aspirar Present Subjunctive Conjugation
aspirar — to breathe in
The present subjunctive, like 'aspire' or 'aspiren', follows expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty.
aspirar Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
Use this tense after phrases like 'espero que' (I hope that), 'dudo que' (I doubt that), 'quiero que' (I want that), or 'es importante que' (it's important that) when the subject changes. For 'aspirar', it's often about hoping or wanting someone to breathe something in, or to aim for something.
Notes on aspirar in the Present Subjunctive
Aspirar is regular in the present subjunctive. The forms are the same as the 'yo' form of the present indicative ('aspiro') with the '-ar' ending changed to '-e': aspire, aspires, aspire, aspiremos, aspiréis, aspiren.
Example Sentences
Espero que aspires a algo más grande.
I hope you aspire to something bigger.
tú
Dudo que ellos aspiren a ganar.
I doubt they aim to win.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Quiero que aspires aire puro cada mañana.
I want you to breathe in pure air every morning.
Es importante que todos aspiremos a la igualdad.
It's important that we all aspire to equality.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the present indicative instead of the subjunctive: 'Espero que aspiras a algo más'.
Correct: Use 'Espero que aspires a algo más'.
Why: Expressions of hope, doubt, and desire trigger the subjunctive mood when the subject of the main clause is different from the subject of the subordinate clause.
Mistake: Using the infinitive when the subject is the same: 'Quiero aspirar a algo más'.
Correct: Use 'Quiero aspirar a algo más'.
Why: When the subject is the same ('I want to aspire'), use the infinitive. The subjunctive is only used when the subject changes (e.g., 'I want *you* to aspire').
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: aspiro
The present tense 'aspiro' is for actions happening now, habitual actions, or general truths.
Preterite
yo: aspiré
The preterite of aspirar is regular: aspiré, aspiraste, aspiró, aspiramos, aspirasteis, aspiraron.
Imperfect
yo: aspiraba
The imperfect 'aspiraba' describes ongoing past actions, habits, or background details.
Future
yo: aspiraré
The future tense 'aspiraré' expresses what will happen or probability.
Conditional
yo: aspiraría
The conditional 'aspiraría' is used for hypotheticals ('would'), polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: aspirara
The imperfect subjunctive, like 'aspirara' or 'aspirase', is for past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: aspira
Use imperative forms like 'aspira' (tú) and 'aspiren' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no aspires
Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive, like 'no aspires' (tú) or 'no aspiren' (ustedes).