Suspirar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

suspirar means "to sigh" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows suspirar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of suspirar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with suspirar

Everyday use

Suspirar means to sigh. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo suspiro de alivio — "I sigh with relief"
  2. Él suspira profundamente — "He sighs deeply"
  3. Yo suspiré al ver el mar — "I sighed on seeing the sea"
  4. Yo suspiraba de alivio — "I used to sigh with relief"
  5. Yo suspiraré profundamente — "I will sigh deeply"
  6. Yo he suspirado al ver el mar — "I have sighed on seeing the sea"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. Él suspiró al ver el mar — "He sighed on seeing the sea"
  2. Él suspiraba de alivio — "He used to sigh with relief"
  3. Tú suspirarás profundamente — "You will sigh deeply"
  4. Yo suspiraría al ver el mar — "I would sigh on seeing the sea"
  5. Yo había suspirado de alivio — "I had sighed with relief"
  6. Nosotros suspiramos profundamente — "We sigh deeply"

Suspirar in conversation

The two dialogues below show suspirar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú suspiras de alivio? — "Do you sigh with relief?"
  • Sí, yo suspiro de alivio cada día. — "Yes, I sigh with relief every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú suspiraste profundamente? — "And yesterday? Did you sigh deeply?"
  • Sí, yo suspiré profundamente. — "Yes, I sighed deeply."
  • Mañana, yo suspiraré al ver el mar también. — "Tomorrow, I will sigh on seeing the sea too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros suspiráis de alivio? — "Do you sigh with relief?"
  • Sí, nosotros suspiramos de alivio los fines de semana. — "Yes, We sigh with relief at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos suspiran profundamente? — "And them? Do they sigh deeply?"
  • Sí, ellos suspiran profundamente también. — "Yes, They sigh deeply too."
  • Mañana nosotros suspiraremos profundamente otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will sigh deeply again."

Useful phrases with suspirar

Four patterns you can use with suspirar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a suspirar de alivio. — "I am going to sigh with relief."
  • Quiero suspirar profundamente. — "I want to sigh deeply."
  • Me gusta suspirar al ver el mar. — "I like to sigh on seeing the sea."
  • Acabo de suspirar de alivio. — "I have just sighed with relief."

Common mistakes with suspirar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos suspira de alivio.
  • Right: Ellos suspiran de alivio.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form suspiran. The singular suspira belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo suspiré.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo suspiro.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy suspirado profundamente.
  • Right: Yo he suspirado profundamente.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he suspirado, has suspirado, ha suspirado.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo suspiro.
  • Right: Ayer, yo suspiré.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (suspiré). The present (suspiro) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él suspira de alivio.
  • Right: Espero que él suspire de alivio.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: suspire. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: suspirar in use

Ten questions on suspirar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of suspirar in the present tense?

  • (a) habías suspirado
  • (b) suspiro
  • (c) suspiraríamos
  • (d) ha suspirado

Answer: (b) suspiro. The I form in the present is suspiro.

2. What is the he / she form of suspirar in the present tense?

  • (a) suspiraréis
  • (b) habrías suspirado
  • (c) ha suspirado
  • (d) suspira

Answer: (d) suspira. The he / she form in the present is suspira.

3. What is the he / she form of suspirar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) suspirarás
  • (b) habrías suspirado
  • (c) suspiró
  • (d) has suspirado

Answer: (c) suspiró. The he / she form in the preterite is suspiró.

4. What is the I form of suspirar in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) han suspirado
  • (b) hemos suspirado
  • (c) suspiraba
  • (d) suspiráramos

Answer: (c) suspiraba. The I form in the imperfect is suspiraba.

5. What is the I form of suspirar in the future tense?

  • (a) habían suspirado
  • (b) suspiraré
  • (c) suspirará
  • (d) habríais suspirado

Answer: (b) suspiraré. The I form in the future is suspiraré.

6. What is the I form of suspirar in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) suspirara
  • (b) he suspirado
  • (c) habrán suspirado
  • (d) suspiremos

Answer: (b) he suspirado. The I form in the present perfect is he suspirado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ de alivio.

  • (a) suspires
  • (b) suspiremos
  • (c) suspiren
  • (d) suspire

Answer: (d) suspire. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is suspire.

8. What is the we form of suspirar in the present tense?

  • (a) suspiraría
  • (b) suspirabais
  • (c) suspiramos
  • (d) habrán suspirado

Answer: (c) suspiramos. The we form in the present is suspiramos.

9. What is the I form of suspirar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) suspirabais
  • (b) suspirara
  • (c) suspiré
  • (d) suspiran

Answer: (c) suspiré. The I form in the preterite is suspiré.

10. What is the they form of suspirar in the present tense?

  • (a) habrá suspirado
  • (b) suspiran
  • (c) suspiréis
  • (d) suspiraba

Answer: (b) suspiran. The they form in the present is suspiran.

Frequently asked questions about suspirar

Is suspirar regular?

Yes. Suspirar is a regular -ar verb: suspiro, suspiras, suspira. See the full conjugation of suspirar for every tense.

What is the past participle of suspirar?

The past participle is suspirado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he suspirado. The gerund is suspirando, used with estar: estoy suspirando.

How do I say “I sigh” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo suspiré profundamente. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo suspiraba al ver el mar.

How can I practise suspirar?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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