Introduction

Ruborizarse means “to blush”, and this page covers exactly one thing: ruborizarse 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 ruborizarse, 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 ruborizarse in the present. Ruborizarse in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo me ruborizo de vergüenza” — "I blush with embarrassment". Everything on this page uses the forms of ruborizarse exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Ruborizarse in the Present Tense — full table

Person Pronoun Form
yo me ruborizo
tú te ruborizas
él/ella/Ud. se ruboriza
nosotros/as nos ruborizamos
vosotros/as os ruborizáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se ruborizan

Gerund: ruborizando · Past participle: ruborizado

The gerund is ruborizando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Me estoy ruborizando” means the action of ruborizarse is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is ruborizado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “me he ruborizado” 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 ruborizarse is used.

How the present of ruborizarse is formed

Ruborizarse is a spelling-changing -ar (z → c before e), reflexive verb in the present. Take the stem ruboriz and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving ruborizo, ruborizas, ruboriza, ruborizamos, ruborizáis, ruborizan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, ruborizáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. Because ruborizarse is reflexive, every form takes the matching pronoun in front: me ruborizo, te ruborizas, se ruboriza. The pronoun is part of the verb, not an optional extra. The present of ruborizarse is regular in its endings, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form ruborizáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form ruborizo is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of ruborizarse

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use ruborizarse 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, ruborizarse goes in the present. Example: “Yo me ruborizo al hablar en público” — "I blush when speaking in public".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about ruborizarse does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él se ruboriza con el cumplido” — "He blushes at the compliment".

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 me ruborizo can mean both "I blush" and "I am blushing". Example: “Yo me ruborizo de vergüenza” — "I blush with embarrassment".

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 nos ruborizamos al hablar en público” — "We blush when speaking in public".

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 ruborizarse just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él se ruboriza con el cumplido” — "He blushes at the compliment".

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 me ruborizo de vergüenza” — "I blush with embarrassment".

  • Preterite: “Yo me ruboricé de vergüenza” — "I blushed with embarrassment".

  • 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 se ruboriza al hablar en público” — "He blushes when speaking in public".

  • Preterite: “Él se ruborizó al hablar en público” — "He blushed when speaking in public".

  • 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 nos ruborizamos con el cumplido” — "We blush at the compliment".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros nos ruborizamos con el cumplido” — "We blushed at the compliment".

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

Example sentences: ruborizarse 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 me ruborizo al hablar en público” — "I blush when speaking in public"

  2. “Tú te ruborizas con el cumplido” — "You blush at the compliment"

  3. “Él se ruboriza de vergüenza” — "He blushes with embarrassment"

  4. “Nosotros nos ruborizamos al hablar en público” — "We blush when speaking in public"

  5. “Vosotros os ruborizáis con el cumplido” — "You blush at the compliment"

  6. “Ellos se ruborizan de vergüenza” — "They blush with embarrassment"

  7. “Yo me ruborizo al hablar en público” — "I blush when speaking in public"

  8. “Él se ruboriza con el cumplido” — "He blushes at the compliment"

Common mistakes with ruborizarse 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 ruboriza de vergüenza” Right: “Ellos se ruborizan de vergüenza” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form ruborizan. The singular ruboriza belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo ruborizo de vergüenza.” Right: “Yo me ruborizo de vergüenza” Why: Ruborizarse is reflexive: the pronoun me is required. Without it the sentence means something else, or nothing at all.

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

Quiz: ruborizarse 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 me ___ con el cumplido.” (yo form)

A. ruborizáis B. ruborizo C. ruborizamos D. ruborizas

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú te ___ de vergüenza.” (tú form)

A. ruboriza B. ruborizas C. ruborizamos D. ruborizan

3. Complete the sentence: “Él se ___ al hablar en público.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. ruborizas B. ruborizáis C. ruborizamos D. ruboriza

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros nos ___ con el cumplido.” (nosotros/as form)

A. ruborizan B. ruborizamos C. ruborizáis D. ruborizo

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros os ___ de vergüenza.” (vosotros/as form)

A. ruboriza B. ruborizan C. ruborizáis D. ruborizo

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos se ___ al hablar en público.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. ruborizamos B. ruboriza C. ruborizan D. ruborizas

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 me ruborizo B. Todos los días, yo me ruboricé

Answer key

  1. ruborizo — The yo present of ruborizarse is ruborizo.
  2. ruborizas — The tú present of ruborizarse is ruborizas.
  3. ruboriza — The él/ella/Ud. present of ruborizarse is ruboriza.
  4. ruborizamos — The nosotros/as present of ruborizarse is ruborizamos.
  5. ruborizáis — The vosotros/as present of ruborizarse is ruborizáis.
  6. ruborizan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of ruborizarse is ruborizan.
  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 me ruborizo — 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 ruborizarse?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo me ruborizo de vergüenza. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of ruborizarse formed?

Take the stem ruboriz- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving ruborizo, ruborizas, ruboriza, ruborizamos, ruborizáis, ruborizan.

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

The present (ruborizo) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (ruboricé) 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 ruborizarse in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — ruborizo, ruborizas, ruboriza, ruborizamos, ruborizáis, ruborizan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the ruborizarse examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of ruborizarse when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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