Introduction

Rellenar means “to stuff”, and this page covers exactly one thing: rellenar 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 rellenar, 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 rellenar in the present. Rellenar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo relleno el pollo” — "I stuff the chicken". Everything on this page uses the forms of rellenar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Rellenar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo relleno
tú rellenas
él/ella/Ud. rellena
nosotros/as rellenamos
vosotros/as rellenáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. rellenan

Gerund: rellenando · Past participle: rellenado

The gerund is rellenando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy rellenando” means the action of rellenar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is rellenado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he rellenado” 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 rellenar is used.

How the present of rellenar is formed

Rellenar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem rellen and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving relleno, rellenas, rellena, rellenamos, rellenáis, rellenan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, rellenáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of rellenar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form rellenáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form relleno is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of rellenar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use rellenar 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, rellenar goes in the present. Example: “Yo relleno los pimientos” — "I stuff the peppers".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about rellenar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él rellena con arroz” — "He stuffs with rice".

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 relleno can mean both "I stuff" and "I am stuffing". Example: “Yo relleno el pollo” — "I stuff the chicken".

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 rellenamos los pimientos” — "We stuff the peppers".

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 rellenar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él rellena con arroz” — "He stuffs with rice".

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 relleno el pollo” — "I stuff the chicken".

  • Preterite: “Yo rellené el pollo” — "I stuffed the chicken".

  • 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 rellena los pimientos” — "He stuffs the peppers".

  • Preterite: “Él rellenó los pimientos” — "He stuffed the peppers".

  • 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 rellenamos con arroz” — "We stuff with rice".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros rellenamos con arroz” — "We stuffed with rice".

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

Example sentences: rellenar 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 relleno los pimientos” — "I stuff the peppers"

  2. “Tú rellenas con arroz” — "You stuff with rice"

  3. “Él rellena el pollo” — "He stuffs the chicken"

  4. “Nosotros rellenamos los pimientos” — "We stuff the peppers"

  5. “Vosotros rellenáis con arroz” — "You stuff with rice"

  6. “Ellos rellenan el pollo” — "They stuff the chicken"

  7. “Yo relleno los pimientos” — "I stuff the peppers"

  8. “Él rellena con arroz” — "He stuffs with rice"

Common mistakes with rellenar 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 rellena el pollo” Right: “Ellos rellenan el pollo” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form rellenan. The singular rellena belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo rellena el pollo.” Right: “Yo relleno el pollo” Why: Yo needs the yo form relleno. The él form rellena belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: rellenar 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 ___ con arroz.” (yo form)

A. rellena B. relleno C. rellenamos D. rellenan

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ el pollo.” (tú form)

A. rellenamos B. relleno C. rellenas D. rellenáis

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

A. relleno B. rellenas C. rellenáis D. rellena

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ con arroz.” (nosotros/as form)

A. rellenamos B. rellena C. rellenan D. rellenas

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

A. rellenáis B. relleno C. rellenas D. rellenamos

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

A. relleno B. rellenáis C. rellenamos D. rellenan

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 relleno B. Todos los días, yo rellené

Answer key

  1. relleno — The yo present of rellenar is relleno.
  2. rellenas — The tú present of rellenar is rellenas.
  3. rellena — The él/ella/Ud. present of rellenar is rellena.
  4. rellenamos — The nosotros/as present of rellenar is rellenamos.
  5. rellenáis — The vosotros/as present of rellenar is rellenáis.
  6. rellenan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of rellenar is rellenan.
  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 relleno — 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 rellenar?

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

How is the present of rellenar formed?

Take the stem rellen- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving relleno, rellenas, rellena, rellenamos, rellenáis, rellenan.

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

The present (relleno) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (rellené) 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 rellenar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — relleno, rellenas, rellena, rellenamos, rellenáis, rellenan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the rellenar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of rellenar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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