adelantar Present Conjugation
adelantar — to overtake
The present tense of 'adelantar' (adelanto, adelantas, adelanta) describes current actions or habitual movements forward.
adelantar Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense for actions happening right now, habitual actions, or general truths. This could mean literally moving forward ('El coche adelanta al otro') or figuratively moving something forward in time ('Ella adelanta su jubilación').
Notes on adelantar in the Present
Adelantar is regular in the present indicative tense. All forms follow the standard conjugation for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.
Example Sentences
Yo adelanto el pago para evitar intereses.
I move the payment forward to avoid interest.
yo
¿Tú adelantas en el trabajo o vas despacio?
Are you moving forward in your job or going slowly?
tú
El tren adelanta a la vieja locomotora.
The train overtakes the old locomotive.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros adelantamos la reunión una hora.
We are moving the meeting up an hour.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'estar + gerund' for habitual actions.
Correct: For habitual actions like 'I always move my payments forward', use the simple present: 'Yo adelanto el pago'.
Why: The simple present is used for habitual actions, while 'estar + gerund' is for actions in progress at the moment of speaking.
Mistake: Confusing the 'vosotros' form.
Correct: The correct form is 'adelantáis', not 'adelantan' or 'adelantas'.
Why: The 'vosotros' ending for regular -ar verbs in the present indicative is -áis.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: adelanté
The preterite of 'adelantar' (adelanté, adelantaste, adelantó) marks completed actions like overtaking a car.
Imperfect
yo: adelantaba
The imperfect of 'adelantar' (adelantaba, adelantabas, adelantaba) describes past ongoing actions or habits, like always moving forward.
Future
yo: adelantaré
The future tense of 'adelantar' (adelantaré, adelantarás, adelantará) predicts future actions like overtaking or moving something forward.
Conditional
yo: adelantaría
The conditional of 'adelantar' (adelantaría, adelantarías, adelantaría) expresses hypothetical actions ('would move forward') or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: adelante
The present subjunctive of adelantar (e.g., 'adelante', 'adelantes') is used after expressions of desire, doubt, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: adelantara
The imperfect subjunctive of adelantar (e.g., 'adelantara', 'adelantaras') is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, or polite requests.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: adelanta
Use the imperative of adelantar for direct commands like 'adelanta' (you, informal) or 'adelanten' (you all, formal).
Negative Imperative
yo: no adelantes
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: 'no adelantes' (don't move forward), 'no adelanten' (don't move forward).