aprobar Present Conjugation
aprobar — to pass
Aprobar is an o-to-ue stem-changer in the present: apruebo, apruebas, aprueba, aprobamos, aprobáis, aprueban.
aprobar Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense to talk about passing exams, approving laws, or giving the 'okay' to plans in the current moment or as a general rule.
Notes on aprobar in the Present
This is a radical-changing verb. The 'o' changes to 'ue' in all forms except nosotros and vosotros (the 'boot' pattern).
Example Sentences
Yo siempre apruebo mis exámenes de matemáticas.
I always pass my math exams.
yo
Mi jefe no aprueba mis vacaciones todavía.
My boss doesn't approve my vacation yet.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros aprobamos los presupuestos cada año.
We approve the budgets every year.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'aprobamos' with the 'ue' change (apruebamos).
Correct: The correct form is 'aprobamos'.
Why: Stem changes never occur in the nosotros or vosotros forms in the present indicative.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: aprobé
Aprobar is completely regular in the preterite: aprobé, aprobaste, aprobó, aprobamos, aprobasteis, aprobaron.
Imperfect
yo: aprobaba
Aprobar is regular in the imperfect: aprobaba, aprobabas, aprobaba, aprobábamos, aprobabais, aprobaban.
Future
yo: aprobaré
The future of aprobar is regular: aprobaré, aprobarás, aprobará, aprobaremos, aprobaréis, aprobarán.
Conditional
yo: aprobaría
The conditional of aprobar is regular: aprobaría, aprobarías, aprobaría, aprobaríamos, aprobaríais, aprobarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: apruebe
The present subjunctive follows the o-to-ue stem change: apruebe, apruebes, apruebe, aprobemos, aprobéis, aprueben.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: aprobara
The imperfect subjunctive of aprobar is regular: aprobara, aprobaras, aprobara, aprobáramos, aprobarais, aprobaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: aprueba
The imperative uses the stem change for most forms: aprueba (tú), apruebe (usted), aprobemos (nosotros), aprobad (vosotros), aprueben (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no apruebes
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive: no apruebes, no apruebe, no aprobemos, no aprobéis, no aprueben.