Superar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb superar means to overcome, to exceed, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Superar means to overcome or to exceed, and it covers overcoming a fear, passing an exam, beating a record and exceeding a limit: superar el miedo, superar el examen. It is a fully regular -ar verb. Like every Spanish verb, superar 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 supero el miedo a volar, and in the preterite you say superé el récord del año pasado. 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: superar
- English: to overcome, to exceed
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: superando
- Past participle: superado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + superado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for superar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Superar is fully regular: superé, superaba, superaré. Superar el examen is to pass it.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for superar. 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 | supero |
| tú | superas |
| él/ella/Ud. | supera |
| nosotros/as | superamos |
| vosotros/as | superáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | superé |
| tú | superaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | superó |
| nosotros/as | superamos |
| vosotros/as | superasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | superaba |
| tú | superabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | superaba |
| nosotros/as | superábamos |
| vosotros/as | superabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | superaré |
| tú | superarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | superará |
| nosotros/as | superaremos |
| vosotros/as | superaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | superaría |
| tú | superarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | superaría |
| nosotros/as | superaríamos |
| vosotros/as | superaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he superado |
| tú | has superado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha superado |
| nosotros/as | hemos superado |
| vosotros/as | habéis superado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han superado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había superado |
| tú | habías superado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había superado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos superado |
| vosotros/as | habíais superado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían superado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré superado |
| tú | habrás superado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá superado |
| nosotros/as | habremos superado |
| vosotros/as | habréis superado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán superado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría superado |
| tú | habrías superado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría superado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos superado |
| vosotros/as | habríais superado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían superado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | supere |
| tú | superes |
| él/ella/Ud. | supere |
| nosotros/as | superemos |
| vosotros/as | superéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | superara |
| tú | superaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | superara |
| nosotros/as | superáramos |
| vosotros/as | superarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | supera |
| él/ella/Ud. | supere |
| nosotros/as | superemos |
| vosotros/as | superad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | superes |
| él/ella/Ud. | supere |
| nosotros/as | superemos |
| vosotros/as | superéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | superen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | superando | with estar for the progressive: estoy superando |
| Past participle | superado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he superado |
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 superar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Supero el miedo a volar. 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 superar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, superé el examen de conducir. 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 superar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, superaba el récord del año pasado. 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 superar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, superaré las dificultades del proyecto. 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 superar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Superaría el miedo a volar 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 superar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he superado el examen de conducir. 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 superar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había superado el récord del año pasado 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 superar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré superado las dificultades del proyecto. 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 superar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría superado el miedo a volar 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 superar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él supere el examen de conducir. 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 superar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él superara el récord del año pasado, 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 superar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Supera las dificultades del proyecto! 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 superar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No superes el miedo a volar. 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 superar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Supero el miedo a volar. — I overcome fear of flying.
- Supera el examen de conducir. — He/she overcomes the driving test.
- Ayer, superé el récord del año pasado. — Yesterday, I overcame last year's record.
- Antes, nosotros superábamos las dificultades del proyecto. — Before, we used to overcome the project's difficulties.
- Mañana, tú superarás el miedo a volar. — Tomorrow, you will overcome fear of flying.
- Yo superaría el examen de conducir si tuviera más tiempo. — I would overcome the driving test if I had more time.
- Él ha superado el récord del año pasado. — He has overcome last year's record.
- Espero que él supere las dificultades del proyecto. — I hope he overcomes the project's difficulties.
- Yo ya había superado el miedo a volar antes de salir. — I had already overcome fear of flying before leaving.
- Ellos superaban el examen de conducir cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to overcome the driving test when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo supera el miedo a volar. — Right: Yo supero el miedo a volar. — The person matters: supera is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is supero. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo supero el examen de conducir. — Right: Ayer yo superé el examen de conducir. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: supero is happening now, while superé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating superar and vencer as identical in every context. — Right: Superar means to overcome, to exceed, while vencer means to defeat, to beat. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: superar fits sentences such as Supero el miedo a volar, while vencer belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy superado el examen de conducir. — Right: Yo he superado el examen de conducir. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he superado, has superado, ha superado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo superé el récord del año pasado todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo superaba el récord del año pasado todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (superaba), not the preterite. The preterite (superé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on superar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el miedo a volar. (present tense) A. supero B. superas C. supera D. superamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el examen de conducir. (preterite) A. superé B. superaste C. superamos D. superó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el récord del año pasado. (imperfect) A. superabas B. supero C. superábamos D. superaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ las dificultades del proyecto. (future) A. superaremos B. superarás C. superaré D. superará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el miedo a volar si pudiera. (conditional) A. superaría B. superarías C. superaríamos D. supero
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el examen de conducir. (present subjunctive) A. superes B. superemos C. supero D. supere
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el récord del año pasado, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. superáramos B. supero C. superara D. superaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ las dificultades del proyecto. (present perfect) A. ha superado B. hemos superado C. he superado D. has superado
Complete the command: ¡___ el miedo a volar! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. supera B. supere C. superemos D. superad
Which is the gerund of superar, used with estar for the progressive? A. superado B. supero C. superé D. superando
Answer key
- supero — The yo present tense of superar is supero.
- superó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of superar is superó.
- superábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of superar is superábamos.
- superarás — The tú future of superar is superarás.
- superaría — The yo conditional of superar is superaría.
- supere — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of superar is supere.
- superara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of superar is superara.
- hemos superado — The nosotros/as present perfect of superar is hemos superado.
- supera — The affirmative tú imperative of superar is supera.
- superando — The gerund of superar is superando: estoy superando. The participle superado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does superar mean in English?
Superar means to overcome, to exceed. It is used in everyday situations such as Supero el miedo a volar. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is superar regular or irregular?
Superar 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 supero in the present and superé in the preterite.
What is the difference between superar and vencer?
Superar means to overcome, to exceed, while vencer means to defeat, to beat. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use superar when you mean to overcome, to exceed, as in Supero el miedo a volar, and use vencer for to defeat, to beat. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I overcome” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo superé el examen de conducir. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo superaba el récord del año pasado. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he superado el examen de conducir.
How do I practise superar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the superar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Superar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for superar.
- Superar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for superar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Sumar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with superar.
- Subrayar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with superar.
- Sobrepasar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with superar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.