Resolver Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb resolver means to solve, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Resolver means to solve a problem, a mystery or a conflict. Its past participle is irregular — resuelto, not resolvido — so the perfect tenses are he resuelto, has resuelto. Like every Spanish verb, resolver 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 Yo resuelvo el problema de matemáticas — "I solve the maths problem". 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.

The stem vowel changes in the stressed forms of the present: resuelvo, resuelves, resuelve and resuelven — but nosotros and vosotros keep the plain stem: resolvemos, resolvéis. resolver has an irregular past participle: resuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he resuelto, has resuelto, ha resuelto.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: resolver
  • English: to solve
  • Verb type: stem-changing -er verb (o → ue)
  • Ending: -er
  • Gerund: resolviendo
  • Past participle: resuelto
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + resuelto)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for resolver, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for resolver. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem.

Present indicative

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | resuelvo | | tú | resuelves | | él/ella/Ud. | resuelve | | nosotros/as | resolvemos | | vosotros/as | resolvéis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resuelven |

Preterite

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | resolví | | tú | resolviste | | él/ella/Ud. | resolvió | | nosotros/as | resolvimos | | vosotros/as | resolvisteis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resolvieron |

Imperfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | resolvía | | tú | resolvías | | él/ella/Ud. | resolvía | | nosotros/as | resolvíamos | | vosotros/as | resolvíais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resolvían |

Future

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | resolveré | | tú | resolverás | | él/ella/Ud. | resolverá | | nosotros/as | resolveremos | | vosotros/as | resolveréis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resolverán |

Conditional

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | resolvería | | tú | resolverías | | él/ella/Ud. | resolvería | | nosotros/as | resolveríamos | | vosotros/as | resolveríais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resolverían |

Present perfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | he resuelto | | tú | has resuelto | | él/ella/Ud. | ha resuelto | | nosotros/as | hemos resuelto | | vosotros/as | habéis resuelto | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | han resuelto |

Pluperfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | había resuelto | | tú | habías resuelto | | él/ella/Ud. | había resuelto | | nosotros/as | habíamos resuelto | | vosotros/as | habíais resuelto | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían resuelto |

Future perfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | habré resuelto | | tú | habrás resuelto | | él/ella/Ud. | habrá resuelto | | nosotros/as | habremos resuelto | | vosotros/as | habréis resuelto | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán resuelto |

Conditional perfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | habría resuelto | | tú | habrías resuelto | | él/ella/Ud. | habría resuelto | | nosotros/as | habríamos resuelto | | vosotros/as | habríais resuelto | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían resuelto |

Present subjunctive

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | resuelva | | tú | resuelvas | | él/ella/Ud. | resuelva | | nosotros/as | resolvamos | | vosotros/as | resolváis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resuelvan |

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | resolviera | | tú | resolvieras | | él/ella/Ud. | resolviera | | nosotros/as | resolviéramos | | vosotros/as | resolvierais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resolvieran |

Imperative (affirmative)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | tú | resuelve | | él/ella/Ud. | resuelva | | nosotros/as | resolvamos | | vosotros/as | resolved | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resuelvan |

Imperative (negative)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | tú | resuelvas | | él/ella/Ud. | resuelva | | nosotros/as | resolvamos | | vosotros/as | resolváis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | resuelvan |

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund resolviendo with estar for the progressive: está resolviendo
Past participle resuelto with haber for the perfect tenses: he resuelto

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 resolver, the present indicative looks like this in a real sentence: Yo resuelvo el problema de matemáticas — "I solve the maths problem".

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 resolver, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, yo resolví el misterio del libro — "Yesterday, I solved the mystery in the book".

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 resolver, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, yo resolvía la duda de su alumno — "As a child, I used to solve his pupil's doubt".

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 resolver, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, yo resolveré el conflicto entre vecinos — "Tomorrow, I will solve the conflict between neighbours".

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 resolver, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Yo resolvería el problema de matemáticas si pudiera — "I would solve the maths problem if I could".

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. resolver has an irregular past participle: resuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he resuelto, has resuelto, ha resuelto. For resolver, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, yo he resuelto el misterio del libro — "Today, I have solved the mystery in the book".

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. resolver has an irregular past participle: resuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he resuelto, has resuelto, ha resuelto. For resolver, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo ya había resuelto la duda de su alumno antes de salir — "I already had solved his pupil's doubt before leaving".

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. resolver has an irregular past participle: resuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he resuelto, has resuelto, ha resuelto. For resolver, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, yo habré resuelto el conflicto entre vecinos — "By tomorrow, I will have solved the conflict between neighbours".

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. resolver has an irregular past participle: resuelto. All the perfect tenses use it: he resuelto, has resuelto, ha resuelto. For resolver, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo habría resuelto el problema de matemáticas con más tiempo — "I would have solved the maths problem with more time".

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 resolver, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él resuelva el misterio del libro — "I hope he solves the mystery in the book".

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past. The -ra forms are 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 resolver, the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) looks like this in a real sentence: Si yo resolviera la duda de su alumno, todo cambiaría — "If I solved his pupil's doubt, everything would change".

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 resolver, the imperative (affirmative) looks like this in a real sentence: Resuelve el conflicto entre vecinos. — "Solve the conflict between neighbours.".

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 resolver, the imperative (negative) looks like this in a real sentence: No resuelvas el problema de matemáticas. — "Do not solve the maths problem.".

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with resolver, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Yo resuelvo el problema de matemáticas — "I solve the maths problem"
  2. Mi amigo resuelve el misterio del libro — "My friend solves the mystery in the book"
  3. Ayer, yo resolví la duda de su alumno — "Yesterday, I solved his pupil's doubt"
  4. Antes, nosotros resolvíamos el conflicto entre vecinos — "Before, we used to solve the conflict between neighbours"
  5. Mañana, tú resolverás el crucigrama del domingo — "Tomorrow, you will solve the Sunday crossword"
  6. Yo resolvería el problema de matemáticas si tuviera más tiempo — "I would solve the maths problem if I had more time"
  7. Él ha resuelto el misterio del libro — "He has solved the mystery in the book"
  8. Espero que él resuelva la duda de su alumno — "I hope he solves his pupil's doubt"
  9. Yo ya había resuelto el conflicto entre vecinos antes de salir — "I already had solved the conflict between neighbours before leaving"
  10. Ellos resolvían el crucigrama del domingo cuando eran jóvenes — "They used to solve the Sunday crossword when they were young"

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo resolvo el misterio del libro. — Right: Yo resuelvo el misterio del libro. — resolver is a stem-changing verb (o → ue): the stem vowel changes in the stressed present forms, so the yo form is resuelvo, not resolvo.
  2. Wrong: Espero que él resuelve el misterio del libro — Right: Espero que él resuelva el misterio del libro — After espero que, Spanish requires the subjunctive: Espero que él resuelva el misterio del libro — not the indicative Espero que él resuelve el misterio del libro.
  3. Wrong: Ayer, yo resuelvo la duda de su alumno — Right: Ayer, yo resolví la duda de su alumno — Ayer points to a finished action in the past, so it needs the preterite: Ayer, yo resolví la duda de su alumno.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo resolví el conflicto entre vecinos todos los días — Right: De niño, yo resolvía el conflicto entre vecinos todos los días — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect, not the preterite: De niño, yo resolvía el conflicto entre vecinos todos los días.
  5. Wrong: Yo resuelvo en el problema de matemáticas. — Right: Yo resuelvo el problema de matemáticas. — resolver takes this complement directly, with no preposition: Yo resuelvo el problema de matemáticas.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on resolver. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ el problema de matemáticas — "I solve the maths problem" (present) A. resolvemos B. resuelvo C. resuelves D. resuelve

  2. Complete the sentence: Él ______ el misterio del libro — "He solved the mystery in the book" (preterite) A. resolviste B. resolvimos C. resolvió D. resolví

  3. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ______ la duda de su alumno — "We used to solve his pupil's doubt" (imperfect) A. resolvía B. resolvías C. resolvíais D. resolvíamos

  4. Complete the sentence: Tú ______ el conflicto entre vecinos — "You will solve the conflict between neighbours" (future) A. resolveré B. resolverá C. resolveremos D. resolverás

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ el crucigrama del domingo — "I would solve the Sunday crossword" (conditional) A. resolverías B. resolveríamos C. resolveríais D. resolvería

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ______ el problema de matemáticas — "I hope he solves the maths problem" (present subjunctive) A. resolváis B. resuelva C. resuelvas D. resolvamos

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ______ el misterio del libro, todo cambiaría — "If I solved the mystery in the book, everything would change" (imperfect subjunctive) A. resolviéramos B. resolvierais C. resolviera D. resolvieras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ______ la duda de su alumno — "We have solved his pupil's doubt" (present perfect) A. hemos resuelto B. he resuelto C. has resuelto D. ha resuelto

  9. Complete the sentence: No ______ el conflicto entre vecinos. — "Do not solve the conflict between neighbours." (negative imperative) A. resuelva B. resolvamos C. resolváis D. resuelvas

  10. Which is the gerund of resolver, used with estar for the progressive? A. resolviendo B. resuelto C. resuelvo D. resolví

Answer key

  1. resuelvo — The present form for yo is resuelvo.
  2. resolvió — The preterite form for él/ella/Ud. is resolvió.
  3. resolvíamos — The imperfect form for nosotros/as is resolvíamos.
  4. resolverás — The future form for tú is resolverás.
  5. resolvería — The conditional form for yo is resolvería.
  6. resuelva — The present subjunctive form for él/ella/Ud. is resuelva.
  7. resolviera — The imperfect subjunctive form for yo is resolviera.
  8. hemos resuelto — The present perfect form for nosotros/as is hemos resuelto.
  9. resuelvas — The negative imperative form is resuelvas.
  10. resolviendo — The gerund of resolver is resolviendo: estoy resolviendo. The participle resuelto is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does resolver mean in English?

resolver means to solve. It is used in everyday situations such as Yo resuelvo el problema de matemáticas — "I solve the maths problem". The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is resolver regular?

No. resolver is a stem-changing -er verb (o → ue). The stem vowel changes in the stressed forms of the present: resuelvo, resuelves, resuelve and resuelven — but nosotros and vosotros keep the plain stem: resolvemos, resolvéis. The nosotros and vosotros forms keep the plain stem, which is the part learners most often get right by accident.

What is the gerund and the past participle of resolver?

The gerund is resolviendo and the past participle is resuelto. Use the gerund with estar for the progressive, and the participle with haber for the perfect tenses. Note that the participle is irregular: it is resuelto, not the regular form.

How do I say "I solve" in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: Ayer, yo resolví el misterio del libro — "Yesterday, I solved the mystery in the book". For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: De niño, yo resolvía la duda de su alumno — "As a child, I used to solve his pupil's doubt". For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: Hoy, yo he resuelto el misterio del libro — "Today, I have solved the mystery in the book".

What is the difference between resolver and solucionar?

Solucionar is the near-synonym for solving a problem. Resolver is the more common verb for problems, mysteries and doubts. Resolver means to solve a problem, a mystery or a conflict. Its past participle is irregular — resuelto, not resolvido — so the perfect tenses are he resuelto, has resuelto.

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