Inklingo
A row of blue birds with one bird painted bright red.

alterar

to change

Complete conjugation tables and interactive practice exercises. This is a regular -ar verb.

The Spanish verb alterar means to change.

Present tense:

yoaltero
alteras
él/ella/ustedaltera
nosotrosalteramos
vosotrosalteráis
ellos/ellas/ustedesalteran

Complete Conjugation Tables

Reference all tenses and moods

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesalteraran
yoalterara
alteraras
vosotrosalterarais
nosotrosalteráramos
él/ella/ustedalterara

The imperfect subjunctive of alter (alterara/alterase) is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, or polite requests.

Forms, examples & usage →

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesalteren
yoaltere
alteres
vosotrosalteréis
nosotrosalteremos
él/ella/ustedaltere

The present subjunctive of alter (altere, alteres, alteremos, alteréis, alteren) is used after expressions of will, doubt, emotion, and uncertainty.

Forms, examples & usage →

imperative

negative

no alteres
vosotrosno alteréis
ustedesno alteren
nosotrosno alteremos
ustedno altere

Negative commands for alter are formed with 'no' + present subjunctive: no alteres, no altere, no alteremos, no alteréis, no alteren.

Forms, examples & usage →

affirmative

altera
vosotrosalterad
ustedesalteren
nosotrosalteremos
ustedaltere

Alter commands are mostly regular: ¡altera, altere, alteremos, alterad, alteren!

Forms, examples & usage →

indicative

conditional

ellos/ellas/ustedesalterarían
yoalteraría
alterarías
vosotrosalteraríais
nosotrosalteraríamos
él/ella/ustedalteraría

The conditional of alter (alteraría, alterarías, alteraría, alteraríamos, alteraríais, alterarían) expresses hypotheticals ('would') and polite requests.

Forms, examples & usage →

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesalteraron
yoalteré
alteraste
vosotrosalterasteis
nosotrosalteramos
él/ella/ustedalteró

The preterite of alter is regular: alteré, alteraste, alteró, alteramos, alterasteis, alteraron.

Forms, examples & usage →

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesalteraban
yoalteraba
alterabas
vosotrosalterabais
nosotrosalterábamos
él/ella/ustedalteraba

The imperfect of alter (alteraba, alterabas, alteraba, alterábamos, alterabais, alteraban) describes ongoing or habitual past actions.

Forms, examples & usage →

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesalteran
yoaltero
alteras
vosotrosalteráis
nosotrosalteramos
él/ella/ustedaltera

The present tense of alter (altero, alteras, altera, alteramos, alteráis, alteran) describes current actions, habits, or general truths.

Forms, examples & usage →

future

ellos/ellas/ustedesalterarán
yoalteraré
alterarás
vosotrosalteraréis
nosotrosalteraremos
él/ella/ustedalterará

The future tense of alter (alteraré, alterarás, alterará, alteraremos, alteraréis, alterarán) indicates actions that will happen.

Forms, examples & usage →

Practice Conjugations

Test your knowledge with interactive exercises

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Take alterar from tables to real Spanish

Conjugation tables are the start. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see 'alterar' in action across real sentences — and build the instinct that native speakers have.