Conjugate Pedir in Every Spanish Verb Tense: Spanish to English

Conjugate "Pedir" in Every Spanish Verb Tense. Learning Spanish is a rewarding and enriching experience, and verbs are an essential part of mastering the language. One of the most commonly used verbs in Spanish is "pedir," which means "to ask for" or "to request." It’s an irregular verb, meaning that its conjugations do not follow the standard rules for regular verbs. But don’t worry, in this tutorial, we’ll break it down for you step by step, so by the end, you'll have a clear understanding of how to conjugate pedir in every tense!

What Does "Pedir" Mean?

Before we dive into conjugations, let's make sure we understand the meaning of "pedir."

"Pedir" is used when you want to ask for something or request something from someone. For example:

• Pido un café. – I ask for a coffee.
• Ella pidió ayuda. – She asked for help.

Unlike the English "ask," which can also mean to inquire (ask a question), in Spanish, you would use a different verb for that: "preguntar." So, remember, "pedir" is used when asking for something.

How to Conjugate "Pedir" in Spanish

Now, let’s break down how to conjugate "pedir" in every verb tense. We will start with the present tense and work our way through the other common tenses. For each one, I’ll explain when and how to use the tense and provide examples to help you understand better.

Present Tense (Presente)

The present tense is used to talk about actions that are happening right now or routines that happen regularly.

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Present Tense:

Examples:

• Yo pido una pizza. (I ask for a pizza.)
• Tú pides ayuda. (You ask for help.)
• Nosotros pedimos direcciones. (We ask for directions.)

In the present tense, you’ll notice that yo, tú, él/ella, and ellos/ellas forms change the stem from "e" to "i" (pido, pides, pide, piden), but nosotros and vosotros keep the regular stem.

Preterite Tense (Pretérito)

The preterite tense is used for actions that happened at a specific point in the past and are now complete.

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Preterite Tense:

Examples:

• Yo pedí una pizza ayer. (I asked for a pizza yesterday.)
• Ella pidió una oportunidad. (She asked for a chance.)
• Ellos pidieron una explicación. (They asked for an explanation.)

Notice that in the preterite, the él/ella/usted and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms change the stem from "e" to "i" (pidió, pidieron), while the other forms are regular.

Imperfect Tense (Imperfecto)

The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions that were ongoing or habitual, or to set the stage for another action.

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Imperfect Tense:

Examples:

• Yo pedía permiso cada día. (I used to ask for permission every day.)
• Nosotros pedíamos ayuda cuando era necesario. (We used to ask for help when it was needed.)

The imperfect tense is regular for "pedir," so you don’t need to worry about any stem changes here!

Future Tense (Futuro)

The future tense is used to talk about actions that will happen in the future.

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Future Tense:

Examples:

• Yo pediré un aumento de sueldo. (I will ask for a raise.)
• Ellos pedirán permiso para salir. (They will ask for permission to leave.)

The future tense is straightforward, as it uses the full verb stem (pedir) with regular future tense endings.

Conditional Tense (Condicional)

The conditional tense is used to express what would happen under certain conditions or what someone would like to do.

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Conditional Tense:

Examples:

• Yo pediría más información si fuera necesario. (I would ask for more information if it were necessary.)
• Nosotros pediríamos un consejo. (We would ask for advice.)

The conditional tense is regular, so just add the conditional endings to the full stem of the verb pedir.

Present Subjunctive (Presente de Subjuntivo)

The present subjunctive is used to express doubt, desires, emotions, or possibilities. It often comes after the word que (that).

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Present Subjunctive:

Examples:

• Espero que tú pidas ayuda. (I hope that you ask for help.)
• Es importante que ellos pidan permiso. (It’s important that they ask for permission.)

In the present subjunctive, the stem changes from "e" to "i" (pida, pidas, etc.), just like in the present tense.

Imperfect Subjunctive (Imperfecto de Subjuntivo)

The imperfect subjunctive is used in situations of doubt, emotion, or hypothetical situations in the past.

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Imperfect Subjunctive:

Examples:

• Si yo pidiera ayuda, me ayudarías. (If I asked for help, you would help me.)
• Querían que él pidiera disculpas. (They wanted him to ask for an apology.)

Future Subjunctive (Futuro de Subjuntivo)

The future subjunctive is rarely used in modern Spanish, but you might still encounter it in old literature or legal documents.

Conjugation of "Pedir" in the Future Subjunctive:

You’ll most likely encounter the future subjunctive in legal contexts, and it’s not necessary for day-to-day conversation.

Gerund and Participle

Apart from the conjugated forms, it’s also important to know the gerund and past participle of "pedir," as they are used in progressive tenses and perfect tenses.

Gerund of "Pedir":

• Pidiendo – Asking

Examples:

• Estoy pidiendo ayuda. (I am asking for help.)

Past Participle of "Pedir":

• Pedido – Asked

Examples:

• He pedido un favor. (I have asked for a favor.)

Summary Table of "Pedir" in All Tenses

Here’s a handy table summarizing the main tenses and their conjugations for quick reference:

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge!

Now that you've learned how to conjugate "pedir" in every tense, it's time to test your knowledge. Try answering these questions:

1. How do you conjugate "pedir" in the present tense for the pronoun "yo"?
2. What is the preterite tense form of "pedir" for "él/ella/usted"?
3. How do you say "we used to ask" in Spanish using "pedir"?
4. What is the future tense conjugation for "nosotros"?
5. Conjugate "pedir" in the present subjunctive for "ellos."

Answers:

1. Yo pido.
2. Él/Ella/Usted pidió.
3. Nosotros pedíamos.
4. Nosotros pediremos.
5. Ellos pidan.

And there you have it! You've successfully learned how to conjugate "pedir" in every Spanish verb tense. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be using it confidently in conversations.