Zumbar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb zumbar means to buzz, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Zumbar is a regular -ar verb, so the tables below show you exactly how it behaves in every tense. On this page you will find the full conjugation of zumbar in all thirteen tenses, notes on when to use each one, example sentences, the mistakes learners make most often, a ten-question quiz and answers to the questions students ask about this verb. For example, in the present tense you say Yo zumbo en el oído — "I buzz in my ear" — and in the preterite you say Todo el día, yo zumbé — "All day, I buzzed". 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: zumbar
- English: to buzz
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: zumbando
- Past participle: zumbado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + zumbado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for zumbar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for zumbar. 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.
Gerund: zumbando · Past participle: zumbado
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | zumbo |
| tú | zumbas |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumba |
| nosotros/as | zumbamos |
| vosotros/as | zumbáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumban |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | zumbé |
| tú | zumbaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbó |
| nosotros/as | zumbamos |
| vosotros/as | zumbasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumbaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | zumbaba |
| tú | zumbabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbaba |
| nosotros/as | zumbábamos |
| vosotros/as | zumbabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumbaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | zumbaré |
| tú | zumbarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbará |
| nosotros/as | zumbaremos |
| vosotros/as | zumbaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumbarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | zumbaría |
| tú | zumbarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbaría |
| nosotros/as | zumbaríamos |
| vosotros/as | zumbaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumbarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he zumbado |
| tú | has zumbado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha zumbado |
| nosotros/as | hemos zumbado |
| vosotros/as | habéis zumbado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han zumbado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había zumbado |
| tú | habías zumbado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había zumbado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos zumbado |
| vosotros/as | habíais zumbado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían zumbado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré zumbado |
| tú | habrás zumbado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá zumbado |
| nosotros/as | habremos zumbado |
| vosotros/as | habréis zumbado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán zumbado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría zumbado |
| tú | habrías zumbado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría zumbado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos zumbado |
| vosotros/as | habríais zumbado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían zumbado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | zumbe |
| tú | zumbes |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbe |
| nosotros/as | zumbemos |
| vosotros/as | zumbéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumben |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | zumbara |
| tú | zumbaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbara |
| nosotros/as | zumbáramos |
| vosotros/as | zumbarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumbaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | zumba |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbe |
| nosotros/as | zumbemos |
| vosotros/as | zumbad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumben |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | zumbes |
| él/ella/Ud. | zumbe |
| nosotros/as | zumbemos |
| vosotros/as | zumbéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | zumben |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | zumbando | with estar for the progressive: estoy zumbando |
| Past participle | zumbado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he zumbado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. It is the tense you will use most often in everyday conversation, for habits with words like todos los días and for statements that are true in general. For zumbar, the present indicative looks like this in a real sentence: Todo el día, yo zumbo — "All day, I buzz". Learn the present indicative 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 in the past — things that started and ended, often with time words like ayer, anoche or la semana pasada. The preterite moves a story forward, one completed event at a time. For zumbar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Yo zumbé alrededor de la luz — "I buzzed around the light". 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 words like antes, de niño or mientras. It describes how things used to be, not one finished event. For zumbar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo zumbaba en el oído — "I used to buzz in my ear". 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. It talks about what will happen, not what is happening now. For zumbar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Todo el día, yo zumbaré — "All day, I will buzz". 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 in si clauses. It softens a request and describes imagined situations. For zumbar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Yo zumbaría alrededor de la luz — "I would buzz around the light". 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. It connects the past with the present moment. For zumbar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo he zumbado en el oído — "I have buzzed in my ear". 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. It is the past of the past, and it usually appears with antes de or ya. For zumbar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Todo el día, yo había zumbado — "All day, I had buzzed". 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, often with para mañana or para el viernes. For zumbar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo habré zumbado alrededor de la luz — "I will have buzzed around the light". 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. It looks back at a past that never happened. For zumbar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Yo habría zumbado en el oído — "I would have buzzed in my ear". 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. The subjunctive does not state a fact; it states an attitude towards the action. For zumbar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él zumbe todo el día — "I hope he buzzes all day". 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 zumbar, the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) looks like this in a real sentence: Si yo zumbara alrededor de la luz, todo cambiaría — "If I buzzed around the light, everything would change". Learn the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) 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. It tells someone to do something, and it has no yo form. For zumbar, the imperative (affirmative) looks like this in a real sentence: Zumbe en el oído — "Let him buzz in my ear". Learn the imperative (affirmative) 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. It uses the subjunctive forms, so it looks different from the affirmative commands. For zumbar, the imperative (negative) looks like this in a real sentence: No zumbes todo el día — "Don't buzz all day". Learn the imperative (negative) 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 zumbar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Yo zumbo alrededor de la luz — "I buzz around the light"
- Él zumba en el oído — "He buzzes in my ear"
- Todo el día, yo zumbé — "All day, I buzzed"
- Yo zumbaba alrededor de la luz — "I used to buzz around the light"
- Tú zumbarás en el oído — "You will buzz in my ear"
- Todo el día, yo zumbaría — "All day, I would buzz"
- Él ha zumbado alrededor de la luz — "He has buzzed around the light"
- Espero que él zumbe en el oído — "I hope he buzzes in my ear"
- Todo el día, yo había zumbado — "All day, I had buzzed"
- Ellos zumbaban alrededor de la luz — "They used to buzz around the light"
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Ellos zumba en el oído — Right: Ellos zumban en el oído — Ellos needs the ellos form zumban. The singular zumba belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.
- Wrong: Ayer, yo zumbo — Right: Ayer, yo zumbé — The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to zumbé.
- Wrong: De niño, yo zumbé todos los días. — Right: Todos los días, yo zumbaba — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (zumbaba), not the preterite. The preterite (zumbé) is for one finished action.
- Wrong: Yo soy zumbado todo el día. — Right: Yo he zumbado todo el día. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he zumbado, has zumbado, ha zumbado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
- Wrong: Espero que él zumba en el oído. — Right: Espero que él zumbe en el oído. — After espero que, Spanish needs the subjunctive: zumbe. The indicative zumba is wrong here.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on zumbar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en el oído. (present tense) A. zumbarán B. zumbarais C. zumbaríais D. zumbo
Complete the sentence: Él ___ en el oído. (preterite) A. habrían zumbado B. zumbó C. zumbad D. zumbaban
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ en el oído. (imperfect) A. zumbábamos B. zumbaría C. zumbaste D. zumbarás
Complete the sentence: Tú ___ en el oído. (future) A. zumbarías B. zumbabas C. zumbarás D. zumbáis
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ en el oído. (conditional) A. zumbaría B. zumbarais C. zumbaste D. zumbarán
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ en el oído. (present subjunctive) A. zumbó B. zumbábamos C. habrán zumbado D. zumbe
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ en el oído, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. zumbara B. habríamos zumbado C. zumbarían D. zumbes
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ en el oído. (present perfect) A. zumbaste B. has zumbado C. hemos zumbado D. habremos zumbado
Complete the command: No ___ en el oído. (negative imperative, tú) A. zumbe B. zumbes C. zumbemos D. zumbéis
Which is the gerund of zumbar, used with estar for the progressive? A. zumbando B. zumbaba C. zumbo D. zumbaré
Answer key
- zumbo — The yo present tense of zumbar is zumbo.
- zumbó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of zumbar is zumbó.
- zumbábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of zumbar is zumbábamos.
- zumbarás — The tú future of zumbar is zumbarás.
- zumbaría — The yo conditional of zumbar is zumbaría.
- zumbe — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of zumbar is zumbe.
- zumbara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of zumbar is zumbara.
- hemos zumbado — The nosotros/as present perfect of zumbar is hemos zumbado.
- zumbes — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: zumbes.
- zumbando — The gerund of zumbar is zumbando: estoy zumbando. The participle zumbado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does zumbar mean in English?
Zumbar means to buzz. It is used in everyday situations such as Yo zumbo en el oído. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is zumbar regular?
Yes. Zumbar is a regular -ar verb: zumbo, zumbas, zumba. The only thing to learn is the pattern of endings, which is the same for every regular -ar verb.
What is the gerund and the past participle of zumbar?
The gerund is zumbando, used with estar for the progressive: estoy zumbando. The past participle is zumbado, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he zumbado.
How do I say “I buzz” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: Todo el día, yo zumbé. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: Yo zumbaba alrededor de la luz. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: Yo he zumbado en el oído.
How do I practise zumbar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the zumbar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Zumbar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for zumbar.
- Zumbar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for zumbar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Aliñar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with zumbar.
- Sazonar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with zumbar.
- Aderezar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with zumbar.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.
- Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.