. It describes how things used to be, not one finished event. For plantar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo plantaba un árbol — "I used to plant a tree". 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. It talks about what will happen, not what is happening now. For plantar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Yo plantaré flores en el jardín — "I will plant flowers in the garden". 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 in si clauses. It softens a request and describes imagined situations. For plantar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Yo plantaría tomates en primavera — "I would plant tomatoes in spring". 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. It connects the past with the present moment. For plantar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo he plantado un árbol — "I have planted a tree". 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. It is the past of the past, and it usually appears with antes de or ya. For plantar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo había plantado flores en el jardín — "I had planted flowers in the garden". 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, often with para mañana or para el viernes. For plantar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo habré plantado tomates en primavera — "I will have planted tomatoes in spring". 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. It looks back at a past that never happened. For plantar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo habría plantado un árbol — "I would have planted a tree". 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. The subjunctive does not state a fact; it states an attitude towards the action. For plantar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él plante flores en el jardín — "I hope he plants flowers in the garden". 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 plantar, the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) looks like this in a real sentence: Si yo plantara tomates en primavera, todo cambiaría — "If I planted tomatoes in spring, everything would change". Learn the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) 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. It tells someone to do something, and it has no yo form. For plantar, the imperative (affirmative) looks like this in a real sentence: Plante un árbol — "Let him plant a tree". Learn the imperative (affirmative) 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. It uses the subjunctive forms, so it looks different from the affirmative commands. For plantar, the imperative (negative) looks like this in a real sentence: No plantes flores en el jardín — "Don't plant flowers in the garden". Learn the imperative (negative) 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 plantar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Yo planto tomates en primavera — "I plant tomatoes in spring"
- Él planta un árbol — "He plants a tree"
- Yo planté flores en el jardín — "I planted flowers in the garden"
- Yo plantaba tomates en primavera — "I used to plant tomatoes in spring"
- Tú plantarás un árbol — "You will plant a tree"
- Yo plantaría flores en el jardín — "I would plant flowers in the garden"
- Él ha plantado tomates en primavera — "He has planted tomatoes in spring"
- Espero que él plante un árbol — "I hope he plants a tree"
- Yo había plantado flores en el jardín — "I had planted flowers in the garden"
- Ellos plantaban tomates en primavera — "They used to plant tomatoes in spring"
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Ellos planta un árbol — Right: Ellos plantan un árbol — Ellos needs the ellos form plantan. The singular planta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
- Wrong: Ayer, yo planto — Right: Ayer, yo planté — The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to planté.
- Wrong: De niño, yo planté todos los días. — Right: Todos los días, yo plantaba — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (plantaba), not the preterite. The preterite (planté) is for one finished action.
- Wrong: Yo soy plantado flores en el jardín. — Right: Yo he plantado flores en el jardín. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he plantado, has plantado, ha plantado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: Treating plantar and sembrar as identical in every context. — Right: Plantar means to plant, while sembrar means to sow, to plant. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: plantar fits sentences such as Yo planto un árbol, while sembrar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on plantar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un árbol. (present tense) A. plantaríais B. habrán plantado C. planto D. plantaron
Complete the sentence: Él ___ un árbol. (preterite) A. plantes B. plantó C. habrá plantado D. plantaran
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ un árbol. (imperfect) A. plantábamos B. plantéis C. plantabais D. plantan
Complete the sentence: Tú ___ un árbol. (future) A. plantan B. plantarás C. plantasteis D. habían plantado
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un árbol. (conditional) A. plantaría B. habréis plantado C. plantaras D. habré plantado
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ un árbol. (present subjunctive) A. plante B. plantes C. plantarais D. habrán plantado
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ un árbol, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. plantara B. plantaron C. plantad D. plantan
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ un árbol. (present perfect) A. plantaríamos B. ha plantado C. plantaste D. hemos plantado
Complete the command: No ___ un árbol. (negative imperative, tú) A. plantes B. plantéis C. plantemos D. plante
Which is the gerund of plantar, used with estar for the progressive? A. planté B. plantaré C. plantaba D. plantando
Answer key
- planto — The yo present tense of plantar is planto.
- plantó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of plantar is plantó.
- plantábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of plantar is plantábamos.
- plantarás — The tú future of plantar is plantarás.
- plantaría — The yo conditional of plantar is plantaría.
- plante — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of plantar is plante.
- plantara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of plantar is plantara.
- hemos plantado — The nosotros/as present perfect of plantar is hemos plantado.
- plantes — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: plantes.
- plantando — The gerund of plantar is plantando: estoy plantando. The participle plantado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does plantar mean in English?
Plantar means to plant. It is used in everyday situations such as Yo planto un árbol. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is plantar regular?
Yes. Plantar is a regular -ar verb: planto, plantas, planta. The only thing to learn is the pattern of endings, which is the same for every regular -ar verb.
What is the difference between plantar and sembrar?
Plantar means to plant, while sembrar means to sow, to plant. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use plantar when you mean to plant, as in Yo planto un árbol, and use sembrar for to sow, to plant. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I plant” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo planté flores en el jardín. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: Yo plantaba tomates en primavera. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: Yo he plantado un árbol.
How do I practise plantar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the plantar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Plantar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for plantar.
- Plantar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for plantar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Platicar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with plantar.
- Quejarse conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with plantar.
- Quitar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with plantar.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.
- Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.