Saludar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb saludar means to greet, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Saludar means to greet, and it is used for greeting neighbours in the morning, greeting people on entering a shop and greeting everyone at a party. It is fully regular, and it is the first social verb learners need, alongside despedirse for leaving. Like every Spanish verb, saludar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say saludo a los vecinos por la mañana, and in the preterite you say saludé al entrar en la tienda. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: saludar
- English: to greet
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: saludando
- Past participle: saludado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + saludado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for saludar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Saludar is fully regular: saludé, saludaba, saludaré. A simple hola often does the job, but saludar is the verb.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for saludar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | saludo |
| tú | saludas |
| él/ella/Ud. | saluda |
| nosotros/as | saludamos |
| vosotros/as | saludáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saludan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | saludé |
| tú | saludaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | saludó |
| nosotros/as | saludamos |
| vosotros/as | saludasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saludaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | saludaba |
| tú | saludabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | saludaba |
| nosotros/as | saludábamos |
| vosotros/as | saludabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saludaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | saludaré |
| tú | saludarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | saludará |
| nosotros/as | saludaremos |
| vosotros/as | saludaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saludarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | saludaría |
| tú | saludarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | saludaría |
| nosotros/as | saludaríamos |
| vosotros/as | saludaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saludarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he saludado |
| tú | has saludado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha saludado |
| nosotros/as | hemos saludado |
| vosotros/as | habéis saludado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han saludado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había saludado |
| tú | habías saludado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había saludado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos saludado |
| vosotros/as | habíais saludado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían saludado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré saludado |
| tú | habrás saludado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá saludado |
| nosotros/as | habremos saludado |
| vosotros/as | habréis saludado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán saludado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría saludado |
| tú | habrías saludado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría saludado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos saludado |
| vosotros/as | habríais saludado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían saludado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | salude |
| tú | saludes |
| él/ella/Ud. | salude |
| nosotros/as | saludemos |
| vosotros/as | saludéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saluden |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | saludara |
| tú | saludaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | saludara |
| nosotros/as | saludáramos |
| vosotros/as | saludarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saludaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | saluda |
| él/ella/Ud. | salude |
| nosotros/as | saludemos |
| vosotros/as | saludad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saluden |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | saludes |
| él/ella/Ud. | salude |
| nosotros/as | saludemos |
| vosotros/as | saludéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | saluden |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | saludando | with estar for the progressive: estoy saludando |
| Past participle | saludado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he saludado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Saludo a los vecinos por la mañana. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, saludé con la mano desde lejos. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, saludaba al entrar en la tienda. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, saludaré a todos en la fiesta. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Saludaría a los vecinos por la mañana si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he saludado con la mano desde lejos. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había saludado al entrar en la tienda antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré saludado a todos en la fiesta. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría saludado a los vecinos por la mañana con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él salude con la mano desde lejos. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él saludara al entrar en la tienda, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Saluda a todos en la fiesta! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For saludar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No saludes a los vecinos por la mañana. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with saludar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Saludo a los vecinos por la mañana. — I greet the neighbours in the morning.
- Saluda con la mano desde lejos. — He/she greets with my hand from far away.
- Ayer, saludé al entrar en la tienda. — Yesterday, I greeted on entering the shop.
- Antes, nosotros saludábamos a todos en la fiesta. — Before, we used to greet everyone at the party.
- Mañana, tú saludarás a los vecinos por la mañana. — Tomorrow, you will greet the neighbours in the morning.
- Yo saludaría con la mano desde lejos si tuviera más tiempo. — I would greet with my hand from far away if I had more time.
- Él ha saludado al entrar en la tienda. — He has greeted on entering the shop.
- Espero que él salude a todos en la fiesta. — I hope he greets everyone at the party.
- Yo ya había saludado a los vecinos por la mañana antes de salir. — I had already greeted the neighbours in the morning before leaving.
- Ellos saludaban con la mano desde lejos cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to greet with my hand from far away when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo saluda a los vecinos por la mañana. — Right: Yo saludo a los vecinos por la mañana. — The person matters: saluda is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is saludo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo saludo con la mano desde lejos. — Right: Ayer yo saludé con la mano desde lejos. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: saludo is happening now, while saludé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating saludar and despedirse as identical in every context. — Right: Saludar means to greet, while despedirse means to say goodbye, its opposite. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: saludar fits sentences such as Saludo a los vecinos por la mañana, while despedirse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy saludado con la mano desde lejos. — Right: Yo he saludado con la mano desde lejos. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he saludado, has saludado, ha saludado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo saludé al entrar en la tienda todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo saludaba al entrar en la tienda todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (saludaba), not the preterite. The preterite (saludé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on saludar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los vecinos por la mañana. (present tense) A. saludo B. saludas C. saluda D. saludamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ con la mano desde lejos. (preterite) A. saludé B. saludaste C. saludaron D. saludó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ al entrar en la tienda. (imperfect) A. saludabas B. saludaban C. saludábamos D. saludaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ a todos en la fiesta. (future) A. saludaremos B. saludarás C. saludaré D. saludará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a los vecinos por la mañana si pudiera. (conditional) A. saludaría B. saludarías C. saludarían D. saludo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ con la mano desde lejos. (present subjunctive) A. saludes B. saludemos C. saludo D. salude
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ al entrar en la tienda, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. saludáramos B. saludo C. saludara D. saludaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ a todos en la fiesta. (present perfect) A. han saludado B. hemos saludado C. he saludado D. has saludado
Complete the command: ¡___ a los vecinos por la mañana! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. saluda B. salude C. saludemos D. saludad
Which is the gerund of saludar, used with estar for the progressive? A. saludado B. saludo C. saludé D. saludando
Answer key
- saludo — The first-person present of saludar is saludo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- saludó — The third-person preterite of saludar is saludó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- saludábamos — The nosotros imperfect of saludar is saludábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- saludarás — The second-person future of saludar is saludarás.
- saludaría — The first-person conditional of saludar is saludaría, the form for what would happen.
- salude — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of saludar is salude.
- saludara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of saludar is saludara.
- hemos saludado — The nosotros present perfect of saludar is hemos saludado: hemos + saludado.
- saluda — The affirmative tú imperative of saludar is saluda.
- saludando — The gerund of saludar is saludando: estoy saludando. The participle saludado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does saludar mean in English?
Saludar means to greet. It is used in everyday situations such as Saludo a los vecinos por la mañana. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is saludar regular or irregular?
Saludar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including saludo in the present and saludé in the preterite.
What is the difference between saludar and despedirse?
Saludar means to greet, while despedirse means to say goodbye, its opposite. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use saludar when you mean to greet, as in Saludo a los vecinos por la mañana, and use despedirse for to say goodbye, its opposite. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I greet” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo saludé con la mano desde lejos. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo saludaba al entrar en la tienda. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he saludado con la mano desde lejos.
How do I practise saludar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the saludar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Saludar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for saludar.
- Saludar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for saludar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Presentar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with saludar.
- Guardar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with saludar.
- Sacar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with saludar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.