Rodear Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

rodear means "to surround" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows rodear 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 rodear, 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 rodear

Everyday use

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

  1. Yo rodeo la casa — "I surround the house"
  2. Él rodea el jardín — "He surrounds the garden"
  3. Yo rodeé la ciudad — "I surrounded the city"
  4. Yo rodeaba la casa — "I used to surround the house"
  5. Yo rodearé el jardín — "I will surround the garden"
  6. Yo he rodeado la ciudad — "I have surrounded the city"

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 rodeó la ciudad — "He surrounded the city"
  2. Él rodeaba la casa — "He used to surround the house"
  3. Tú rodearás el jardín — "You will surround the garden"
  4. Yo rodearía la ciudad — "I would surround the city"
  5. Yo había rodeado la casa — "I had surrounded the house"
  6. Nosotros rodeamos el jardín — "We surround the garden"

Rodear in conversation

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

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú rodeas la casa? — "Do you surround the house?"
  • Sí, yo rodeo la casa cada día. — "Yes, I surround the house every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú rodeaste el jardín? — "And yesterday? Did you surround the garden?"
  • Sí, yo rodeé el jardín. — "Yes, I surrounded the garden."
  • Mañana, yo rodearé la ciudad también. — "Tomorrow, I will surround the city too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros rodeáis la casa? — "Do you surround the house?"
  • Sí, nosotros rodeamos la casa los fines de semana. — "Yes, We surround the house at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos rodean el jardín? — "And them? Do they surround the garden?"
  • Sí, ellos rodean el jardín también. — "Yes, They surround the garden too."
  • Mañana nosotros rodearemos el jardín otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will surround the garden again."

Useful phrases with rodear

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

  • Voy a rodear la casa. — "I am going to surround the house."
  • Quiero rodear el jardín. — "I want to surround the garden."
  • Me gusta rodear la ciudad. — "I like to surround the city."
  • Acabo de rodear la casa. — "I have just surrounded the house."

Common mistakes with rodear in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos rodea la casa.
  • Right: Ellos rodean la casa.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form rodean. The singular rodea belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo rodeé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo rodeo.
  • 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 rodeado el jardín.
  • Right: Yo he rodeado el jardín.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he rodeado, has rodeado, ha rodeado.

Mistake 4

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

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él rodea la casa.
  • Right: Espero que él rodee la casa.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: rodee. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: rodear in use

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

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

  • (a) rodean
  • (b) rodead
  • (c) rodeó
  • (d) rodeo

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

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

  • (a) rodeas
  • (b) rodeen
  • (c) rodee
  • (d) rodea

Answer: (d) rodea. The he / she form in the present is rodea.

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

  • (a) rodeara
  • (b) has rodeado
  • (c) rodeó
  • (d) rodeaba

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

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

  • (a) rodearíais
  • (b) rodean
  • (c) rodeaba
  • (d) rodeáis

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

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

  • (a) rodeáis
  • (b) rodearé
  • (c) rodeamos
  • (d) habría rodeado

Answer: (b) rodearé. The I form in the future is rodearé.

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

  • (a) rodeabais
  • (b) he rodeado
  • (c) habrás rodeado
  • (d) rodee

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

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la casa.

  • (a) rodees
  • (b) rodeéis
  • (c) rodeemos
  • (d) rodee

Answer: (d) rodee. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is rodee.

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

  • (a) habían rodeado
  • (b) habíamos rodeado
  • (c) rodeamos
  • (d) rodee

Answer: (c) rodeamos. The we form in the present is rodeamos.

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

  • (a) rodeé
  • (b) habéis rodeado
  • (c) han rodeado
  • (d) habremos rodeado

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

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

  • (a) habremos rodeado
  • (b) rodees
  • (c) rodearan
  • (d) rodean

Answer: (d) rodean. The they form in the present is rodean.

Frequently asked questions about rodear

Is rodear regular?

Yes. Rodear is a regular -ar verb: rodeo, rodeas, rodea. See the full conjugation of rodear for every tense.

What is the past participle of rodear?

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

How do I say “I surround” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo rodeé el jardín. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo rodeaba la ciudad.

How can I practise rodear?

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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