Formar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Formar (to form, to make up, to constitute; also to train or educate someone) is a very common Spanish verb and it is completely regular: it follows the -ar verb pattern in every tense.

Indicative Tenses of Formar

Formar in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Formo parte de la junta directiva (I am part of the board of directors).

Present tense rules →

Formar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: En 2010 formamos nuestra propia empresa (In 2010 we formed our own company).

Preterite rules →

Formar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Este año hemos formado un buen equipo (This year we have formed a good team).

Present perfect rules →

Formar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De jóvenes formábamos un grupo de música (As youngsters we used to be in a band).

Imperfect rules →

Formar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegué, ya habían formado los grupos (When I arrived, they had already formed the groups).

Past perfect rules →

Formar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: El año que viene formaremos una cooperativa (Next year we will form a cooperative).

Future tense rules →

Formar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para junio ya habremos formado a todos los aprendices (By June we will have trained all the trainees).

Future perfect rules →

Formar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Con más recursos formaríamos un mejor equipo (With more resources we would form a better team).

Conditional rules →

Formar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habríamos formado la sociedad antes, pero faltaba el capital (We would have formed the company earlier, but the capital was missing).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Formar

Present Subjunctive of Formar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Quiero que formes parte del proyecto (I want you to be part of the project).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Formar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Espero que hayan formado un buen grupo (I hope they have formed a good group).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Formar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si formaras parte del jurado, votarías distinto (If you were part of the jury, you would vote differently).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Formar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieran formado la alianza, habrían ganado (If they had formed the alliance, they would have won).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Formar

Affirmative Commands of Formar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Formad una fila, por favor! (Form a line, please!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Formar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No formes un escándalo por esto (Don't make a scene over this).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Formar

• Formar parte de - to be a member or part of something
• Formar una familia - to start a family
• Formar un equipo - to put together a team
• Formarse - to train, to get an education or professional preparation
• Formar filas - to line up, to fall into formation