Introduction

Vacunar means “to vaccinate”, and this page covers exactly one thing: vacunar 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 vacunar, 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 vacunar in the present. Vacunar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo vacuno a los niños” — "I vaccinate the children". Everything on this page uses the forms of vacunar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Vacunar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo vacuno
tú vacunas
él/ella/Ud. vacuna
nosotros/as vacunamos
vosotros/as vacunáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. vacunan

Gerund: vacunando · Past participle: vacunado

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

How the present of vacunar is formed

Vacunar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem vacun and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving vacuno, vacunas, vacuna, vacunamos, vacunáis, vacunan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, vacunáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of vacunar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form vacunáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form vacuno is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of vacunar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use vacunar 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, vacunar goes in the present. Example: “Yo vacuno contra la gripe” — "I vaccinate against the flu".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about vacunar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él vacuna en el centro de salud” — "He vaccinates at the health centre".

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 vacuno can mean both "I vaccinate" and "I am vaccinating". Example: “Yo vacuno a los niños” — "I vaccinate the children".

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 vacunamos contra la gripe” — "We vaccinate against the flu".

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 vacunar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él vacuna en el centro de salud” — "He vaccinates at the health centre".

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 vacuno a los niños” — "I vaccinate the children".

  • Preterite: “Yo vacuné a los niños” — "I vaccinated the children".

  • 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 vacuna contra la gripe” — "He vaccinates against the flu".

  • Preterite: “Él vacunó contra la gripe” — "He vaccinated against the flu".

  • 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 vacunamos en el centro de salud” — "We vaccinate at the health centre".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros vacunamos en el centro de salud” — "We vaccinated at the health centre".

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

Example sentences: vacunar 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 vacuno contra la gripe” — "I vaccinate against the flu"

  2. “Tú vacunas en el centro de salud” — "You vaccinate at the health centre"

  3. “Él vacuna a los niños” — "He vaccinates the children"

  4. “Nosotros vacunamos contra la gripe” — "We vaccinate against the flu"

  5. “Vosotros vacunáis en el centro de salud” — "You vaccinate at the health centre"

  6. “Ellos vacunan a los niños” — "They vaccinate the children"

  7. “Yo vacuno contra la gripe” — "I vaccinate against the flu"

  8. “Él vacuna en el centro de salud” — "He vaccinates at the health centre"

Common mistakes with vacunar 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 vacuna a los niños” Right: “Ellos vacunan a los niños” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form vacunan. The singular vacuna belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

  • Wrong: “Yo vacuna a los niños.” Right: “Yo vacuno a los niños” Why: Yo needs the yo form vacuno. The él form vacuna belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

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

Quiz: vacunar 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 centro de salud.” (yo form)

A. vacunamos B. vacuno C. vacuna D. vacunan

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ a los niños.” (tú form)

A. vacunas B. vacuna C. vacunáis D. vacuno

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

A. vacunamos B. vacunan C. vacuna D. vacuno

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ en el centro de salud.” (nosotros/as form)

A. vacunan B. vacuno C. vacuna D. vacunamos

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ a los niños.” (vosotros/as form)

A. vacunan B. vacunáis C. vacunamos D. vacunas

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

A. vacunan B. vacunamos C. vacuno D. vacuna

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 vacuno B. Todos los días, yo vacuné

Answer key

  1. vacuno — The yo present of vacunar is vacuno.
  2. vacunas — The tú present of vacunar is vacunas.
  3. vacuna — The él/ella/Ud. present of vacunar is vacuna.
  4. vacunamos — The nosotros/as present of vacunar is vacunamos.
  5. vacunáis — The vosotros/as present of vacunar is vacunáis.
  6. vacunan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of vacunar is vacunan.
  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 vacuno — 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 vacunar?

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

How is the present of vacunar formed?

Take the stem vacun- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving vacuno, vacunas, vacuna, vacunamos, vacunáis, vacunan.

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

The present (vacuno) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (vacuné) 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 vacunar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — vacuno, vacunas, vacuna, vacunamos, vacunáis, vacunan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the vacunar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of vacunar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

Related links