Esperar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Esperar (to wait, to hope, to expect) is one of the most used verbs in Spanish and it is completely regular: it follows the -ar verb pattern in every tense. Note that esperar que usually takes the subjunctive: Espero que vengas (I hope you come).

Indicative Tenses of Esperar

Esperar in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Espero el autobús cada mañana (I wait for the bus every morning).

Present tense rules →

Esperar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Ayer esperé media hora en la cola (Yesterday I waited half an hour in the queue).

Preterite rules →

Esperar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hoy he esperado mucho tiempo (Today I have waited a long time).

Present perfect rules →

Esperar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De niño esperaba las vacaciones con ilusión (As a child I used to look forward to the holidays).

Imperfect rules →

Esperar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegó, ya habíamos esperado una hora (When he arrived, we had already waited an hour).

Past perfect rules →

Esperar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mañana esperaré tu respuesta (Tomorrow I will wait for your reply).

Future tense rules →

Esperar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para las cinco ya habré esperado bastante (By five o'clock I will have waited enough).

Future perfect rules →

Esperar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo esperaría un poco más antes de decidir (I would wait a little longer before deciding).

Conditional rules →

Esperar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría esperado más, pero tenía prisa (I would have waited longer, but I was in a hurry).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Esperar

Present Subjunctive of Esperar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Espero que esperes mi llamada (I hope you wait for my call).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Esperar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Me alegro de que hayas esperado (I'm glad you have waited).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Esperar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si esperaras un momento, te lo explicaría (If you waited a moment, I would explain it to you).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Esperar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras esperado, lo habrías visto (If you had waited, you would have seen it).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Esperar

Affirmative Commands of Esperar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Espera un momento, por favor! (Wait a moment, please!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Esperar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No esperes más, vámonos (Don't wait any longer, let's go).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Esperar

• Esperar sentado - to wait for something that probably won't happen
• Hacerse esperar - to take a long time to arrive or to happen
• Esperar lo mejor - to hope for the best
• Quien espera, desespera - waiting feels endless (a watched pot never boils)