Subrayar Present Tense Conjugation in Spanish
The present tense of subrayar — “to underline, to emphasise” in English — is the form you need for what happens now, for habits and for general truths. This page gives you the full present conjugation table for subrayar with all six persons, explains exactly how the tense is formed for this verb, shows when to use it with real examples, and finishes with a quiz so you can test yourself. Subrayar means to underline or to emphasise, and it covers underlining words in a book and stressing an idea in speech: subrayar una palabra, subrayar la importancia. It is a fully regular -ar verb. To see it in a real sentence: Subrayo una palabra en el libro. — “I underline a word in the book.”
Present tense conjugation table: subrayar
Every person of subrayar in the present tense. The gerund is subrayando and the past participle is subrayado.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | subrayo |
| tú | subrayas |
| él/ella/Ud. | subraya |
| nosotros/as | subrayamos |
| vosotros/as | subrayáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | subrayan |
The gerund is subrayando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy subrayando” means the action of subrayar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is subrayado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he subrayado” 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 subrayar is used.
How the present of subrayar is formed
The present of subrayar is built from the stem subray plus the present endings for -ar verbs. Take the infinitive, drop the -ar ending, and add the ending that matches the person. The table below shows the endings, and the full table above shows them attached to the stem.
| Person | Ending | Form |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | subrayo |
| tú | -as | subrayas |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | subraya |
| nosotros/as | -amos | subrayamos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | subrayáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | subrayan |
subrayar is a regular -ar verb in the present, so the table above is completely regular. The stem is subray and the endings are the normal -ar endings, so there are no surprises to memorise in this tense — the challenge is only using the forms naturally.
The gerund of subrayar is subrayando and the past participle is subrayado. Both are the forms you need for the progressive and the perfect tenses with haber.
When to use the present of subrayar
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use subrayar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.
1. A routine or habit
The present tense of subrayar is the tense for what happens regularly. When something is part of your routine, your week or your normal life, the present is the right choice, and subrayar is no exception. The time words that go with it are todos los días, cada semana, siempre and a menudo.
Example: “Subrayo una palabra en el libro.” — I underline a word in the book.
2. A general fact
The present tense also states facts that are true in general, not just today. When you describe what subrayar means in the world — what it does, who it affects, how it works — the present is the tense to use. There is no time limit on the statement, so no past or future form is needed.
Example: “Subraya la idea principal del texto.” — He/she underlines the main idea of the text.
3. Something happening right now
The present tense describes what is happening at this very moment. You do not need the progressive (estar plus the gerund) to say what is going on now: the simple present does the job in Spanish, and it is the more common choice in everyday speech.
Example: “Subrayo la fecha en el calendario.” — I underline the date on the calendar.
4. A plan or arrangement
Spanish uses the present tense for plans that are already fixed, especially with a time expression such as mañana or el lunes. When the arrangement is made, the present tense states it as a fact, and subrayar follows the same rule as every other verb.
Example: “Mañana, nosotros subrayamos la importancia del descanso.” — Tomorrow, we underline the importance of rest.
5. Asking and answering questions
Questions in the present tense ask about routines, facts and what is happening now. The answer uses the same tense, so a question and its answer stay in the present together. This is the pattern you will hear most often in conversation.
Example: “¿Subrayas la idea principal del texto?” — Do you underline the main idea of the text?
The present vs the 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 now, what happens regularly, or what is generally true, 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 happening now or is already finished. Time words help: ahora and todos los días point to the present, while ayer and anoche point to the preterite.
Present: “Subrayo una palabra en el libro.” — I underline a word in the book.
Preterite: “Subrayé una palabra en el libro.” — I underlined a word in the book.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Present: “Subraya la idea principal del texto.” — He/she underlines the main idea of the text.
Preterite: “Subrayó la idea principal del texto.” — He/she underlined the main idea of the text.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Present: “Subrayamos la fecha en el calendario.” — We underline the date on the calendar.
Preterite: “Subrayamos la fecha en el calendario.” — We underlined the date on the calendar.
The present sentence describes what happens now or regularly; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — now versus finished — is the whole decision.
Example sentences: subrayar 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.
“Subrayo una palabra en el libro.” — I underline a word in the book.
“Subrayas la idea principal del texto.” — You underline the main idea of the text.
“Subraya la fecha en el calendario.” — He/she underlines the date on the calendar.
“Subrayamos la importancia del descanso.” — We underline the importance of rest.
“Subrayáis una palabra en el libro.” — You underline a word in the book.
“Subrayan la idea principal del texto.” — They underline the main idea of the text.
“Subrayo la fecha en el calendario.” — I underline the date on the calendar.
“Subraya la importancia del descanso.” — He/she underlines the importance of rest.
Common mistakes with subrayar 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: “Yo subraya una palabra en el libro.” Right: “Yo subrayo una palabra en el libro.” Why: Yo needs the yo form subrayo. The form subraya belongs with él, ella or Ud.
Wrong: “Yo subrayar la idea principal del texto.” Right: “Yo subrayo la idea principal del texto.” Why: The infinitive subrayar cannot be the main verb of a sentence: it must be conjugated to agree with yo, giving subrayo.
Wrong: “Ayer yo subrayo la idea principal del texto.” Right: “Ayer yo subrayé la idea principal del texto.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to subrayé.
Wrong: “Ellos subraya la idea principal del texto.” Right: “Ellos subrayan la idea principal del texto.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form subrayan. The singular subraya belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Quiz: subrayar 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 ___ una palabra en el libro.”
- (a) subrayo
- (b) subrayas
- (c) subraya
Answer: subrayo — The yo form of subrayar in the present is subrayo.
2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la idea principal del texto.”
- (a) subrayo
- (b) subraya
- (c) subrayas
Answer: subrayas — The tú form of subrayar in the present is subrayas.
3. Complete the sentence: “Él/ella ___ la fecha en el calendario.”
- (a) subrayas
- (b) subraya
- (c) subrayo
Answer: subraya — The él/ella form of subrayar in the present is subraya.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros/as ___ la importancia del descanso.”
- (a) subrayamos
- (b) subrayo
- (c) subrayas
Answer: subrayamos — The nosotros/as form of subrayar in the present is subrayamos.
5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros/as ___ una palabra en el libro.”
- (a) subrayo
- (b) subrayas
- (c) subrayáis
Answer: subrayáis — The vosotros/as form of subrayar in the present is subrayáis.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos/ellas ___ la idea principal del texto.”
- (a) subrayas
- (b) subrayan
- (c) subrayo
Answer: subrayan — The ellos/ellas form of subrayar in the present is subrayan.
7. What does subrayar mean in English?
- (a) to underline, to emphasise
- (b) to highlight
- (c) to be about
Answer: to underline, to emphasise — Subrayar means to underline, to emphasise.
8. Which sentence is in the present?
- (a) Subrayé una palabra en el libro.
- (b) Subrayaré una palabra en el libro.
- (c) Subrayo una palabra en el libro.
Answer: Subrayo una palabra en el libro. — “Subrayo una palabra en el libro.” is in the present. The other two use different tenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is subrayar regular in the present?
Yes. Subrayar is regular in the present: subrayo, subrayas, subraya, subrayamos, subrayáis and subrayan. Watch the accents on the forms that carry them, and remember that the nosotros form is the one that keeps the stem unchanged.
What is the gerund and the past participle of subrayar?
The gerund is subrayando, used with estar for the progressive: estoy subrayando. The past participle is subrayado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he subrayado.
What should I watch out for with subrayar?
Subrayar is fully regular: subrayé, subrayaba, subrayaré. In the present, the form to fix in your memory first is subrayo, because the yo form shows the stem pattern for the whole tense.
How do I practise subrayar in the present?
Say the six forms in the table out loud with the examples above, then use the subrayar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of subrayar — every tense of subrayar in one place.
- Subrayar examples and quiz — more sentences with subrayar and a ten-question quiz.
- Spanish present guide — how the present works for all Spanish verbs.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Present tense conjugator — conjugate any verb in the present instantly.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on subrayar and other verbs.