Pretender Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb pretender means to intend, to claim, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Pretender means to intend or to claim, and it is a false friend for English speakers: it does not mean to pretend. Pretendo viajar means I intend to travel, and pretende ser médico means he claims to be a doctor. It takes an infinitive. Like every Spanish verb, pretender 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 pretendo viajar a México en verano, and in the preterite you say pretendí comprar una casa nueva. 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: pretender
- English: to intend, to claim
- Verb type: regular -er verb
- Ending: -er
- Gerund: pretendiendo
- Past participle: pretendido
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + pretendido)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for pretender, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Pretender never means to pretend: that is fingir. Pretender means to intend or to claim.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for pretender. 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 | pretendo |
| tú | pretendes |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretende |
| nosotros/as | pretendemos |
| vosotros/as | pretendéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretenden |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pretendí |
| tú | pretendiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretendió |
| nosotros/as | pretendimos |
| vosotros/as | pretendisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretendieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pretendía |
| tú | pretendías |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretendía |
| nosotros/as | pretendíamos |
| vosotros/as | pretendíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretendían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pretenderé |
| tú | pretenderás |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretenderá |
| nosotros/as | pretenderemos |
| vosotros/as | pretenderéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretenderán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pretendería |
| tú | pretenderías |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretendería |
| nosotros/as | pretenderíamos |
| vosotros/as | pretenderíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretenderían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he pretendido |
| tú | has pretendido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha pretendido |
| nosotros/as | hemos pretendido |
| vosotros/as | habéis pretendido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han pretendido |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había pretendido |
| tú | habías pretendido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había pretendido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos pretendido |
| vosotros/as | habíais pretendido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían pretendido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré pretendido |
| tú | habrás pretendido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá pretendido |
| nosotros/as | habremos pretendido |
| vosotros/as | habréis pretendido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán pretendido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría pretendido |
| tú | habrías pretendido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría pretendido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos pretendido |
| vosotros/as | habríais pretendido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían pretendido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pretenda |
| tú | pretendas |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretenda |
| nosotros/as | pretendamos |
| vosotros/as | pretendáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretendan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | pretendiera |
| tú | pretendieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretendiera |
| nosotros/as | pretendiéramos |
| vosotros/as | pretendierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretendieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | pretende |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretenda |
| nosotros/as | pretendamos |
| vosotros/as | pretended |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretendan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | pretendas |
| él/ella/Ud. | pretenda |
| nosotros/as | pretendamos |
| vosotros/as | pretendáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | pretendan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | pretendiendo | with estar for the progressive: estoy pretendiendo |
| Past participle | pretendido | with haber for the perfect tenses: he pretendido |
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 pretender, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Pretendo viajar a México en verano. 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 pretender, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, pretendí ser médico algún día. 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 pretender, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, pretendía comprar una casa nueva. 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 pretender, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, pretenderé estudiar en el extranjero. 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 pretender, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Pretendería viajar a México en verano 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 pretender, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he pretendido ser médico algún día. 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 pretender, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había pretendido comprar una casa nueva 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 pretender, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré pretendido estudiar en el extranjero. 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 pretender, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría pretendido viajar a México en verano 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 pretender, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él pretenda ser médico algún día. 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 pretender, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él pretendiera comprar una casa nueva, 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 pretender, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Pretende estudiar en el extranjero! 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 pretender, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No pretendas viajar a México en verano. 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 pretender, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Pretendo viajar a México en verano. — I intend to travel to Mexico in summer.
- Pretende ser médico algún día. — He/she intends to be a doctor one day.
- Ayer, pretendí comprar una casa nueva. — Yesterday, I intended to buy a new house.
- Antes, nosotros pretendíamos estudiar en el extranjero. — Before, we used to intend to study abroad.
- Mañana, tú pretenderás viajar a México en verano. — Tomorrow, you will intend to travel to Mexico in summer.
- Yo pretendería ser médico algún día si tuviera más tiempo. — I would intend to be a doctor one day if I had more time.
- Él ha pretendido comprar una casa nueva. — He has intended to buy a new house.
- Espero que él pretenda estudiar en el extranjero. — I hope he intends to study abroad.
- Yo ya había pretendido viajar a México en verano antes de salir. — I had already intended to travel to Mexico in summer before leaving.
- Ellos pretendían ser médico algún día cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to intend to be a doctor one day when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo pretende viajar a México en verano. — Right: Yo pretendo viajar a México en verano. — The person matters: pretende is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is pretendo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo pretendo ser médico algún día. — Right: Ayer yo pretendí ser médico algún día. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: pretendo is happening now, while pretendí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating pretender and fingir as identical in every context. — Right: Pretender means to intend, to claim, while fingir means to pretend. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: pretender fits sentences such as Pretendo viajar a México en verano, while fingir belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy pretendido ser médico algún día. — Right: Yo he pretendido ser médico algún día. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he pretendido, has pretendido, ha pretendido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo pretendí comprar una casa nueva todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo pretendía comprar una casa nueva todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (pretendía), not the preterite. The preterite (pretendí) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on pretender. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ viajar a México en verano. (present tense) A. pretendo B. pretendes C. pretende D. pretendemos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ ser médico algún día. (preterite) A. pretendí B. pretendiste C. pretendimos D. pretendió
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ comprar una casa nueva. (imperfect) A. pretendías B. pretendo C. pretendíamos D. pretendía
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ estudiar en el extranjero. (future) A. pretenderemos B. pretenderás C. pretenderé D. pretenderá
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ viajar a México en verano si pudiera. (conditional) A. pretendería B. pretenderías C. pretenderíamos D. pretendo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ ser médico algún día. (present subjunctive) A. pretendas B. pretendamos C. pretendo D. pretenda
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ comprar una casa nueva, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. pretendiéramos B. pretendo C. pretendiera D. pretendieras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ estudiar en el extranjero. (present perfect) A. ha pretendido B. hemos pretendido C. he pretendido D. has pretendido
Complete the command: ¡___ viajar a México en verano! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. pretende B. pretenda C. pretendamos D. pretended
Which is the gerund of pretender, used with estar for the progressive? A. pretendido B. pretendo C. pretendí D. pretendiendo
Answer key
- pretendo — The yo present tense of pretender is pretendo.
- pretendió — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of pretender is pretendió.
- pretendíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of pretender is pretendíamos.
- pretenderás — The tú future of pretender is pretenderás.
- pretendería — The yo conditional of pretender is pretendería.
- pretenda — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of pretender is pretenda.
- pretendiera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of pretender is pretendiera.
- hemos pretendido — The nosotros/as present perfect of pretender is hemos pretendido.
- pretende — The affirmative tú imperative of pretender is pretende.
- pretendiendo — The gerund of pretender is pretendiendo: estoy pretendiendo. The participle pretendido is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does pretender mean in English?
Pretender means to intend, to claim. It is used in everyday situations such as Pretendo viajar a México en verano. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is pretender regular or irregular?
Pretender is a fully regular -er 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 pretendo in the present and pretendí in the preterite.
What is the difference between pretender and fingir?
Pretender means to intend, to claim, while fingir means to pretend. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use pretender when you mean to intend, to claim, as in Pretendo viajar a México en verano, and use fingir for to pretend. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I intend” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo pretendí ser médico algún día. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo pretendía comprar una casa nueva. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he pretendido ser médico algún día.
How do I practise pretender?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the pretender examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Pretender in the present tense — the full present-tense table for pretender.
- Pretender examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for pretender.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Proceder conjugation — another -er verb to compare with pretender.
- Precaver conjugation — another -er verb to compare with pretender.
- Proveer conjugation — another -er verb to compare with pretender.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.