Vigilar Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

vigilar means "to watch over" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows vigilar in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of vigilar, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with vigilar

Everyday use

Vigilar means to watch over. The sentences below show it in everyday use, in different tenses and persons.

  1. Yo vigilo a los niños — "I watch over the children"
  2. Él vigila la casa — "He watches over the house"
  3. Yo vigilé de cerca — "I watched over closely"
  4. Yo vigilaba a los niños — "I used to watch over the children"
  5. Yo vigilaré la casa — "I will watch over the house"
  6. Yo he vigilado de cerca — "I have watched over closely"

In the past and the future

The same verb in the past and the future: the form changes, but the meaning stays the same.

  1. Él vigiló de cerca — "He watched over closely"
  2. Él vigilaba a los niños — "He used to watch over the children"
  3. Tú vigilarás la casa — "You will watch over the house"
  4. Yo vigilaría de cerca — "I would watch over closely"
  5. Yo había vigilado a los niños — "I had watched over the children"
  6. Nosotros vigilamos la casa — "We watch over the house"

Vigilar in conversation

The two dialogues below show vigilar in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú vigilas a los niños? — "Do you watch over the children?"
  • Sí, yo vigilo a los niños cada día. — "Yes, I watch over the children every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú vigilaste la casa? — "And yesterday? Did you watch over the house?"
  • Sí, yo vigilé la casa. — "Yes, I watched over the house."
  • Mañana, yo vigilaré de cerca también. — "Tomorrow, I will watch over closely too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros vigiláis a los niños? — "Do you watch over the children?"
  • Sí, nosotros vigilamos a los niños los fines de semana. — "Yes, We watch over the children at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos vigilan la casa? — "And them? Do they watch over the house?"
  • Sí, ellos vigilan la casa también. — "Yes, They watch over the house too."
  • Mañana nosotros vigilaremos la casa otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will watch over the house again."

Useful phrases with vigilar

Four patterns you can use with vigilar in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a vigilar a los niños. — "I am going to watch over the children."
  • Quiero vigilar la casa. — "I want to watch over the house."
  • Me gusta vigilar de cerca. — "I like to watch over closely."
  • Acabo de vigilar a los niños. — "I have just watched over the children."

Common mistakes with vigilar in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos vigila a los niños.
  • Right: Ellos vigilan a los niños.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form vigilan. The singular vigila belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo vigilé.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo vigilo.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy vigilado la casa.
  • Right: Yo he vigilado la casa.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he vigilado, has vigilado, ha vigilado.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo vigilo.
  • Right: Ayer, yo vigilé.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (vigilé). The present (vigilo) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él vigila a los niños.
  • Right: Espero que él vigile a los niños.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: vigile. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: vigilar in use

Ten questions on vigilar across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of vigilar in the present tense?

  • (a) vigilo
  • (b) habríais vigilado
  • (c) has vigilado
  • (d) hemos vigilado

Answer: (a) vigilo. The I form in the present is vigilo.

2. What is the he / she form of vigilar in the present tense?

  • (a) vigila
  • (b) vigilaremos
  • (c) vigiléis
  • (d) vigilabas

Answer: (a) vigila. The he / she form in the present is vigila.

3. What is the he / she form of vigilar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) vigiló
  • (b) vigilen
  • (c) habíamos vigilado
  • (d) habré vigilado

Answer: (a) vigiló. The he / she form in the preterite is vigiló.

4. What is the I form of vigilar in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) habíamos vigilado
  • (b) hemos vigilado
  • (c) habríais vigilado
  • (d) vigilaba

Answer: (d) vigilaba. The I form in the imperfect is vigilaba.

5. What is the I form of vigilar in the future tense?

  • (a) vigiláramos
  • (b) habíamos vigilado
  • (c) vigilaré
  • (d) vigilará

Answer: (c) vigilaré. The I form in the future is vigilaré.

6. What is the I form of vigilar in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) vigile
  • (b) vigilabais
  • (c) han vigilado
  • (d) he vigilado

Answer: (d) he vigilado. The I form in the present perfect is he vigilado.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a los niños.

  • (a) vigile
  • (b) vigiles
  • (c) vigilen
  • (d) vigilemos

Answer: (a) vigile. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is vigile.

8. What is the we form of vigilar in the present tense?

  • (a) vigiles
  • (b) vigilamos
  • (c) vigilaste
  • (d) vigilabas

Answer: (b) vigilamos. The we form in the present is vigilamos.

9. What is the I form of vigilar in the preterite tense?

  • (a) vigiles
  • (b) vigilaron
  • (c) vigilaréis
  • (d) vigilé

Answer: (d) vigilé. The I form in the preterite is vigilé.

10. What is the they form of vigilar in the present tense?

  • (a) habréis vigilado
  • (b) vigilará
  • (c) vigilan
  • (d) he vigilado

Answer: (c) vigilan. The they form in the present is vigilan.

Frequently asked questions about vigilar

Is vigilar regular?

Yes. Vigilar is a regular -ar verb: vigilo, vigilas, vigila. See the full conjugation of vigilar for every tense.

What is the past participle of vigilar?

The past participle is vigilado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he vigilado. The gerund is vigilando, used with estar: estoy vigilando.

How do I say “I watch over” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo vigilé la casa. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo vigilaba de cerca.

How can I practise vigilar?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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