Hablar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Hablar (to speak, to talk) is one of the most used verbs in Spanish and it is completely regular: it follows the -ar verb pattern in every tense, so it is the perfect model verb to learn first.

Indicative Tenses of Hablar

Hablar in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Hablo español y un poco de francés (I speak Spanish and a little French).

Present tense rules →

Hablar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Ayer hablé con mi madre por teléfono (Yesterday I spoke with my mother on the phone).

Preterite rules →

Hablar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hoy he hablado con el jefe dos veces (Today I have spoken with the boss twice).

Present perfect rules →

Hablar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De niño hablaba mucho en clase (As a child I used to talk a lot in class).

Imperfect rules →

Hablar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegué, ya habían hablado del tema (When I arrived, they had already talked about the topic).

Past perfect rules →

Hablar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mañana hablaré con el médico (Tomorrow I will speak with the doctor).

Future tense rules →

Hablar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para el viernes ya habremos hablado con todos (By Friday we will have spoken with everyone).

Future perfect rules →

Hablar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo en tu lugar hablaría con ella (If I were you, I would talk to her).

Conditional rules →

Hablar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría hablado contigo, pero no te vi (I would have talked to you, but I didn't see you).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Hablar

Present Subjunctive of Hablar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Quiero que hables más despacio (I want you to speak more slowly).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Hablar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Espero que hayas hablado con tu hermano (I hope you have spoken with your brother).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Hablar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si hablaras inglés, conseguirías el trabajo (If you spoke English, you would get the job).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Hablar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras hablado antes, todo sería distinto (If you had spoken earlier, everything would be different).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Hablar

Affirmative Commands of Hablar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Habla más alto, por favor! (Speak louder, please!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Hablar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No hables tan rápido (Don't speak so fast).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Hablar

• Hablar por los codos - to talk a lot (literally: to talk through the elbows)
• Ni hablar - no way, out of the question
• Hablar en serio - to be serious, to mean it
• No hablarse con alguien - to not be on speaking terms with someone