Rezar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb rezar means to pray, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Rezar means to pray, and it is used for praying at night before sleeping, praying in church on Sundays and praying for a sick family. It is a spelling-change verb: the z becomes c before e, so the preterite is recé. Like every Spanish verb, rezar 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 rezo por la noche antes de dormir, and in the preterite you say recé por su familia enferma. 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: rezar
  • English: to pray
  • Verb type: irregular verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: rezando
  • Past participle: rezado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + rezado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for rezar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Spelling change: z becomes c before e, so the preterite is recé and the subjunctive is rece, never rezé.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for rezar. 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 rezo
tú rezas
él/ella/Ud. reza
nosotros/as rezamos
vosotros/as rezáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. rezan

Preterite

Person Form
yo recé
tú rezaste
él/ella/Ud. rezó
nosotros/as rezamos
vosotros/as rezasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. rezaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo rezaba
tú rezabas
él/ella/Ud. rezaba
nosotros/as rezábamos
vosotros/as rezabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. rezaban

Future

Person Form
yo rezaré
tú rezarás
él/ella/Ud. rezará
nosotros/as rezaremos
vosotros/as rezaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. rezarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo rezaría
tú rezarías
él/ella/Ud. rezaría
nosotros/as rezaríamos
vosotros/as rezaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. rezarían

Present perfect

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

Pluperfect

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

Future perfect

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

Conditional perfect

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

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo rece
tú reces
él/ella/Ud. rece
nosotros/as recemos
vosotros/as recéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. recen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo rezara
tú rezaras
él/ella/Ud. rezara
nosotros/as rezáramos
vosotros/as rezarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. rezaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú reza
él/ella/Ud. rece
nosotros/as recemos
vosotros/as rezad
ellos/ellas/Uds. recen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú reces
él/ella/Ud. rece
nosotros/as recemos
vosotros/as recéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. recen

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund rezando with estar for the progressive: estoy rezando
Past participle rezado with haber for the perfect tenses: he rezado

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. Note the spelling change here: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For rezar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Rezo por la noche antes de dormir. 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. Note the spelling change in the first person: z becomes c before e, so the preterite first person is recé. For rezar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, recé en la iglesia los domingos. 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 rezar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, rezaba por su familia enferma. 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 rezar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, rezaré el rosario con su abuela. 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 rezar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Rezaría por la noche antes de dormir 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 rezar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he rezado en la iglesia los domingos. 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 rezar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había rezado por su familia enferma 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 rezar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré rezado el rosario con su abuela. 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 rezar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría rezado por la noche antes de dormir 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. Note the spelling change here: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For rezar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él rece en la iglesia los domingos. 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 rezar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él rezara por su familia enferma, 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. Note the spelling change here: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For rezar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Reza el rosario con su abuela! 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. Note the spelling change here: z becomes c before e, so the forms keep the same sound as the infinitive. For rezar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No reces por la noche antes de dormir. 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 rezar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Rezo por la noche antes de dormir. — I pray at night before sleeping.
  2. Reza en la iglesia los domingos. — He/she prays in church on Sundays.
  3. Ayer, recé por su familia enferma. — Yesterday, I prayed for his sick family.
  4. Antes, nosotros rezábamos el rosario con su abuela. — Before, we used to pray the rosary with his grandmother.
  5. Mañana, tú rezarás por la noche antes de dormir. — Tomorrow, you will pray at night before sleeping.
  6. Yo rezaría en la iglesia los domingos si tuviera más tiempo. — I would pray in church on Sundays if I had more time.
  7. Él ha rezado por su familia enferma. — He has prayed for his sick family.
  8. Espero que él rece el rosario con su abuela. — I hope he prays the rosary with his grandmother.
  9. Yo ya había rezado por la noche antes de dormir antes de salir. — I had already prayed at night before sleeping before leaving.
  10. Ellos rezaban en la iglesia los domingos cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to pray in church on Sundays when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo reza por la noche antes de dormir. — Right: Yo rezo por la noche antes de dormir. — The person matters: reza is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is rezo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Yo rezé en la iglesia los domingos. — Right: Yo recé en la iglesia los domingos. — In the preterite, the correct first-person form is recé, not rezé. rezar is a spelling-change verb: z becomes c before e, so the written form changes to keep the same sound. The regular-looking form is wrong.
  3. Wrong: Treating rezar and orar as identical in every context. — Right: Rezar means to pray, while orar means to pray, the formal synonym. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: rezar fits sentences such as Rezo por la noche antes de dormir, while orar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy rezado en la iglesia los domingos. — Right: Yo he rezado en la iglesia los domingos. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he rezado, has rezado, ha rezado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo recé por su familia enferma todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo rezaba por su familia enferma todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (rezaba), not the preterite. The preterite (recé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

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

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ por la noche antes de dormir. (present tense) A. rezo B. rezas C. reza D. rezamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ en la iglesia los domingos. (preterite) A. recé B. rezaste C. rezaron D. rezó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ por su familia enferma. (imperfect) A. rezabas B. rezaban C. rezábamos D. rezaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ el rosario con su abuela. (future) A. rezaremos B. rezarás C. rezaré D. rezará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ por la noche antes de dormir si pudiera. (conditional) A. rezaría B. rezarías C. rezarían D. rezo

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en la iglesia los domingos. (present subjunctive) A. reces B. recemos C. rezo D. rece

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ por su familia enferma, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. rezáramos B. rezo C. rezara D. rezaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ el rosario con su abuela. (present perfect) A. han rezado B. hemos rezado C. he rezado D. has rezado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ por la noche antes de dormir! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. reza B. rece C. recemos D. rezad

  10. Which is the gerund of rezar, used with estar for the progressive? A. rezado B. rezo C. recé D. rezando

Answer key

  1. rezo — The first-person present of rezar is rezo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. rezó — The third-person preterite of rezar is rezó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. rezábamos — The nosotros imperfect of rezar is rezábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. rezarás — The second-person future of rezar is rezarás.
  5. rezaría — The first-person conditional of rezar is rezaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. rece — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of rezar is rece.
  7. rezara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of rezar is rezara.
  8. hemos rezado — The nosotros present perfect of rezar is hemos rezado: hemos + rezado.
  9. reza — The affirmative tú imperative of rezar is reza.
  10. rezando — The gerund of rezar is rezando: estoy rezando. The participle rezado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does rezar mean in English?

Rezar means to pray. It is used in everyday situations such as Rezo por la noche antes de dormir. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is rezar regular or irregular?

Rezar 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 rezo in the present and recé in the preterite.

What is the difference between rezar and orar?

Rezar means to pray, while orar means to pray, the formal synonym. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use rezar when you mean to pray, as in Rezo por la noche antes de dormir, and use orar for to pray, the formal synonym. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I pray” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo recé en la iglesia los domingos. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo rezaba por su familia enferma. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he rezado en la iglesia los domingos.

How do I practise rezar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the rezar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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