Introduction

Resfriarse means “to catch a cold”, and this page covers exactly one thing: resfriarse 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 resfriarse, 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 resfriarse in the present. Resfriarse in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “En invierno, yo me resfrío” — "In winter, I catch a cold". Everything on this page uses the forms of resfriarse exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Resfriarse in the Present Tense — full table

Person Pronoun Form
yo me resfrío
tú te resfrías
él/ella/Ud. se resfría
nosotros/as nos resfriamos
vosotros/as os resfriáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se resfrían

Gerund: resfriando · Past participle: resfriado

The gerund is resfriando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Me estoy resfriando” means the action of resfriarse is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is resfriado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “me he resfriado” 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 resfriarse is used.

How the present of resfriarse is formed

Resfriarse is a regular -ar, reflexive verb in the present. Take the stem resfri and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving resfrío, resfrías, resfría, resfriamos, resfriáis, resfrían. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, resfriáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. Because resfriarse is reflexive, every form takes the matching pronoun in front: me resfrío, te resfrías, se resfría. The pronoun is part of the verb, not an optional extra. The present of resfriarse is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form resfriáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form resfrío is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of resfriarse

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use resfriarse 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, resfriarse goes in the present. Example: “Cada año, yo me resfrío” — "Every year, I catch a cold".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about resfriarse does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él se resfría por el frío” — "He catches a cold because of the cold".

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 me resfrío can mean both "I catch a cold" and "I am catching a cold". Example: “En invierno, yo me resfrío” — "In winter, I catch a cold".

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: “Cada año, nosotros nos resfriamos” — "Every year, we catch a cold".

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 resfriarse just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él se resfría por el frío” — "He catches a cold because of the cold".

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: “En invierno, yo me resfrío” — "In winter, I catch a cold".

  • Preterite: “En invierno, yo me resfrié” — "In winter, I caught a cold".

  • 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: “Cada año, él se resfría” — "Every year, he catches a cold".

  • Preterite: “Cada año, él se resfrió” — "Every year, he caught a cold".

  • 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 nos resfriamos por el frío” — "We catch a cold because of the cold".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros nos resfriamos por el frío” — "We caught a cold because of the cold".

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

Example sentences: resfriarse 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. “Cada año, yo me resfrío” — "Every year, I catch a cold"

  2. “Tú te resfrías por el frío” — "You catch a cold because of the cold"

  3. “En invierno, él se resfría” — "In winter, he catches a cold"

  4. “Cada año, nosotros nos resfriamos” — "Every year, we catch a cold"

  5. “Vosotros os resfriáis por el frío” — "You catch a cold because of the cold"

  6. “En invierno, ellos se resfrían” — "In winter, they catch a cold"

  7. “Cada año, yo me resfrío” — "Every year, I catch a cold"

  8. “Él se resfría por el frío” — "He catches a cold because of the cold"

Common mistakes with resfriarse 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 resfría en invierno” Right: “En invierno, ellos se resfrían” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form resfrían. The singular resfría belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo resfrío en invierno.” Right: “En invierno, yo me resfrío” Why: Resfriarse is reflexive: the pronoun me is required. Without it the sentence means something else, or nothing at all.

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

Quiz: resfriarse 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 me ___ por el frío.” (yo form)

A. resfrían B. resfrío C. resfriáis D. resfrías

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú te ___ por el frío.” (tú form)

A. resfrío B. resfrías C. resfría D. resfrían

3. Complete the sentence: “Él se ___ por el frío.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. resfrías B. resfrío C. resfría D. resfriáis

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros nos ___ por el frío.” (nosotros/as form)

A. resfrías B. resfrío C. resfriáis D. resfriamos

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

A. resfrían B. resfriáis C. resfriamos D. resfrías

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos se ___ por el frío.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. resfrío B. resfriamos C. resfrían D. resfriáis

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 me resfrío B. Todos los días, yo me resfrié

Answer key

  1. resfrío — The yo present of resfriarse is resfrío.
  2. resfrías — The tú present of resfriarse is resfrías.
  3. resfría — The él/ella/Ud. present of resfriarse is resfría.
  4. resfriamos — The nosotros/as present of resfriarse is resfriamos.
  5. resfriáis — The vosotros/as present of resfriarse is resfriáis.
  6. resfrían — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of resfriarse is resfrían.
  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 me resfrío — 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 resfriarse?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: En invierno, yo me resfrío. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of resfriarse formed?

Take the stem resfri- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving resfrío, resfrías, resfría, resfriamos, resfriáis, resfrían.

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

The present (resfrío) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (resfrié) 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 resfriarse in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — resfrío, resfrías, resfría, resfriamos, resfriáis, resfrían — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the resfriarse examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of resfriarse when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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