Presenciar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb presenciar means to witness, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Presenciar means to witness, and it is the verb for being present at an event: presenciar un accidente, presenciar una boda, presenciar un partido. It is fully regular and common in news and police reports. Like every Spanish verb, presenciar 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 presencio un accidente en la calle, and in the preterite you say presencié un partido en el estadio. 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: presenciar
- English: to witness
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: presenciando
- Past participle: presenciado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + presenciado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for presenciar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Presenciar is fully regular: presencié, presenciaba, presenciaré. It means being present, not just seeing.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for presenciar. 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 | presencio |
| tú | presencias |
| él/ella/Ud. | presencia |
| nosotros/as | presenciamos |
| vosotros/as | presenciáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presencian |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | presencié |
| tú | presenciaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | presenció |
| nosotros/as | presenciamos |
| vosotros/as | presenciasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presenciaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | presenciaba |
| tú | presenciabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | presenciaba |
| nosotros/as | presenciábamos |
| vosotros/as | presenciabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presenciaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | presenciaré |
| tú | presenciarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | presenciará |
| nosotros/as | presenciaremos |
| vosotros/as | presenciaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presenciarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | presenciaría |
| tú | presenciarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | presenciaría |
| nosotros/as | presenciaríamos |
| vosotros/as | presenciaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presenciarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he presenciado |
| tú | has presenciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha presenciado |
| nosotros/as | hemos presenciado |
| vosotros/as | habéis presenciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han presenciado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había presenciado |
| tú | habías presenciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había presenciado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos presenciado |
| vosotros/as | habíais presenciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían presenciado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré presenciado |
| tú | habrás presenciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá presenciado |
| nosotros/as | habremos presenciado |
| vosotros/as | habréis presenciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán presenciado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría presenciado |
| tú | habrías presenciado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría presenciado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos presenciado |
| vosotros/as | habríais presenciado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían presenciado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | presencie |
| tú | presencies |
| él/ella/Ud. | presencie |
| nosotros/as | presenciemos |
| vosotros/as | presenciéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presencien |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | presenciara |
| tú | presenciaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | presenciara |
| nosotros/as | presenciáramos |
| vosotros/as | presenciarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presenciaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | presencia |
| él/ella/Ud. | presencie |
| nosotros/as | presenciemos |
| vosotros/as | presenciad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presencien |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | presencies |
| él/ella/Ud. | presencie |
| nosotros/as | presenciemos |
| vosotros/as | presenciéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | presencien |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | presenciando | with estar for the progressive: estoy presenciando |
| Past participle | presenciado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he presenciado |
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 presenciar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Presencio un accidente en la calle. 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 presenciar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, presencié una boda en la iglesia. 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 presenciar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, presenciaba un partido en el estadio. 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 presenciar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, presenciaré el robo desde la ventana. 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 presenciar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Presenciaría un accidente en la calle 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 presenciar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he presenciado una boda en la iglesia. 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 presenciar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había presenciado un partido en el estadio 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 presenciar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré presenciado el robo desde la ventana. 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 presenciar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría presenciado un accidente en la calle 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 presenciar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él presencie una boda en la iglesia. 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 presenciar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él presenciara un partido en el estadio, 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 presenciar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Presencia el robo desde la ventana! 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 presenciar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No presencies un accidente en la calle. 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 presenciar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Presencio un accidente en la calle. — I witness an accident in the street.
- Presencia una boda en la iglesia. — He/she witnesses a wedding in the church.
- Ayer, presencié un partido en el estadio. — Yesterday, I witnessed a match in the stadium.
- Antes, nosotros presenciábamos el robo desde la ventana. — Before, we used to witness the robbery from the window.
- Mañana, tú presenciarás un accidente en la calle. — Tomorrow, you will witness an accident in the street.
- Yo presenciaría una boda en la iglesia si tuviera más tiempo. — I would witness a wedding in the church if I had more time.
- Él ha presenciado un partido en el estadio. — He has witnessed a match in the stadium.
- Espero que él presencie el robo desde la ventana. — I hope he witnesses the robbery from the window.
- Yo ya había presenciado un accidente en la calle antes de salir. — I had already witnessed an accident in the street before leaving.
- Ellos presenciaban una boda en la iglesia cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to witness a wedding in the church when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo presencia un accidente en la calle. — Right: Yo presencio un accidente en la calle. — The person matters: presencia is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is presencio. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo presencio una boda en la iglesia. — Right: Ayer yo presencié una boda en la iglesia. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: presencio is happening now, while presencié is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating presenciar and ver as identical in every context. — Right: Presenciar means to witness, while ver means to see. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: presenciar fits sentences such as Presencio un accidente en la calle, while ver belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy presenciado una boda en la iglesia. — Right: Yo he presenciado una boda en la iglesia. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he presenciado, has presenciado, ha presenciado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo presencié un partido en el estadio todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo presenciaba un partido en el estadio todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (presenciaba), not the preterite. The preterite (presencié) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on presenciar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un accidente en la calle. (present tense) A. presencio B. presencias C. presencia D. presenciamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ una boda en la iglesia. (preterite) A. presencié B. presenciaste C. presenciamos D. presenció
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ un partido en el estadio. (imperfect) A. presenciabas B. presencio C. presenciábamos D. presenciaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el robo desde la ventana. (future) A. presenciaremos B. presenciarás C. presenciaré D. presenciará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ un accidente en la calle si pudiera. (conditional) A. presenciaría B. presenciarías C. presenciaríamos D. presencio
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ una boda en la iglesia. (present subjunctive) A. presencies B. presenciemos C. presencio D. presencie
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ un partido en el estadio, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. presenciáramos B. presencio C. presenciara D. presenciaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el robo desde la ventana. (present perfect) A. ha presenciado B. hemos presenciado C. he presenciado D. has presenciado
Complete the command: ¡___ un accidente en la calle! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. presencia B. presencie C. presenciemos D. presenciad
Which is the gerund of presenciar, used with estar for the progressive? A. presenciado B. presencio C. presencié D. presenciando
Answer key
- presencio — The yo present tense of presenciar is presencio.
- presenció — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of presenciar is presenció.
- presenciábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of presenciar is presenciábamos.
- presenciarás — The tú future of presenciar is presenciarás.
- presenciaría — The yo conditional of presenciar is presenciaría.
- presencie — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of presenciar is presencie.
- presenciara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of presenciar is presenciara.
- hemos presenciado — The nosotros/as present perfect of presenciar is hemos presenciado.
- presencia — The affirmative tú imperative of presenciar is presencia.
- presenciando — The gerund of presenciar is presenciando: estoy presenciando. The participle presenciado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does presenciar mean in English?
Presenciar means to witness. It is used in everyday situations such as Presencio un accidente en la calle. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is presenciar regular or irregular?
Presenciar 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 presencio in the present and presencié in the preterite.
What is the difference between presenciar and ver?
Presenciar means to witness, while ver means to see. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use presenciar when you mean to witness, as in Presencio un accidente en la calle, and use ver for to see. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I witness” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo presencié una boda en la iglesia. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo presenciaba un partido en el estadio. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he presenciado una boda en la iglesia.
How do I practise presenciar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the presenciar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Presenciar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for presenciar.
- Presenciar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for presenciar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Procurar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with presenciar.
- Proyectar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with presenciar.
- Progresar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with presenciar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.