Introduction
Prolongar means “to prolong”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Prolongar means to prolong or to extend, and it covers extending a deadline, a holiday, a meeting and a life: prolongar las vacaciones, prolongar el plazo. It is a spelling-change verb: g becomes gu before e, so the preterite is prolongué and the subjunctive prolongue. This page shows prolongar in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Prolongo las vacaciones una semana.” — I prolong the holiday by a week.
Prolongar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how prolongar is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use prolongar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Prolongo las vacaciones una semana.” — I prolong the holiday by a week.
“¿Prolongas el plazo del proyecto?” — Do you prolong the project deadline?
“Prolonga la reunión hasta las seis.” — He/she prolongs the meeting until six.
“Nosotros prolongamos la vida del enfermo.” — We prolong the patient's life.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show prolongar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo prolongué las vacaciones una semana.” — Yesterday, I prolonged the holiday by a week. (preterite)
“Antes, él prolongaba el plazo del proyecto.” — Before, he used to prolong the project deadline. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of prolongar stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros prolongaremos la reunión hasta las seis.” — Tomorrow, we will prolong the meeting until six. (future)
“¿Tú has prolongado la vida del enfermo?” — Have you prolonged the patient's life? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros prolongáis las vacaciones una semana.” — You prolong the holiday by a week.
“Ellos prolongan el plazo del proyecto.” — They prolong the project deadline.
“Yo prolongo la reunión hasta las seis.” — I prolong the meeting until six.
“Mi padre prolonga la vida del enfermo.” — My father prolongs the patient's life.
Prolongar in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how prolongar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú prolongas el plazo del proyecto?” — Do you prolong the project deadline?
Pedro: “Sí, yo prolongo las vacaciones una semana.” — Yes, I prolong the holiday by a week.
Marta: “Nosotros prolongamos la vida del enfermo.” — We prolong the patient's life.
Pedro: “Y ellos prolongan el plazo del proyecto.” — And they prolong the project deadline.
Marta: “Vosotros prolongáis la reunión hasta las seis.” — You prolong the meeting until six.
Pedro: “Sí, y él prolonga las vacaciones una semana.” — Yes, and he prolongs the holiday by a week.
A short paragraph
Prolonga las vacaciones una semana, y nosotros prolongamos la vida del enfermo. Yo prolongo el plazo del proyecto, y ellos prolongan la reunión hasta las seis. Prolongar is part of everyday life, because prolong is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with prolongar
These are the errors learners actually make with prolongar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo prolonga las vacaciones una semana.” Right: “Yo prolongo las vacaciones una semana.” Why: The person matters: prolonga is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is prolongo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Espero que yo prolonge las vacaciones una semana.” Right: “Espero que yo prolongue las vacaciones una semana.” Why: Spelling change: this verb is a -gar verb: g becomes gu before e, so the preterite first person is prolongué and the present subjunctive is prolongue, so the present subjunctive is prolongue, never prolonge.
Wrong: “Treating prolongar and extender as identical in every context.” Right: “Prolongar means to prolong, while extender means to extend.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: prolongar fits sentences such as Prolongo las vacaciones una semana, while extender belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy prolongado el plazo del proyecto.” Right: “Yo he prolongado el plazo del proyecto.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he prolongado, has prolongado, ha prolongado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo prolongué la reunión hasta las seis todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo prolongaba la reunión hasta las seis todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (prolongaba), not the preterite. The preterite (prolongué) is for one finished action.
Quiz: prolongar in use
Ten questions on prolongar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ las vacaciones una semana.” (You prolong the holiday by a week.)
- (a) prolongáis
- (b) prolongo
- (c) prolongas
Answer: prolongáis — The vosotros/as form of prolongar in the present tense is prolongáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ el plazo del proyecto.” (They prolong the project deadline.)
- (a) prolongas
- (b) prolongan
- (c) prolongo
Answer: prolongan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of prolongar in the present tense is prolongan.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ las vacaciones una semana.” (Yesterday I prolonged the holiday by a week.)
- (a) prolongaste
- (b) prolongó
- (c) prolongué
Answer: prolongué — In the preterite, the yo form of prolongar is prolongué.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ el plazo del proyecto.” (Before, he used to prolong the project deadline.)
- (a) prolongaba
- (b) prolongo
- (c) prolongabas
Answer: prolongaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of prolongar is prolongaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ la reunión hasta las seis.” (Tomorrow we will prolong the meeting until six.)
- (a) prolongarás
- (b) prolongaremos
- (c) prolongaré
Answer: prolongaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of prolongar is prolongaremos.
6. What does prolongar mean in English?
- (a) to prolong
- (b) to progress
- (c) to extend
Answer: to prolong — Prolongar means “to prolong”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo prolonga las vacaciones una semana.
- (b) Ellos prolonga el plazo del proyecto.
- (c) Yo prolongo las vacaciones una semana.
Answer: Yo prolongo las vacaciones una semana. — “Yo prolongo las vacaciones una semana.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I prolong the holiday by a week.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre prolonga la vida del enfermo.
- (b) Prolongo las vacaciones una semana.
- (c) Prolongan las vacaciones una semana.
Answer: Prolongo las vacaciones una semana. — “Prolongo las vacaciones una semana.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of prolongar in the present tense?
- (a) prolongo
- (b) prolongas
- (c) prolongamos
Answer: prolongamos — The nosotros form is prolongamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros prolongaremos la reunión hasta las seis.
- (b) Prolongo las vacaciones una semana.
- (c) Ayer, yo prolongué las vacaciones una semana.
Answer: Prolongo las vacaciones una semana. — “Prolongo las vacaciones una semana.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I prolong the holiday by a week' in Spanish?
Say 'Prolongo las vacaciones una semana'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Prolongo las vacaciones una semana todos los días'.
How do you say 'He prolongs the project deadline' in Spanish?
Say 'Él prolonga el plazo del proyecto'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes prolonga.
What is the difference between prolongar and extender?
Prolongar means to prolong, while extender means to extend. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use prolongar when you mean to prolong, as in 'Prolongo las vacaciones una semana', and use extender for to extend.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of prolongar — every tense of prolongar in one place.
- Prolongar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on prolongar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of prolongar until they are automatic.