Respirar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb respirar means to breathe, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Respirar means to breathe, and it covers everything from the automatic act of breathing to deliberate deep breathing in yoga, sport and medicine. It also appears in idioms such as respirar tranquilo, to breathe easy, and no dejar respirar, to give someone no peace. Like every Spanish verb, respirar 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 respiro aire fresco en la montaña, and in the preterite you say respiré con dificultad por el asma. 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.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: respirar
- English: to breathe
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: respirando
- Past participle: respirado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + respirado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for respirar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Respirar is fully regular, so once you know the -ar endings you know the whole verb — the challenge is only using it naturally.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for respirar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | respiro |
| tú | respiras |
| él/ella/Ud. | respira |
| nosotros/as | respiramos |
| vosotros/as | respiráis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respiran |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | respiré |
| tú | respiraste |
| él/ella/Ud. | respiró |
| nosotros/as | respiramos |
| vosotros/as | respirasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respiraron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | respiraba |
| tú | respirabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | respiraba |
| nosotros/as | respirábamos |
| vosotros/as | respirabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respiraban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | respiraré |
| tú | respirarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | respirará |
| nosotros/as | respiraremos |
| vosotros/as | respiraréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respirarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | respiraría |
| tú | respirarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | respiraría |
| nosotros/as | respiraríamos |
| vosotros/as | respiraríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respirarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he respirado |
| tú | has respirado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha respirado |
| nosotros/as | hemos respirado |
| vosotros/as | habéis respirado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han respirado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había respirado |
| tú | habías respirado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había respirado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos respirado |
| vosotros/as | habíais respirado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían respirado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré respirado |
| tú | habrás respirado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá respirado |
| nosotros/as | habremos respirado |
| vosotros/as | habréis respirado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán respirado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría respirado |
| tú | habrías respirado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría respirado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos respirado |
| vosotros/as | habríais respirado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían respirado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | respire |
| tú | respires |
| él/ella/Ud. | respire |
| nosotros/as | respiremos |
| vosotros/as | respiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respiren |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | respirara |
| tú | respiraras |
| él/ella/Ud. | respirara |
| nosotros/as | respiráramos |
| vosotros/as | respirarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respiraran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | respira |
| él/ella/Ud. | respire |
| nosotros/as | respiremos |
| vosotros/as | respirad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respiren |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | respires |
| él/ella/Ud. | respire |
| nosotros/as | respiremos |
| vosotros/as | respiréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | respiren |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | respirando | with estar for the progressive: estoy respirando |
| Past participle | respirado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he respirado |
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 respirar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Respiro aire fresco en la montaña. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 respirar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, respiré hondo antes del examen. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 respirar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, respiraba con dificultad por el asma. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 respirar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, respiraré tranquilo en la clase de yoga. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 respirar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Respiraría aire fresco en la montaña si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For respirar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he respirado hondo antes del examen. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For respirar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había respirado con dificultad por el asma antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For respirar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré respirado tranquilo en la clase de yoga. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For respirar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría respirado aire fresco en la montaña con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 respirar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él respire hondo antes del examen. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms 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 respirar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él respirara con dificultad por el asma, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 respirar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Respira tranquilo en la clase de yoga! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 respirar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No respires aire fresco en la montaña. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with respirar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Respiro aire fresco en la montaña. — I breathe fresh air in the mountains.
- Respira hondo antes del examen. — He/she breathes deeply before the exam.
- Ayer, respiré con dificultad por el asma. — Yesterday, I breathed with difficulty because of asthma.
- Antes, nosotros respirábamos tranquilo en la clase de yoga. — Before, we used to breathe calmly in yoga class.
- Mañana, tú respirarás aire fresco en la montaña. — Tomorrow, you will breathe fresh air in the mountains.
- Yo respiraría hondo antes del examen si tuviera más tiempo. — I would breathe deeply before the exam if I had more time.
- Él ha respirado con dificultad por el asma. — He has breathed with difficulty because of asthma.
- Espero que él respire tranquilo en la clase de yoga. — I hope he breathes calmly in yoga class.
- Yo ya había respirado aire fresco en la montaña antes de salir. — I had already breathed fresh air in the mountains before leaving.
- Ellos respiraban hondo antes del examen cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to breathe deeply before the exam when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo respira aire fresco en la montaña. — Right: Yo respiro aire fresco en la montaña. — The person matters: respira is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is respiro. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo respiro hondo antes del examen. — Right: Ayer yo respiré hondo antes del examen. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: respiro is happening now, while respiré is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating respirar and suspirar as identical in every context. — Right: Respirar means to breathe, while suspirar means to sigh. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: respirar fits sentences such as Respiro aire fresco en la montaña, while suspirar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy respirado hondo antes del examen. — Right: Yo he respirado hondo antes del examen. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he respirado, has respirado, ha respirado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo respiré con dificultad por el asma todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo respiraba con dificultad por el asma todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (respiraba), not the preterite. The preterite (respiré) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on respirar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ aire fresco en la montaña. (present tense) A. respiro B. respiras C. respira D. respiramos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ hondo antes del examen. (preterite) A. respiré B. respiraste C. respiraron D. respiró
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ con dificultad por el asma. (imperfect) A. respirabas B. respiraban C. respirábamos D. respiraba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ tranquilo en la clase de yoga. (future) A. respiraremos B. respirarás C. respiraré D. respirará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ aire fresco en la montaña si pudiera. (conditional) A. respiraría B. respirarías C. respirarían D. respiro
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ hondo antes del examen. (present subjunctive) A. respires B. respiremos C. respiro D. respire
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ con dificultad por el asma, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. respiráramos B. respiro C. respirara D. respiraras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ tranquilo en la clase de yoga. (present perfect) A. han respirado B. hemos respirado C. he respirado D. has respirado
Complete the command: ¡___ aire fresco en la montaña! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. respira B. respire C. respiremos D. respirad
Which is the gerund of respirar, used with estar for the progressive? A. respirado B. respiro C. respiré D. respirando
Answer key
- respiro — The first-person present of respirar is respiro. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- respiró — The third-person preterite of respirar is respiró, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- respirábamos — The nosotros imperfect of respirar is respirábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- respirarás — The second-person future of respirar is respirarás.
- respiraría — The first-person conditional of respirar is respiraría, the form for what would happen.
- respire — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of respirar is respire.
- respirara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of respirar is respirara.
- hemos respirado — The nosotros present perfect of respirar is hemos respirado: hemos + respirado.
- respira — The affirmative tú imperative of respirar is respira.
- respirando — The gerund of respirar is respirando: estoy respirando. The participle respirado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does respirar mean in English?
Respirar means to breathe. It is used in everyday situations such as Respiro aire fresco en la montaña. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is respirar regular or irregular?
Respirar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including respiro in the present and respiré in the preterite.
What is the difference between respirar and suspirar?
Respirar means to breathe, while suspirar means to sigh. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use respirar when you mean to breathe, as in Respiro aire fresco en la montaña, and use suspirar for to sigh. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I breathe” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo respiré hondo antes del examen. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo respiraba con dificultad por el asma. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he respirado hondo antes del examen.
How do I practise respirar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the respirar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Respirar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for respirar.
- Respirar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for respirar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Desayunar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with respirar.
- Adelgazar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with respirar.
- Almorzar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with respirar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.