Introduction

Quitar means “to remove”, and this page covers exactly one thing: quitar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for quitar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about quitar in the present. Quitar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo quito la mesa” — "I remove the table". Everything on this page uses the forms of quitar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Quitar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo quito
tú quitas
él/ella/Ud. quita
nosotros/as quitamos
vosotros/as quitáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. quitan

Gerund: quitando · Past participle: quitado

The gerund is quitando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy quitando” means the action of quitar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is quitado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he quitado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how quitar is used.

How the present of quitar is formed

Quitar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem quit and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving quito, quitas, quita, quitamos, quitáis, quitan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, quitáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of quitar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form quitáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form quito is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of quitar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use quitar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, quitar goes in the present. Example: “Yo quito los zapatos” — "I remove my shoes".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about quitar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él quita el polvo de la mesa” — "He removes the dust off the table".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so quito can mean both "I remove" and "I am removing". Example: “Yo quito la mesa” — "I remove the table".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros quitamos los zapatos” — "We remove my shoes".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with quitar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él quita el polvo de la mesa” — "He removes the dust off the table".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo quito la mesa” — "I remove the table".

  • Preterite: “Yo quité la mesa” — "I removed the table".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él quita los zapatos” — "He removes my shoes".

  • Preterite: “Él quitó los zapatos” — "He removed my shoes".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros quitamos el polvo de la mesa” — "We remove the dust off the table".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros quitamos el polvo de la mesa” — "We removed the dust off the table".

  • The two sentences look identical: quitamos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: quitar in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Yo quito los zapatos” — "I remove my shoes"

  2. “Tú quitas el polvo de la mesa” — "You remove the dust off the table"

  3. “Él quita la mesa” — "He removes the table"

  4. “Nosotros quitamos los zapatos” — "We remove my shoes"

  5. “Vosotros quitáis el polvo de la mesa” — "You remove the dust off the table"

  6. “Ellos quitan la mesa” — "They remove the table"

  7. “Yo quito los zapatos” — "I remove my shoes"

  8. “Él quita el polvo de la mesa” — "He removes the dust off the table"

Common mistakes with quitar in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Ellos quita la mesa” Right: “Ellos quitan la mesa” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form quitan. The singular quita belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo quité” Right: “Todos los días, yo quito” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (quité) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo quita la mesa.” Right: “Yo quito la mesa” Why: Yo needs the yo form quito. The él form quita belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo quito” Right: “Ayer, yo quité” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to quité.

Quiz: quitar in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ___ el polvo de la mesa.” (yo form)

A. quitáis B. quito C. quita D. quitamos

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la mesa.” (tú form)

A. quito B. quita C. quitas D. quitáis

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ los zapatos.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. quito B. quitáis C. quitan D. quita

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ el polvo de la mesa.” (nosotros/as form)

A. quita B. quitas C. quitamos D. quito

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ la mesa.” (vosotros/as form)

A. quita B. quitáis C. quitas D. quito

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ los zapatos.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. quito B. quitas C. quitan D. quita

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo quito B. Todos los días, yo quité

Answer key

  1. quito — The yo present of quitar is quito.
  2. quitas — The tú present of quitar is quitas.
  3. quita — The él/ella/Ud. present of quitar is quita.
  4. quitamos — The nosotros/as present of quitar is quitamos.
  5. quitáis — The vosotros/as present of quitar is quitáis.
  6. quitan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of quitar is quitan.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo quito — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of quitar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo quito la mesa. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of quitar formed?

Take the stem quit- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving quito, quitas, quita, quitamos, quitáis, quitan.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for quitar?

The present (quito) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (quité) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise quitar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — quito, quitas, quita, quitamos, quitáis, quitan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the quitar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of quitar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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