Introduction

Rodar means “to roll”, and this page covers exactly one thing: rodar 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 rodar, 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 rodar in the present. Rodar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo rodo por el suelo” — "I roll along the floor". Everything on this page uses the forms of rodar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Rodar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo rodo
tú rodas
él/ella/Ud. roda
nosotros/as rodamos
vosotros/as rodáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. rodan

Gerund: rodando · Past participle: rodado

The gerund is rodando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy rodando” means the action of rodar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is rodado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he rodado” 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 rodar is used.

How the present of rodar is formed

Rodar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem rod and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving rodo, rodas, roda, rodamos, rodáis, rodan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, rodáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of rodar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form rodáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form rodo is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of rodar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use rodar 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, rodar goes in the present. Example: “Yo rodo cuesta abajo” — "I roll downhill".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about rodar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él roda por la calle” — "He rolls down the street".

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 rodo can mean both "I roll" and "I am rolling". Example: “Yo rodo por el suelo” — "I roll along the floor".

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: “Nosotros rodamos cuesta abajo” — "We roll downhill".

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 rodar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él roda por la calle” — "He rolls down the street".

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: “Yo rodo por el suelo” — "I roll along the floor".

  • Preterite: “Yo rodé por el suelo” — "I rolled along the floor".

  • 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: “Él roda cuesta abajo” — "He rolls downhill".

  • Preterite: “Él rodó cuesta abajo” — "He rolled downhill".

  • 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 rodamos por la calle” — "We roll down the street".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros rodamos por la calle” — "We rolled down the street".

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

Example sentences: rodar 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. “Yo rodo cuesta abajo” — "I roll downhill"

  2. “Tú rodas por la calle” — "You roll down the street"

  3. “Él roda por el suelo” — "He rolls along the floor"

  4. “Nosotros rodamos cuesta abajo” — "We roll downhill"

  5. “Vosotros rodáis por la calle” — "You roll down the street"

  6. “Ellos rodan por el suelo” — "They roll along the floor"

  7. “Yo rodo cuesta abajo” — "I roll downhill"

  8. “Él roda por la calle” — "He rolls down the street"

Common mistakes with rodar 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 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.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo roda por el suelo.” Right: “Yo rodo por el suelo” Why: Yo needs the yo form rodo. The él form roda belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: rodar 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 ___ por la calle.” (yo form)

A. roda B. rodo C. rodas D. rodamos

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

A. roda B. rodamos C. rodas D. rodo

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ cuesta abajo.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. rodamos B. rodo C. roda D. rodan

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ por la calle.” (nosotros/as form)

A. rodas B. rodamos C. rodo D. rodáis

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

A. rodáis B. rodo C. rodan D. roda

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ cuesta abajo.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. rodan B. rodáis C. rodas D. rodo

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 rodo B. Todos los días, yo rodé

Answer key

  1. rodo — The yo present of rodar is rodo.
  2. rodas — The tú present of rodar is rodas.
  3. roda — The él/ella/Ud. present of rodar is roda.
  4. rodamos — The nosotros/as present of rodar is rodamos.
  5. rodáis — The vosotros/as present of rodar is rodáis.
  6. rodan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of rodar is rodan.
  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 rodo — 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 rodar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo rodo por el suelo. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of rodar formed?

Take the stem rod- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving rodo, rodas, roda, rodamos, rodáis, rodan.

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

The present (rodo) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (rodé) 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 rodar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — rodo, rodas, roda, rodamos, rodáis, rodan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the rodar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of rodar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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