Triunfar Present Tense Conjugation in Spanish
The present tense of triunfar — “to triumph” 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 triunfar 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. Triunfar means to triumph or to succeed, and it is used for winning a match, succeeding in life and triumphing over a difficulty: triunfar en el deporte, triunfar en la vida. It takes en for the area of success. It is a fully regular -ar verb. To see it in a real sentence: Triunfo en el deporte profesional. — “I triumph in professional sport.”
Present tense conjugation table: triunfar
Every person of triunfar in the present tense. The gerund is triunfando and the past participle is triunfado.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | triunfo |
| tú | triunfas |
| él/ella/Ud. | triunfa |
| nosotros/as | triunfamos |
| vosotros/as | triunfáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | triunfan |
The gerund is triunfando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy triunfando” means the action of triunfar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is triunfado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he triunfado” 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 triunfar is used.
How the present of triunfar is formed
The present of triunfar is built from the stem triunf 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 | triunfo |
| tú | -as | triunfas |
| él/ella/Ud. | -a | triunfa |
| nosotros/as | -amos | triunfamos |
| vosotros/as | -áis | triunfáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | -an | triunfan |
triunfar is a regular -ar verb in the present, so the table above is completely regular. The stem is triunf 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 triunfar is triunfando and the past participle is triunfado. Both are the forms you need for the progressive and the perfect tenses with haber.
When to use the present of triunfar
The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use triunfar 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 triunfar 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 triunfar is no exception. The time words that go with it are todos los días, cada semana, siempre and a menudo.
Example: “Triunfo en el deporte profesional.” — I triumph in professional sport.
2. A general fact
The present tense also states facts that are true in general, not just today. When you describe what triunfar 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: “Triunfa en la vida con esfuerzo.” — He/she triumphs in life with effort.
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: “Triunfo en el concurso de canto.” — I triumph in the singing contest.
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 triunfar follows the same rule as every other verb.
Example: “Mañana, nosotros triunfamos contra todas las dificultades.” — Tomorrow, we triumph against all the difficulties.
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: “¿Triunfas en la vida con esfuerzo?” — Do you triumph in life with effort?
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: “Triunfo en el deporte profesional.” — I triumph in professional sport.
Preterite: “Triunfé en el deporte profesional.” — I triumphed in professional sport.
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: “Triunfa en la vida con esfuerzo.” — He/she triumphs in life with effort.
Preterite: “Triunfó en la vida con esfuerzo.” — He/she triumphed in life with effort.
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: “Triunfamos en el concurso de canto.” — We triumph in the singing contest.
Preterite: “Triunfamos en el concurso de canto.” — We triumphed in the singing contest.
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: triunfar 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.
“Triunfo en el deporte profesional.” — I triumph in professional sport.
“Triunfas en la vida con esfuerzo.” — You triumph in life with effort.
“Triunfa en el concurso de canto.” — He/she triumphs in the singing contest.
“Triunfamos contra todas las dificultades.” — We triumph against all the difficulties.
“Triunfáis en el deporte profesional.” — You triumph in professional sport.
“Triunfan en la vida con esfuerzo.” — They triumph in life with effort.
“Triunfo en el concurso de canto.” — I triumph in the singing contest.
“Triunfa contra todas las dificultades.” — He/she triumphs against all the difficulties.
Common mistakes with triunfar 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 triunfa en el deporte profesional.” Right: “Yo triunfo en el deporte profesional.” Why: Yo needs the yo form triunfo. The form triunfa belongs with él, ella or Ud.
Wrong: “Yo triunfar en la vida con esfuerzo.” Right: “Yo triunfo en la vida con esfuerzo.” Why: The infinitive triunfar cannot be the main verb of a sentence: it must be conjugated to agree with yo, giving triunfo.
Wrong: “Ayer yo triunfo en la vida con esfuerzo.” Right: “Ayer yo triunfé en la vida con esfuerzo.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to triunfé.
Wrong: “Ellos triunfa en la vida con esfuerzo.” Right: “Ellos triunfan en la vida con esfuerzo.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form triunfan. The singular triunfa belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
Quiz: triunfar 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 ___ en el deporte profesional.”
- (a) triunfo
- (b) triunfas
- (c) triunfa
Answer: triunfo — The yo form of triunfar in the present is triunfo.
2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ en la vida con esfuerzo.”
- (a) triunfo
- (b) triunfa
- (c) triunfas
Answer: triunfas — The tú form of triunfar in the present is triunfas.
3. Complete the sentence: “Él/ella ___ en el concurso de canto.”
- (a) triunfas
- (b) triunfa
- (c) triunfo
Answer: triunfa — The él/ella form of triunfar in the present is triunfa.
4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros/as ___ contra todas las dificultades.”
- (a) triunfamos
- (b) triunfo
- (c) triunfas
Answer: triunfamos — The nosotros/as form of triunfar in the present is triunfamos.
5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros/as ___ en el deporte profesional.”
- (a) triunfo
- (b) triunfas
- (c) triunfáis
Answer: triunfáis — The vosotros/as form of triunfar in the present is triunfáis.
6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos/ellas ___ en la vida con esfuerzo.”
- (a) triunfas
- (b) triunfan
- (c) triunfo
Answer: triunfan — The ellos/ellas form of triunfar in the present is triunfan.
7. What does triunfar mean in English?
- (a) to triumph
- (b) to win
- (c) to be about
Answer: to triumph — Triunfar means to triumph.
8. Which sentence is in the present?
- (a) Triunfé en el deporte profesional.
- (b) Triunfaré en el deporte profesional.
- (c) Triunfo en el deporte profesional.
Answer: Triunfo en el deporte profesional. — “Triunfo en el deporte profesional.” is in the present. The other two use different tenses.
Frequently asked questions
Is triunfar regular in the present?
Yes. Triunfar is regular in the present: triunfo, triunfas, triunfa, triunfamos, triunfáis and triunfan. 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 triunfar?
The gerund is triunfando, used with estar for the progressive: estoy triunfando. The past participle is triunfado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he triunfado.
What should I watch out for with triunfar?
Triunfar takes en: triunfo en el deporte. It is fully regular: triunfé, triunfaba, triunfaré. In the present, the form to fix in your memory first is triunfo, because the yo form shows the stem pattern for the whole tense.
How do I practise triunfar in the present?
Say the six forms in the table out loud with the examples above, then use the triunfar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of triunfar — every tense of triunfar in one place.
- Triunfar examples and quiz — more sentences with triunfar 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 triunfar and other verbs.