lamer Present Conjugation
lamer — to lick
The present indicative (lamo, lames, lame, etc.) describes current or habitual licking.
lamer Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present indicative for actions of licking happening right now, habitual licking, or general truths. For example, 'The dog licks its paws' or 'Babies lick everything'.
Notes on lamer in the Present
Lamer is regular in the present indicative. The endings follow the standard pattern for -er verbs.
Example Sentences
Yo lamo el helado.
I lick the ice cream.
yo
Tú siempre lames tus dedos después de comer.
You always lick your fingers after eating.
tú
El gato lame su pelaje para limpiarse.
The cat licks its fur to clean itself.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros lamemos la pintura que se cae.
We lick the paint that falls off.
nosotros
Ellos lamen los vasos vacíos.
They lick the empty glasses.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the subjunctive instead of the indicative for factual statements, e.g., 'El gato lama su pelaje'.
Correct: For a factual statement about what the cat does, use the indicative: 'El gato lame su pelaje'.
Why: The indicative is used for facts and reality, while the subjunctive is for doubt, desire, etc.
Mistake: Confusing the 'yo' form 'lamo' with the imperative 'lama'.
Correct: 'Lamo' is 'I lick' (present indicative), while 'lama' is a command to 'usted' (imperative).
Why: These are different moods and persons, and the correct usage depends on context.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: lamí
The preterite of lamer (lamí, lamiste, lamió, etc.) describes completed licking actions in the past.
Imperfect
yo: lamía
The imperfect (lamía, lamías, etc.) describes past habits or ongoing licking actions.
Future
yo: lameré
The future tense (lameré, lamerás, etc.) indicates licking actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: lamería
The conditional (lamería, lamerías, etc.) expresses 'would' licking, polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: lama
The present subjunctive (lama, lamas, etc.) is used for wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: lamiera
The imperfect subjunctive forms (lamiera, lamieras, etc.) express hypothetical or past subjunctive actions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: lame
Lame, lamad, lama, lamamos, laman are commands for 'lick'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no lamas
No lamas, no lamáis, no lama, no lamamos, no laman are negative commands for 'lick'.