Sancionar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb sancionar means to sanction, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Sancionar means to sanction, and it has two uses: to punish someone with a fine or a penalty, and to approve a law officially. In everyday Spanish the punishment sense is the common one, for example when a referee sanctions a player or a country faces sanctions. Like every Spanish verb, sancionar 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 sanciono al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla, and in the preterite you say sancioné al conductor por exceso de velocidad. 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: sancionar
- English: to sanction
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: sancionando
- Past participle: sancionado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + sancionado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for sancionar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Sancionar is fully regular: sanciono, sanciona. It is wider than multar: a sanction can be a fine, a ban or an official approval, depending on the context.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for sancionar. 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 | sanciono |
| tú | sancionas |
| él/ella/Ud. | sanciona |
| nosotros/as | sancionamos |
| vosotros/as | sancionáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sancioné |
| tú | sancionaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancionó |
| nosotros/as | sancionamos |
| vosotros/as | sancionasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sancionaba |
| tú | sancionabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancionaba |
| nosotros/as | sancionábamos |
| vosotros/as | sancionabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sancionaré |
| tú | sancionarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancionará |
| nosotros/as | sancionaremos |
| vosotros/as | sancionaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sancionaría |
| tú | sancionarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancionaría |
| nosotros/as | sancionaríamos |
| vosotros/as | sancionaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he sancionado |
| tú | has sancionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha sancionado |
| nosotros/as | hemos sancionado |
| vosotros/as | habéis sancionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han sancionado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había sancionado |
| tú | habías sancionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había sancionado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos sancionado |
| vosotros/as | habíais sancionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían sancionado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré sancionado |
| tú | habrás sancionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá sancionado |
| nosotros/as | habremos sancionado |
| vosotros/as | habréis sancionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán sancionado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría sancionado |
| tú | habrías sancionado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría sancionado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos sancionado |
| vosotros/as | habríais sancionado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían sancionado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sancione |
| tú | sanciones |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancione |
| nosotros/as | sancionemos |
| vosotros/as | sancionéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sancionara |
| tú | sancionaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancionara |
| nosotros/as | sancionáramos |
| vosotros/as | sancionarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | sanciona |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancione |
| nosotros/as | sancionemos |
| vosotros/as | sancionad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | sanciones |
| él/ella/Ud. | sancione |
| nosotros/as | sancionemos |
| vosotros/as | sancionéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sancionen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | sancionando | with estar for the progressive: estoy sancionando |
| Past participle | sancionado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he sancionado |
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 sancionar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Sanciono al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. 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 sancionar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, sancioné a la empresa por incumplir la norma. 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 sancionar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, sancionaba al conductor por exceso de velocidad. 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 sancionar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, sancionaré al país con medidas económicas. 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 sancionar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Sancionaría al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla 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 sancionar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he sancionado a la empresa por incumplir la norma. 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 sancionar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había sancionado al conductor por exceso de velocidad 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 sancionar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré sancionado al país con medidas económicas. 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 sancionar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría sancionado al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla 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 sancionar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él sancione a la empresa por incumplir la norma. 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 sancionar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él sancionara al conductor por exceso de velocidad, 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 sancionar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Sanciona al país con medidas económicas! 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 sancionar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No sanciones al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. 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 sancionar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Sanciono al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. — I sanction the player with a yellow card.
- Sanciona a la empresa por incumplir la norma. — He/she sanctions the company for breaking the rule.
- Ayer, sancioné al conductor por exceso de velocidad. — Yesterday, I sanctioned the driver for speeding.
- Antes, nosotros sancionábamos al país con medidas económicas. — Before, we used to sanction the country with economic measures.
- Mañana, tú sancionarás al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. — Tomorrow, you will sanction the player with a yellow card.
- Yo sancionaría a la empresa por incumplir la norma si tuviera más tiempo. — I would sanction the company for breaking the rule if I had more time.
- Él ha sancionado al conductor por exceso de velocidad. — He has sanctioned the driver for speeding.
- Espero que él sancione al país con medidas económicas. — I hope he sanctions the country with economic measures.
- Yo ya había sancionado al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla antes de salir. — I had already sanctioned the player with a yellow card before leaving.
- Ellos sancionaban a la empresa por incumplir la norma cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to sanction the company for breaking the rule when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo sanciona al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. — Right: Yo sanciono al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. — The person matters: sanciona is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is sanciono. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo sanciono a la empresa por incumplir la norma. — Right: Ayer yo sancioné a la empresa por incumplir la norma. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: sanciono is happening now, while sancioné is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating sancionar and multar as identical in every context. — Right: Sancionar means to sanction, while multar means to fine someone. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: sancionar fits sentences such as Sanciono al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla, while multar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy sancionado a la empresa por incumplir la norma. — Right: Yo he sancionado a la empresa por incumplir la norma. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he sancionado, has sancionado, ha sancionado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo sancioné al conductor por exceso de velocidad todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo sancionaba al conductor por exceso de velocidad todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (sancionaba), not the preterite. The preterite (sancioné) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on sancionar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. (present tense) A. sanciono B. sancionas C. sanciona D. sancionamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ a la empresa por incumplir la norma. (preterite) A. sancioné B. sancionaste C. sancionaron D. sancionó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ al conductor por exceso de velocidad. (imperfect) A. sancionabas B. sancionaban C. sancionábamos D. sancionaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ al país con medidas económicas. (future) A. sancionaremos B. sancionarás C. sancionaré D. sancionará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla si pudiera. (conditional) A. sancionaría B. sancionarías C. sancionarían D. sanciono
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a la empresa por incumplir la norma. (present subjunctive) A. sanciones B. sancionemos C. sanciono D. sancione
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ al conductor por exceso de velocidad, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. sancionáramos B. sanciono C. sancionara D. sancionaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ al país con medidas económicas. (present perfect) A. han sancionado B. hemos sancionado C. he sancionado D. has sancionado
Complete the command: ¡___ al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. sanciona B. sancione C. sancionemos D. sancionad
Which is the gerund of sancionar, used with estar for the progressive? A. sancionado B. sanciono C. sancioné D. sancionando
Answer key
- sanciono — The first-person present of sancionar is sanciono. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- sancionó — The third-person preterite of sancionar is sancionó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- sancionábamos — The nosotros imperfect of sancionar is sancionábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- sancionarás — The second-person future of sancionar is sancionarás.
- sancionaría — The first-person conditional of sancionar is sancionaría, the form for what would happen.
- sancione — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of sancionar is sancione.
- sancionara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of sancionar is sancionara.
- hemos sancionado — The nosotros present perfect of sancionar is hemos sancionado: hemos + sancionado.
- sanciona — The affirmative tú imperative of sancionar is sanciona.
- sancionando — The gerund of sancionar is sancionando: estoy sancionando. The participle sancionado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does sancionar mean in English?
Sancionar means to sanction. It is used in everyday situations such as Sanciono al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is sancionar regular or irregular?
Sancionar 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 sanciono in the present and sancioné in the preterite.
What is the difference between sancionar and multar?
Sancionar means to sanction, while multar means to fine someone. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use sancionar when you mean to sanction, as in Sanciono al jugador con una tarjeta amarilla, and use multar for to fine someone. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I sanction” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo sancioné a la empresa por incumplir la norma. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo sancionaba al conductor por exceso de velocidad. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he sancionado a la empresa por incumplir la norma.
How do I practise sancionar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the sancionar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Sancionar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for sancionar.
- Sancionar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for sancionar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Multar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with sancionar.
- Condenar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with sancionar.
- Legislar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with sancionar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.