Introduction

Suspirar means “to sigh”, and this page covers exactly one thing: suspirar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for suspirar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about suspirar in the present. Suspirar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo suspiro de alivio” — "I sigh with relief". Everything on this page uses the forms of suspirar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Suspirar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo suspiro
tú suspiras
él/ella/Ud. suspira
nosotros/as suspiramos
vosotros/as suspiráis
ellos/ellas/Uds. suspiran

Gerund: suspirando · Past participle: suspirado

The gerund is suspirando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy suspirando” means the action of suspirar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is suspirado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he suspirado” 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 suspirar is used.

How the present of suspirar is formed

Suspirar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem suspir and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving suspiro, suspiras, suspira, suspiramos, suspiráis, suspiran. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, suspiráis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of suspirar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form suspiráis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form suspiro is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of suspirar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use suspirar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, suspirar goes in the present. Example: “Yo suspiro profundamente” — "I sigh deeply".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about suspirar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él suspira al ver el mar” — "He sighs on seeing the sea".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so suspiro can mean both "I sigh" and "I am sighing". Example: “Yo suspiro de alivio” — "I sigh with relief".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros suspiramos profundamente” — "We sigh deeply".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with suspirar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él suspira al ver el mar” — "He sighs on seeing the sea".

Present Tense vs 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 regularly or what is happening now, 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 a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo suspiro de alivio” — "I sigh with relief".

  • Preterite: “Yo suspiré de alivio” — "I sighed with relief".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él suspira profundamente” — "He sighs deeply".

  • Preterite: “Él suspiró profundamente” — "He sighed deeply".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros suspiramos al ver el mar” — "We sigh on seeing the sea".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros suspiramos al ver el mar” — "We sighed on seeing the sea".

  • The two sentences look identical: suspiramos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: suspirar 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.

  1. “Yo suspiro profundamente” — "I sigh deeply"

  2. “Tú suspiras al ver el mar” — "You sigh on seeing the sea"

  3. “Él suspira de alivio” — "He sighs with relief"

  4. “Nosotros suspiramos profundamente” — "We sigh deeply"

  5. “Vosotros suspiráis al ver el mar” — "You sigh on seeing the sea"

  6. “Ellos suspiran de alivio” — "They sigh with relief"

  7. “Yo suspiro profundamente” — "I sigh deeply"

  8. “Él suspira al ver el mar” — "He sighs on seeing the sea"

Common mistakes with suspirar 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: “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.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo suspiré” Right: “Todos los días, yo suspiro” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (suspiré) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo suspira de alivio.” Right: “Yo suspiro de alivio” Why: Yo needs the yo form suspiro. The él form suspira belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo suspiro” Right: “Ayer, yo suspiré” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to suspiré.

Quiz: suspirar 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 ___ al ver el mar.” (yo form)

A. suspiramos B. suspira C. suspiras D. suspiro

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ de alivio.” (tú form)

A. suspiras B. suspiro C. suspiráis D. suspiran

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ profundamente.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. suspira B. suspiramos C. suspiran D. suspiras

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ al ver el mar.” (nosotros/as form)

A. suspiro B. suspira C. suspiramos D. suspiras

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ de alivio.” (vosotros/as form)

A. suspiramos B. suspiráis C. suspira D. suspiran

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ profundamente.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. suspiras B. suspiran C. suspira D. suspiro

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo suspiro B. Todos los días, yo suspiré

Answer key

  1. suspiro — The yo present of suspirar is suspiro.
  2. suspiras — The tú present of suspirar is suspiras.
  3. suspira — The él/ella/Ud. present of suspirar is suspira.
  4. suspiramos — The nosotros/as present of suspirar is suspiramos.
  5. suspiráis — The vosotros/as present of suspirar is suspiráis.
  6. suspiran — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of suspirar is suspiran.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo suspiro — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of suspirar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo suspiro de alivio. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of suspirar formed?

Take the stem suspir- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving suspiro, suspiras, suspira, suspiramos, suspiráis, suspiran.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for suspirar?

The present (suspiro) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (suspiré) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise suspirar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — suspiro, suspiras, suspira, suspiramos, suspiráis, suspiran — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the suspirar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of suspirar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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