Tomar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Tomar (to take, to drink, to have food or drink) 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 a perfect model verb to learn early.

Indicative Tenses of Tomar

Tomar in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Cada mañana tomo un café con leche (Every morning I have a coffee with milk).

Present tense rules →

Tomar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Ayer tomé el tren de las ocho (Yesterday I took the eight o'clock train).

Preterite rules →

Tomar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hoy he tomado tres cafés (Today I have had three coffees).

Present perfect rules →

Tomar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De pequeño tomaba leche cada noche (As a child I used to drink milk every night).

Imperfect rules →

Tomar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegué, ya habían tomado una decisión (When I arrived, they had already made a decision).

Past perfect rules →

Tomar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mañana tomaré una decisión definitiva (Tomorrow I will make a final decision).

Future tense rules →

Tomar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para las diez ya habré tomado el desayuno (By ten I will have had breakfast).

Future perfect rules →

Tomar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo en tu lugar tomaría un taxi (If I were you, I would take a taxi).

Conditional rules →

Tomar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría tomado el otro camino, pero no lo conocía (I would have taken the other road, but I didn't know it).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Tomar

Present Subjunctive of Tomar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Quiero que tomes una buena decisión (I want you to make a good decision).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Tomar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Espero que hayas tomado tus pastillas (I hope you have taken your pills).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Tomar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si tomaras menos café, dormirías mejor (If you drank less coffee, you would sleep better).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Tomar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras tomado el primer vuelo, ya estarías aquí (If you had taken the first flight, you would already be here).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Tomar

Affirmative Commands of Tomar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Toma asiento, por favor! (Take a seat, please!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Tomar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No tomes tanto sol (Don't get so much sun).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Tomar

• Tomar el pelo - to pull someone's leg, to tease
• Tomar una decisión - to make a decision
• Tomar el sol - to sunbathe
• Tomarse algo a pecho - to take something to heart, to take it personally
• Tomar nota - to take note, to write something down