Introduction

Sacudir means “to shake”, and this page covers exactly one thing: sacudir 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 sacudir, 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 sacudir in the present. Sacudir in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo sacudo la alfombra” — "I shake the rug". Everything on this page uses the forms of sacudir exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Sacudir in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo sacudo
tú sacudes
él/ella/Ud. sacude
nosotros/as sacudimos
vosotros/as sacudís
ellos/ellas/Uds. sacuden

Gerund: sacudiendo · Past participle: sacudido

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

How the present of sacudir is formed

Sacudir is a regular -ir verb in the present. Take the stem sacud and add the present endings for -ir verbs: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en, giving sacudo, sacudes, sacude, sacudimos, sacudís, sacuden. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, sacudís, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of sacudir is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form sacudís carries a written accent. Second, the yo form sacudo is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of sacudir

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use sacudir 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, sacudir goes in the present. Example: “Yo sacudo el polvo” — "I shake the dust".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about sacudir does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él sacude la manta” — "He shakes the blanket".

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 sacudo can mean both "I shake" and "I am shaking". Example: “Yo sacudo la alfombra” — "I shake the rug".

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 sacudimos el polvo” — "We shake the dust".

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 sacudir just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él sacude la manta” — "He shakes the blanket".

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 sacudo la alfombra” — "I shake the rug".

  • Preterite: “Yo sacudí la alfombra” — "I shook the rug".

  • 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 sacude el polvo” — "He shakes the dust".

  • Preterite: “Él sacudió el polvo” — "He shook the dust".

  • 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 sacudimos la manta” — "We shake the blanket".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros sacudimos la manta” — "We shook the blanket".

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

Example sentences: sacudir 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 sacudo el polvo” — "I shake the dust"

  2. “Tú sacudes la manta” — "You shake the blanket"

  3. “Él sacude la alfombra” — "He shakes the rug"

  4. “Nosotros sacudimos el polvo” — "We shake the dust"

  5. “Vosotros sacudís la manta” — "You shake the blanket"

  6. “Ellos sacuden la alfombra” — "They shake the rug"

  7. “Yo sacudo el polvo” — "I shake the dust"

  8. “Él sacude la manta” — "He shakes the blanket"

Common mistakes with sacudir 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 sacude la alfombra” Right: “Ellos sacuden la alfombra” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form sacuden. The singular sacude belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo sacude la alfombra.” Right: “Yo sacudo la alfombra” Why: Yo needs the yo form sacudo. The él form sacude belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: sacudir 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 ___ la manta.” (yo form)

A. sacudo B. sacudes C. sacudís D. sacuden

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la alfombra.” (tú form)

A. sacuden B. sacudo C. sacudes D. sacudimos

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

A. sacude B. sacudes C. sacudimos D. sacuden

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

A. sacudimos B. sacudo C. sacude D. sacudes

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ la alfombra.” (vosotros/as form)

A. sacudimos B. sacudís C. sacuden D. sacudo

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

A. sacuden B. sacude C. sacudo D. sacudís

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 sacudo B. Todos los días, yo sacudí

Answer key

  1. sacudo — The yo present of sacudir is sacudo.
  2. sacudes — The tú present of sacudir is sacudes.
  3. sacude — The él/ella/Ud. present of sacudir is sacude.
  4. sacudimos — The nosotros/as present of sacudir is sacudimos.
  5. sacudís — The vosotros/as present of sacudir is sacudís.
  6. sacuden — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of sacudir is sacuden.
  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 sacudo — 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 sacudir?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo sacudo la alfombra. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of sacudir formed?

Take the stem sacud- and add the present endings for -ir verbs (-o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en), giving sacudo, sacudes, sacude, sacudimos, sacudís, sacuden.

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

The present (sacudo) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (sacudí) 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 sacudir in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — sacudo, sacudes, sacude, sacudimos, sacudís, sacuden — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the sacudir examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of sacudir when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

Related links