Rodar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

rodar means "to roll" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows rodar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of rodar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with rodar

Everyday use

Rodar means to roll. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo rodo por el suelo — "I roll along the floor"
  2. Él roda cuesta abajo — "He rolls downhill"
  3. Yo rodé por la calle — "I rolled down the street"
  4. Yo rodaba por el suelo — "I used to roll along the floor"
  5. Yo rodaré cuesta abajo — "I will roll downhill"
  6. Yo he rodado por la calle — "I have rolled down the street"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. Él rodó por la calle — "He rolled down the street"
  2. Él rodaba por el suelo — "He used to roll along the floor"
  3. Tú rodarás cuesta abajo — "You will roll downhill"
  4. Yo rodaría por la calle — "I would roll down the street"
  5. Yo había rodado por el suelo — "I had rolled along the floor"
  6. Nosotros rodamos cuesta abajo — "We roll downhill"

Rodar in conversation

The two dialogues below show rodar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú rodas por el suelo? — "Do you roll along the floor?"
  • Sí, yo rodo por el suelo cada día. — "Yes, I roll along the floor every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú rodaste cuesta abajo? — "And yesterday? Did you roll downhill?"
  • Sí, yo rodé cuesta abajo. — "Yes, I rolled downhill."
  • Mañana, yo rodaré por la calle también. — "Tomorrow, I will roll down the street too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros rodáis por el suelo? — "Do you roll along the floor?"
  • Sí, nosotros rodamos por el suelo los fines de semana. — "Yes, We roll along the floor at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos rodan cuesta abajo? — "And them? Do they roll downhill?"
  • Sí, ellos rodan cuesta abajo también. — "Yes, They roll downhill too."
  • Mañana nosotros rodaremos cuesta abajo otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will roll downhill again."

Useful phrases with rodar

Four patterns you can use with rodar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a rodar por el suelo. — "I am going to roll along the floor."
  • Quiero rodar cuesta abajo. — "I want to roll downhill."
  • Me gusta rodar por la calle. — "I like to roll down the street."
  • Acabo de rodar por el suelo. — "I have just rolled along the floor."

Common mistakes with rodar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos roda por el suelo.
  • Right: Ellos rodan por el suelo.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form rodan. The singular roda belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo rodé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo rodo.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy rodado cuesta abajo.
  • Right: Yo he rodado cuesta abajo.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he rodado, has rodado, ha rodado.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo rodo.
  • Right: Ayer, yo rodé.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (rodé). The present (rodo) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él roda por el suelo.
  • Right: Espero que él rode por el suelo.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: rode. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: rodar in use

Ten questions on rodar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of rodar in the present tense?

  • (a) habríamos rodado
  • (b) habrán rodado
  • (c) rodaste
  • (d) rodo

Answer: (d) rodo. The I form in the present is rodo.

2. What is the he / she form of rodar in the present tense?

  • (a) rodarais
  • (b) rodaras
  • (c) roda
  • (d) hemos rodado

Answer: (c) roda. The he / she form in the present is roda.

3. What is the he / she form of rodar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) rodaran
  • (b) habréis rodado
  • (c) rodó
  • (d) roda

Answer: (c) rodó. The he / she form in the preterite is rodó.

4. What is the I form of rodar in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) rodáramos
  • (b) rodé
  • (c) rodaba
  • (d) rodo

Answer: (c) rodaba. The I form in the imperfect is rodaba.

5. What is the I form of rodar in the future tense?

  • (a) rodasteis
  • (b) rodarían
  • (c) rodaré
  • (d) rodaran

Answer: (c) rodaré. The I form in the future is rodaré.

6. What is the I form of rodar in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) rodaran
  • (b) he rodado
  • (c) rodara
  • (d) rodaremos

Answer: (b) he rodado. The I form in the present perfect is he rodado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ por el suelo.

  • (a) rode
  • (b) rodemos
  • (c) rodéis
  • (d) roden

Answer: (a) rode. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is rode.

8. What is the we form of rodar in the present tense?

  • (a) habrían rodado
  • (b) rodaré
  • (c) había rodado
  • (d) rodamos

Answer: (d) rodamos. The we form in the present is rodamos.

9. What is the I form of rodar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) rodé
  • (b) habéis rodado
  • (c) habrían rodado
  • (d) había rodado

Answer: (a) rodé. The I form in the preterite is rodé.

10. What is the they form of rodar in the present tense?

  • (a) rodan
  • (b) rodabais
  • (c) rodáis
  • (d) has rodado

Answer: (a) rodan. The they form in the present is rodan.

Frequently asked questions about rodar

Is rodar regular?

Yes. Rodar is a regular -ar verb: rodo, rodas, roda. See the full conjugation of rodar for every tense.

What is the past participle of rodar?

The past participle is rodado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he rodado. The gerund is rodando, used with estar: estoy rodando.

How do I say “I roll” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo rodé cuesta abajo. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo rodaba por la calle.

How can I practise rodar?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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