Tatuar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb tatuar means to tattoo, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Tatuar means to tattoo: tatuar una rosa en el brazo, tatuar el nombre de su hijo. It takes the design as its object and en for the place on the body. Like every Spanish verb, tatuar 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 Yo tatúo una rosa en el brazo — "I tattoo a rose on his arm". 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: tatuar
  • English: to tattoo
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: tatuando
  • Past participle: tatuado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + tatuado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for tatuar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for tatuar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem.

Present indicative

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | tatúo | | tú | tatúas | | él/ella/Ud. | tatúa | | nosotros/as | tatuamos | | vosotros/as | tatuáis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatúan |

Preterite

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | tatué | | tú | tatuaste | | él/ella/Ud. | tatuó | | nosotros/as | tatuamos | | vosotros/as | tatuasteis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatuaron |

Imperfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | tatuaba | | tú | tatuabas | | él/ella/Ud. | tatuaba | | nosotros/as | tatuábamos | | vosotros/as | tatuabais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatuaban |

Future

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | tatuaré | | tú | tatuarás | | él/ella/Ud. | tatuará | | nosotros/as | tatuaremos | | vosotros/as | tatuaréis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatuarán |

Conditional

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | tatuaría | | tú | tatuarías | | él/ella/Ud. | tatuaría | | nosotros/as | tatuaríamos | | vosotros/as | tatuaríais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatuarían |

Present perfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | he tatuado | | tú | has tatuado | | él/ella/Ud. | ha tatuado | | nosotros/as | hemos tatuado | | vosotros/as | habéis tatuado | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | han tatuado |

Pluperfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | había tatuado | | tú | habías tatuado | | él/ella/Ud. | había tatuado | | nosotros/as | habíamos tatuado | | vosotros/as | habíais tatuado | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían tatuado |

Future perfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | habré tatuado | | tú | habrás tatuado | | él/ella/Ud. | habrá tatuado | | nosotros/as | habremos tatuado | | vosotros/as | habréis tatuado | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán tatuado |

Conditional perfect

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | habría tatuado | | tú | habrías tatuado | | él/ella/Ud. | habría tatuado | | nosotros/as | habríamos tatuado | | vosotros/as | habríais tatuado | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían tatuado |

Present subjunctive

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | tatúe | | tú | tatúes | | él/ella/Ud. | tatúe | | nosotros/as | tatuemos | | vosotros/as | tatuéis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatúen |

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | yo | tatuara | | tú | tatuaras | | él/ella/Ud. | tatuara | | nosotros/as | tatuáramos | | vosotros/as | tatuarais | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatuaran |

Imperative (affirmative)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | tú | tatúa | | él/ella/Ud. | tatúe | | nosotros/as | tatuemos | | vosotros/as | tatuad | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatúen |

Imperative (negative)

| Person | Form | |---|---|---| | tú | tatúes | | él/ella/Ud. | tatúe | | nosotros/as | tatuemos | | vosotros/as | tatuéis | | ellos/ellas/Uds. | tatúen |

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund tatuando with estar for the progressive: está tatuando
Past participle tatuado with haber for the perfect tenses: he tatuado

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 tatuar, the present indicative looks like this in a real sentence: Yo tatúo una rosa en el brazo — "I tattoo a rose on his arm".

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 tatuar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, yo tatué el nombre de su hijo — "Yesterday, I tattooed his son's name".

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 tatuar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, yo tatuaba un dragón en la espalda — "As a child, I used to tattoo a dragon on his back".

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 tatuar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, yo tatuaré una frase en latín — "Tomorrow, I will tattoo a phrase in Latin".

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 tatuar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Yo tatuaría una rosa en el brazo si pudiera — "I would tattoo a rose on his arm if I could".

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 tatuar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, yo he tatuado el nombre de su hijo — "Today, I have tattooed his son's name".

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 tatuar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo ya había tatuado un dragón en la espalda antes de salir — "I already had tattooed a dragon on his back before leaving".

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 tatuar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, yo habré tatuado una frase en latín — "By tomorrow, I will have tattooed a phrase in Latin".

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 tatuar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo habría tatuado una rosa en el brazo con más tiempo — "I would have tattooed a rose on his arm with more time".

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 tatuar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él tatúe el nombre de su hijo — "I hope he tattoos his son's name".

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past. The -ra forms are 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 tatuar, the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) looks like this in a real sentence: Si yo tatuara un dragón en la espalda, todo cambiaría — "If I tattooed a dragon on his back, everything would change".

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 tatuar, the imperative (affirmative) looks like this in a real sentence: Tatúa una frase en latín. — "Tattoo a phrase in Latin.".

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 tatuar, the imperative (negative) looks like this in a real sentence: No tatúes una rosa en el brazo. — "Do not tattoo a rose on his arm.".

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with tatuar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Yo tatúo una rosa en el brazo — "I tattoo a rose on his arm"
  2. Mi amigo tatúa el nombre de su hijo — "My friend tattoos his son's name"
  3. Ayer, yo tatué un dragón en la espalda — "Yesterday, I tattooed a dragon on his back"
  4. Antes, nosotros tatuábamos una frase en latín — "Before, we used to tattoo a phrase in Latin"
  5. Mañana, tú tatuarás una flor en el tobillo — "Tomorrow, you will tattoo a flower on the ankle"
  6. Yo tatuaría una rosa en el brazo si tuviera más tiempo — "I would tattoo a rose on his arm if I had more time"
  7. Él ha tatuado el nombre de su hijo — "He has tattooed his son's name"
  8. Espero que él tatúe un dragón en la espalda — "I hope he tattoos a dragon on his back"
  9. Yo ya había tatuado una frase en latín antes de salir — "I already had tattooed a phrase in Latin before leaving"
  10. Ellos tatuaban una flor en el tobillo cuando eran jóvenes — "They used to tattoo a flower on the ankle when they were young"

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Espero que él tatúa el nombre de su hijo — Right: Espero que él tatúe el nombre de su hijo — After espero que, Spanish requires the subjunctive: Espero que él tatúe el nombre de su hijo — not the indicative Espero que él tatúa el nombre de su hijo.
  2. Wrong: Ayer, yo tatúo un dragón en la espalda — Right: Ayer, yo tatué un dragón en la espalda — Ayer points to a finished action in the past, so it needs the preterite: Ayer, yo tatué un dragón en la espalda.
  3. Wrong: De niño, yo tatué una frase en latín todos los días — Right: De niño, yo tatuaba una frase en latín todos los días — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect, not the preterite: De niño, yo tatuaba una frase en latín todos los días.
  4. Wrong: Yo tatúo en una rosa en el brazo. — Right: Yo tatúo una rosa en el brazo. — tatuar takes this complement directly, with no preposition: Yo tatúo una rosa en el brazo.
  5. Wrong: Vosotros tatuais una flor en el tobillo. — Right: Vosotros tatuáis una flor en el tobillo. — The vosotros present form carries a written accent: tatuáis, not tatuais.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on tatuar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ una rosa en el brazo — "I tattoo a rose on his arm" (present) A. tatuamos B. tatúo C. tatúas D. tatúa

  2. Complete the sentence: Él ______ el nombre de su hijo — "He tattooed his son's name" (preterite) A. tatuó B. tatué C. tatuaste D. tatuamos

  3. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ______ un dragón en la espalda — "We used to tattoo a dragon on his back" (imperfect) A. tatuabais B. tatuábamos C. tatuaba D. tatuabas

  4. Complete the sentence: Tú ______ una frase en latín — "You will tattoo a phrase in Latin" (future) A. tatuarás B. tatuaré C. tatuará D. tatuaremos

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ______ una flor en el tobillo — "I would tattoo a flower on the ankle" (conditional) A. tatuaría B. tatuarías C. tatuaríamos D. tatuaríais

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ______ una rosa en el brazo — "I hope he tattoos a rose on his arm" (present subjunctive) A. tatuéis B. tatúe C. tatúes D. tatuemos

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ______ el nombre de su hijo, todo cambiaría — "If I tattooed his son's name, everything would change" (imperfect subjunctive) A. tatuara B. tatuaras C. tatuáramos D. tatuarais

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ______ un dragón en la espalda — "We have tattooed a dragon on his back" (present perfect) A. ha tatuado B. hemos tatuado C. he tatuado D. has tatuado

  9. Complete the sentence: No ______ una frase en latín. — "Do not tattoo a phrase in Latin." (negative imperative) A. tatúes B. tatúe C. tatuemos D. tatuéis

  10. Which is the gerund of tatuar, used with estar for the progressive? A. tatué B. tatuando C. tatuado D. tatúo

Answer key

  1. tatúo — The present form for yo is tatúo.
  2. tatuó — The preterite form for él/ella/Ud. is tatuó.
  3. tatuábamos — The imperfect form for nosotros/as is tatuábamos.
  4. tatuarás — The future form for tú is tatuarás.
  5. tatuaría — The conditional form for yo is tatuaría.
  6. tatúe — The present subjunctive form for él/ella/Ud. is tatúe.
  7. tatuara — The imperfect subjunctive form for yo is tatuara.
  8. hemos tatuado — The present perfect form for nosotros/as is hemos tatuado.
  9. tatúes — The negative imperative form is tatúes.
  10. tatuando — The gerund of tatuar is tatuando: estoy tatuando. The participle tatuado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does tatuar mean in English?

tatuar means to tattoo. It is used in everyday situations such as Yo tatúo una rosa en el brazo — "I tattoo a rose on his arm". The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is tatuar regular?

Yes. tatuar is a regular -ar verb, so once you know the endings for its class you can conjugate it in every tense. The only thing to watch is the written accent on some forms, such as tatuáis.

What is the gerund and the past participle of tatuar?

The gerund is tatuando and the past participle is tatuado. Use the gerund with estar for the progressive, and the participle with haber for the perfect tenses.

How do I say "I tattoo" in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: Ayer, yo tatué el nombre de su hijo — "Yesterday, I tattooed his son's name". For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: De niño, yo tatuaba un dragón en la espalda — "As a child, I used to tattoo a dragon on his back". For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: Hoy, yo he tatuado el nombre de su hijo — "Today, I have tattooed his son's name".

What is the difference between tatuar and grabar?

Grabar is to engrave or carve a design into a hard surface. Tatuar is specifically for tattoos on skin. Tatuar means to tattoo: tatuar una rosa en el brazo, tatuar el nombre de su hijo. It takes the design as its object and en for the place on the body.

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