The indicative mood in Spanish is the default way to declare facts, make ordinary statements, and give information. Many times learners don’t even realize they know the indicative mood until they contrast it with the subjunctive or imperative. The indicative mood has the widest variety of Spanish verb tenses to express past, present, or future timeframes, and is used in both questions and answers.
So what is the indicative in Spanish? This guide will give you all of the facts and realistic information to help you truly understand how to use Spanish.
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What is el indicativo (the indicative) in Spanish?
Spanish has three modos (moods): the indicative, the subjunctive, and the imperative mood. The indicative mood is a way of expressing the speaker’s attitude toward the action of the sentence. It conveys a sense of certainty, reality, or factual nature.
If it involves information about something that has occurred, does occur, or will occur, there’s an indicative tense for that. These Spanish verb tenses fall under the indicative mood.
When to use the indicative mood
The Spanish indicative mood can be used for myriad purposes. Though it’s considered the main way to declare facts, you can also use indicative forms of verbs to state the personal opinions and perspectives that people believe are true. To learn when to use the indicative in Spanish it’s easiest to see examples in context.
To state facts and ask questions
Universal truths and factual information use indicative Spanish. This can be in any of the timeframes, past, present, or future. The indicative mood can be used to ask and answer every type of Spanish question.
- ¿Usted tiene un perro? = Do you have a dog?
- Sí, yo tengo un perro. = Yes, I have a dog.
- ¿Qué es esto? = What is this?
- Esto es café. = This is coffee.
- El euro es un tipo de moneda. = The euro is a type of currency.
- ¿Dónde está el baño? = Where is the bathroom?
- ¿Quién comió mi chocolate? = Who ate my chocolate?
- Lo siento. Yo lo comí. = Sorry. I ate it.
- El hombre va a explorar una cueva en la Antártida.= The man is going to explore a cave in Antarctica.
- Ellos tendrán cincuenta minutos para terminar el examen. = They will have 50 minutes to finish the exam.
To report information and narrate events
Use the indicative tense when telling events, including what happened in the past, what generally happens, and expected plans and outcomes for the future.
The key feature of the indicative is that they are presented as factual. (This is true even when it’s false information.) What matters is the attitude with which it’s being presented.
- ¿Cuándo van ustedes a Barcelona? = When are you going to Barcelona?
- Vamos a Barcelona la semana que viene. = We are going to Barcelona next week.
- Mi vuelo saldrá de Australia el miércoles. = My flight will leave from Australia on Wednesday.
- Depende. Si mi equipo termina nuestro proyecto, volveré a casa pronto. Si no lo terminamos, llegaré tarde. = It depends. If my team finishes our project, I will return home soon. If we don’t finish, I will arrive late.
- ¿Cuándo compraste las manzanas? = When did you buy the apples?
- Yo las compré cuando estaba en el supermercado. = I bought them when I was in the grocery store.
- ¿Por qué Antonia no fue a la fiesta? = Why didn’t Antonia go to the party?
- Porque ella estaba en Nueva York. = Because she was in New York.
To describe known people, places, or things
Descriptions in Spanish are a reflection of what the speaker perceives or expects to be true. This of course means that there are differences in perspectives and opinions, but when the speaker uses ser or estar to describe a noun, the indicative Spanish tenses describe what the speaker understands.
- El vaso está lleno. = The glass is full.
- Hoy en día, es un árbol pequeño.= Right now it’s a small tree.
- En el futuro, será un árbol grande. = In the future it will be a big tree.
- El bolsillo está muy rasgado. Será difícil arreglarlo. = The pocket is very torn. It will be difficult to repair it.
- Antes estaba muy ocupada. Pasaba todo el tiempo trabajando. = Before I was very busy. I spent all my time working.
- Esta estatua es hermosa. = This statue is beautiful.
- ¿Te has imaginado alguna vez cómo era la vida de nuestra abuela? = Have you ever imagined what our grandmother’s life was like?
To share the perspective of the speaker
Beliefs, feelings, and emotional judgements of a situation can also use the indicative mood when the sentence expresses the opinions of the speaker. Feelings and opinions aren’t true or false, but indicative Spanish expresses the speaker’s perceptions of reality.
- ¿Por qué estás llorando? = Why are you crying?
- Porque estoy perdido. = Because I’m lost.
- ¿En serio? Yo pensé que empezaba a las ocho y media. = Seriously? I thought
- ¿Qué le pasa? No se ve feliz.
- Me preocupa reprobar su examen de química y no poder graduarme.
For expressions of certainty
Certain expressions are followed by the indicative mood because they express an attitude of certainty.
- Creo que te vi anoche en el cine. = I believe I saw you last night at the movie theater.
- Yo sé que estamos perdidos. = I know that we’re lost.
- He revisado el barco y pienso que es seguro. = I’ve checked the boat and I think it’s safe.
For wants and impersonal expressions when there’s no change of subject
Expressions of a want or need, as well as impersonal expressions do not require a different mood if there is no change of subject within the sentence. These types of sentences will most often use an infinitive as the second verb in a thought.
- ¿Usted quiere pagar con una tarjeta de crédito? = Do you wanttopay with a credit card?
- No. Quiero pagar en efectivo. = No, I want to pay with cash.
- Es importante beber mucha agua en el desierto.= It’s important to drink lots of water in the desert.
Forming the indicative mood in important tenses
Conjugating verbs is a major part of Spanish grammar. Indicative Spanish conjugation isn’t something you can memorize all at once, but as you master basic patterns for common Spanish verbs and notice new ones in context, you’ll be able to communicate exactly what you mean.
While these Spanish verb tenses fall under the indicative mood, it’s a good starting place to know the presente (present), pasado (past, both pretérito and imperfecto), futuro (future), and condicional (conditional).
| Spanish Tense | Timeframe/Use | Example |
| el presente de indicativo (present tense) | present: an action happens typically or generally | camino (I walk) |
| el pretérito perfecto simple de indicativo/“el pretérito” (preterite/simple past) | completed past: an action happened and is complete | caminé (I walked) |
| el pretérito imperfecto de indicativo/”el imperfecto” (imperfect) | descriptive past: an action used to happen repeatedly/was happening when interrupted | caminaba (I used to walk/I was walking when…) |
| el futuro simple de indicativo (future tense) | future: an action will happen | caminaré (I will walk) |
| el condicional simple de indicativo (conditional) | conditional: an action would happen under certain circumstances | caminaría (I would walk) |
| el pretérito perfecto compuesto de indicativo (present perfect) | past continuing into present: it has happened | he caminado (I’ve walked) |
| el pretérito pluscuamperfecto de indicativo (pluperfect) | had already happened before another past event | había caminado (I had walked) |
| el futuro compuesto de indicativo (future perfect) | the event will have happened by another point | habré caminado (I will have walked) |
| el condicional compuesto de indicativo (conditional perfect) | the event would have happened by another point | habría caminado (I would have walked) |
| el presente progresivo de indicativo (present progressive/present continuous) | action is ongoing at the present moment | estoy caminando (I am walking) |
| el imperfecto progresivo de indicativo (past progressive/past continuous) | action was ongoing at a moment in the past | estaba caminando (I was walking) |
| el futuro próximo de indicativo (near future/ ir + a + infinitive) | action is going to happen soon | voy a caminar (I’m going to walk) |
| el futuro perifrástico en el pasado de indicativo (near future in the past) | action was going to happen soon | iba a caminar (I was going to walk) |
El presente de indicativo (simple present tense)
Used to express what generally happens, universal truths, and what is happening at the moment or very near future, the present indicative in Spanish tense has many forms and patterns.
- regular -AR, -ER, and -IR patterns like
- stem-change verbs
- verbs with irregular yo forms like saber and conocer
- irregular verbs like ser and ir
Example Regular Present Tense Verbs
| Spanish Subject Pronoun | Hablar with -AR Verb Endings | Beber with -ER Verb Endings | Abrir with -IR Verb Endings |
| yo I | hablo | bebo | abro |
| tú you (informal) | hablas | bebes | abres |
| él/ella he/she usted you (formal) | habla | bebe | abre |
| nosotros we | hablamos | bebemos | abrimos |
| vosotros you all (informal – Spain) | habláis | bebéis | abrís |
| ellos/ellas they ustedes you all | hablan | beben | abren |
Within the present tense you can also use formulas like the presente progresivo (present progressive) to emphasize that the action is occurring in the present moment. This formula uses the present tense conjugation of estar plus the gerund, or “ing” form of the verb.
| Spanish Subject Pronoun | Bailar Present Progressive | Comer Present Progressive |
| yo I | estoy bailando | estoy comiendo |
| tú you (informal) | estás bailando | estás comiendo |
| él/ella he/she usted you (formal) | está bailando | está comiendo |
| nosotros we | estamos bailando | estamos comiendo |
| vosotros you all (informal – Spain) | estáis bailando | estáis comiendo |
| ellos/ellas they ustedes you all | están bailando | están comiendo |
El futuro simple (simple future tense)
The future indicative in Spanish is a one-word verb form that tells what will happen. To learn this future tense in Spanish, you’ll follow an easy-to-learn formula.
- Most verbs use the entire infinitive as the stem. There are a few irregular stems.
- All verbs use the same endings.
| Spanish Subject Pronoun | Aprender with Future Endings |
| yo I | aprenderé |
| tú you (informal) | aprenderás |
| él/ella he/sheusted you (formal) | aprenderá |
| nosotros we | aprenderemos |
| vosotros you all (informal – Spain) | aprenderéis |
| ellos/ellas theyustedes you all | aprenderán |
Alternatively, you can use the structure ir + a + infinitivo (infinitive) to say what is going to happen.
- Vamos a aprender italiano este verano. = We are going to learn Italian this summer.
El pretérito perfecto simple (the preterite tense)
One of two main past tenses, the preterite tense in Spanish is used for specific actions or events that were completed in the past.
- Learn the patterns for -AR verbs, and a second pattern for -ER, and -IR verbs
- There are spelling changes for verbs ending in -CAR, -GAR, and -ZAR
- Some -IR verbs have stem changes in the third person
- There are several irregular verbs in the preterite.
| Spanish Subject Pronoun | Hablar with -AR endings | Aprender with -ER/-IR endings |
| yo I | hablé | aprendí |
| tú you (informal) | hablaste | aprendiste |
| él/ella he/sheusted you (formal) | habló | aprendió |
| nosotros we | hablamos | aprendimos |
| vosotros you all (informal – Spain) | hablasteis | aprendisteis |
| ellos/ellas theyustedes you all | hablaron | aprendieron |
In place of this tense, many Peninsular Spanish speakers prefer the present perfect in Spanish for very recent events. Perfect tenses in Spanish use a form of haber as the auxiliary or helping verb and the past participle of the main verb. Form the present perfect using the present tense of haber to say what “has happened.”
- Hemos encontrado la solución esta mañana. = We’ve found the solution this morning!
El pretérito imperfecto simple (the imperfect tense)
The other of the two main past tenses, the imperfect tense in Spanish is used for describing the way things were, habitual or repeated actions, and background information like time, date, and weather.
- Learn the patterns for -AR verbs, and a second pattern for -ER, and -IR verbs
- There are no stem or spelling changes
- The only three irregular verbs are ir, ser, and ver
| Spanish Subject Pronoun | Hablar with -AR endings | Aprender with -ER/-IR endings |
| yo I | hablaba | aprendía |
| tú you (informal) | hablabas | aprendías |
| él/ella he/she usted you (formal) | hablaba | aprendía |
| nosotros we | hablábamos | aprendíamos |
| vosotros you all (informal – Spain) | hablabais | aprendíais |
| ellos/ellas they ustedes you all | hablaban | aprendían |
You can use the pluperfect indicative in Spanish by conjugating the auxiliary verb haber in the imperfect and adding the past participle.
- No había terminado todos mis clases cuando empecé a trabajar. = I hadn’t finished all of my classes when I started to work.
El condicional (the conditional)
The conditional tense in Spanish tells what “would” happen. Its forms combine the future stems (including the same irregulars) and the imperfect endings from -ER and -IR verbs.
| Spanish Subject Pronoun | Hablar with -AR endings | Aprender with -ER/-IR endings |
| yo I | hablaría | aprendería |
| tú you (informal) | hablarías | aprenderías |
| él/ella he/sheusted you (formal) | hablaría | aprendería |
| nosotros we | hablaríamos | aprenderíamos |
| vosotros you all (informal – Spain) | hablaríais | aprenderíais |
| ellos/ellas theyustedes you all | hablarían | aprenderían |
Indicative vs. Subjunctive
Now that you’ve seen many examples of indicative Spanish sentences, it’s helpful to compare it to situations where you’d use the subjunctive mood instead.
Certainty vs. doubt
The indicative handles expressions the speaker considers true or certain. The subjunctive is often used after phrases of doubt or denial.
- Pienso que llegará mañana. = I think he will arrive tomorrow. (indicative)
- No pienso que llegue mañana. = I don’t think he will arrive tomorrow. (subjunctive)
Same subject vs. change of subject
Many expressions of wishes, requests, and recommendations will require the subjunctive when there is a change of subject, but not if there isn’t.
- Quiero tomar el tren. = I want to take the train. (infinitive – no change of subject)
- Recomiendo que tomes el tren. = I recommend that you take the train. (subjunctive)
- Prefiero cenar en casa. = I prefer to eat dinner at home. (infinitive – no change of subject)
- Prefiero que cenemos en casa. = I prefer that we eat dinner at home. (subjunctive)
Known item vs. unknown
For descriptions of items you’re looking for, use the indicative when the object is a known item in reality, and the subjunctive when the object is imagined or hoped for.
- Busco mi camiseta. Es azul con las flores en el collar. = I’m looking for my shirt. It’s blue with flowers on the collar.
- Busco una camiseta que sea azul y tenga flores. = I’m looking for a shirt that is blue and has flowers. (subjunctive)
Completed/habitual vs. potential event
Certain structures that require the subjunctive for a potential event use the indicative for a completed or habitual action.
- Estudié hasta que me dormí. = I studied until I fell asleep.
- Voy a estudiar hasta que sepa todo de memoria. = I’m going to study until I know everything by heart. (subjunctive)
- Cuando yo llego a una nueva ciudad, siempre tomo una visita guiada. = When I arrive at a new city, I always take a guided tour.
- Voy a tomar una visita guiada cuando llegue. = I’m going to take a tour when I arrive. (subjunctive)
Key takeaways about the indicative mood
When a Spanish speaker communicates, one major division in Spanish grammar is whether they express their thought in the indicative mood or the subjunctive mood.
- The indicative is what most learners begin with, since the simple present tense is a common starting point.
- Learn the ways to use the indicative to express facts, certainty, reality, and the way the speaker views the action.
- Differentiate the indicative from the subjunctive which is required after specific trigger expressions and to cast doubt, denial, or an emotional judgment on an action.
- The indicative mood has several tenses to express past, present, and future timeframes.
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