colgar Present Conjugation
colgar — to hang
Colgar is an o>ue stem-changer (cuelgo, cuelgas) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
colgar Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense to talk about where things are usually hung or to tell someone you are hanging up the phone right now.
Notes on colgar in the Present
This is a 'boot verb'. The 'o' changes to 'ue' in all forms except for the 'we' (nosotros) and 'you all' (vosotros) forms.
Example Sentences
Cuelgo mi abrigo en el armario.
I hang my coat in the closet.
yo
Siempre colgamos las llaves junto a la puerta.
We always hang the keys by the door.
nosotros
Si no contestan, ellos cuelgan rápido.
If they don't answer, they hang up quickly.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: yo colgo
Correct: yo cuelgo
Why: Colgar is a stem-changing verb; the 'o' must change to 'ue' in the stressed syllable.
Mistake: nosotros cuelgamos
Correct: nosotros colgamos
Why: Stem changes never happen in the nosotros form in the present tense.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: colgué
Colgar has a spelling change in the 'yo' form (colgué) to keep the hard 'g' sound, but is otherwise regular.
Imperfect
yo: colgaba
The imperfect of colgar is regular: colgaba, colgabas, colgaba, colgábamos, colgabais, colgaban.
Future
yo: colgaré
The future tense of colgar is completely regular: colgaré, colgarás, colgará, etc.
Conditional
yo: colgaría
The conditional is regular: colgaría, colgarías, colgaría, colgaríamos, colgaríais, colgarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: cuelgue
The present subjunctive features both the o>ue stem change and the g>gu spelling change (cuelgue).
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: colgara
The imperfect subjunctive is regular based on the preterite stem: colgara, colgaras, colgara...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: cuelga
Use 'cuelga' for friends and 'cuelgue' for formal situations.
Negative Imperative
yo: no cuelgues
Negative commands always use the present subjunctive: no cuelgues, no cuelgue, no colguemos.