Ventilar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb ventilar means to ventilate, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Ventilar means to ventilate, to let fresh air into a room or a building. It is a household and health verb, used with windows, fans and air systems, and it is fully regular. Like every Spanish verb, ventilar 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 ventilo la habitación antes de dormir, and in the preterite you say ventilé el aula entre las clases. 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: ventilar
- English: to ventilate
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: ventilando
- Past participle: ventilado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + ventilado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for ventilar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Ventilar is fully regular: ventilo, ventila. It is about air moving through a space; airear is the close synonym for airing things out.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for ventilar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ventilo |
| tú | ventilas |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventila |
| nosotros/as | ventilamos |
| vosotros/as | ventiláis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ventilé |
| tú | ventilaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventiló |
| nosotros/as | ventilamos |
| vosotros/as | ventilasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ventilaba |
| tú | ventilabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventilaba |
| nosotros/as | ventilábamos |
| vosotros/as | ventilabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ventilaré |
| tú | ventilarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventilará |
| nosotros/as | ventilaremos |
| vosotros/as | ventilaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ventilaría |
| tú | ventilarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventilaría |
| nosotros/as | ventilaríamos |
| vosotros/as | ventilaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he ventilado |
| tú | has ventilado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha ventilado |
| nosotros/as | hemos ventilado |
| vosotros/as | habéis ventilado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han ventilado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había ventilado |
| tú | habías ventilado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había ventilado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos ventilado |
| vosotros/as | habíais ventilado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían ventilado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré ventilado |
| tú | habrás ventilado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá ventilado |
| nosotros/as | habremos ventilado |
| vosotros/as | habréis ventilado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán ventilado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría ventilado |
| tú | habrías ventilado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría ventilado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos ventilado |
| vosotros/as | habríais ventilado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían ventilado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ventile |
| tú | ventiles |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventile |
| nosotros/as | ventilemos |
| vosotros/as | ventiléis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | ventilara |
| tú | ventilaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventilara |
| nosotros/as | ventiláramos |
| vosotros/as | ventilarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | ventila |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventile |
| nosotros/as | ventilemos |
| vosotros/as | ventilad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | ventiles |
| él/ella/Ud. | ventile |
| nosotros/as | ventilemos |
| vosotros/as | ventiléis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | ventilen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | ventilando | with estar for the progressive: estoy ventilando |
| Past participle | ventilado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he ventilado |
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 ventilar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Ventilo la habitación antes de dormir. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, ventilé la casa por la mañana. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, ventilaba el aula entre las clases. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, ventilaré con las ventanas abiertas. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Ventilaría la habitación antes de dormir si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he ventilado la casa por la mañana. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había ventilado el aula entre las clases antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré ventilado con las ventanas abiertas. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría ventilado la habitación antes de dormir con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él ventile la casa por la mañana. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms 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 ventilar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él ventilara el aula entre las clases, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Ventila con las ventanas abiertas! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
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 ventilar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No ventiles la habitación antes de dormir. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with ventilar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Ventilo la habitación antes de dormir. — I ventilate the bedroom before sleeping.
- Ventila la casa por la mañana. — He/she ventilates the house in the morning.
- Ayer, ventilé el aula entre las clases. — Yesterday, I ventilated the classroom between lessons.
- Antes, nosotros ventilábamos con las ventanas abiertas. — Before, we used to ventilate with the windows open.
- Mañana, tú ventilarás la habitación antes de dormir. — Tomorrow, you will ventilate the bedroom before sleeping.
- Yo ventilaría la casa por la mañana si tuviera más tiempo. — I would ventilate the house in the morning if I had more time.
- Él ha ventilado el aula entre las clases. — He has ventilated the classroom between lessons.
- Espero que él ventile con las ventanas abiertas. — I hope he ventilates with the windows open.
- Yo ya había ventilado la habitación antes de dormir antes de salir. — I had already ventilated the bedroom before sleeping before leaving.
- Ellos ventilaban la casa por la mañana cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to ventilate the house in the morning when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo ventila la habitación antes de dormir. — Right: Yo ventilo la habitación antes de dormir. — The person matters: ventila is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is ventilo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
- Wrong: Ayer yo ventilo la casa por la mañana. — Right: Ayer yo ventilé la casa por la mañana. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: ventilo is happening now, while ventilé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
- Wrong: Treating ventilar and airear as identical in every context. — Right: Ventilar means to ventilate, while airear means to air out. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: ventilar fits sentences such as Ventilo la habitación antes de dormir, while airear belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
- Wrong: Yo soy ventilado la casa por la mañana. — Right: Yo he ventilado la casa por la mañana. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he ventilado, has ventilado, ha ventilado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: De niño, yo ventilé el aula entre las clases todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo ventilaba el aula entre las clases todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (ventilaba), not the preterite. The preterite (ventilé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on ventilar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la habitación antes de dormir. (present tense) A. ventilo B. ventilas C. ventila D. ventilamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ la casa por la mañana. (preterite) A. ventilé B. ventilaste C. ventilaron D. ventiló
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ el aula entre las clases. (imperfect) A. ventilabas B. ventilaban C. ventilábamos D. ventilaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ con las ventanas abiertas. (future) A. ventilaremos B. ventilarás C. ventilaré D. ventilará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ la habitación antes de dormir si pudiera. (conditional) A. ventilaría B. ventilarías C. ventilarían D. ventilo
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ la casa por la mañana. (present subjunctive) A. ventiles B. ventilemos C. ventilo D. ventile
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ el aula entre las clases, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. ventiláramos B. ventilo C. ventilara D. ventilaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ con las ventanas abiertas. (present perfect) A. han ventilado B. hemos ventilado C. he ventilado D. has ventilado
Complete the command: ¡___ la habitación antes de dormir! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. ventila B. ventile C. ventilemos D. ventilad
Which is the gerund of ventilar, used with estar for the progressive? A. ventilado B. ventilo C. ventilé D. ventilando
Answer key
- ventilo — The first-person present of ventilar is ventilo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
- ventiló — The third-person preterite of ventilar is ventiló, the form for a single finished action in the past.
- ventilábamos — The nosotros imperfect of ventilar is ventilábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
- ventilarás — The second-person future of ventilar is ventilarás.
- ventilaría — The first-person conditional of ventilar is ventilaría, the form for what would happen.
- ventile — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of ventilar is ventile.
- ventilara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of ventilar is ventilara.
- hemos ventilado — The nosotros present perfect of ventilar is hemos ventilado: hemos + ventilado.
- ventila — The affirmative tú imperative of ventilar is ventila.
- ventilando — The gerund of ventilar is ventilando: estoy ventilando. The participle ventilado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does ventilar mean in English?
Ventilar means to ventilate. It is used in everyday situations such as Ventilo la habitación antes de dormir. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is ventilar regular or irregular?
Ventilar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including ventilo in the present and ventilé in the preterite.
What is the difference between ventilar and airear?
Ventilar means to ventilate, while airear means to air out. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use ventilar when you mean to ventilate, as in Ventilo la habitación antes de dormir, and use airear for to air out. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I ventilate” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo ventilé la casa por la mañana. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo ventilaba el aula entre las clases. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he ventilado la casa por la mañana.
How do I practise ventilar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the ventilar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Ventilar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for ventilar.
- Ventilar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for ventilar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Airear conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with ventilar.
- Encerar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with ventilar.
- Cabalgar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with ventilar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.