
tentar Affirmative Imperative Conjugation
tentar — to tempt
The imperative uses 'tienta' (tú) and 'tiente' (usted), following the stem change.
tentar Affirmative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Affirmative Imperative
Use the imperative to tell someone to feel something or to (usually figuratively) tempt someone.
Notes on tentar in the Affirmative Imperative
The singular forms (tú, usted, ustedes) use the 'ie' stem change. The 'vosotros' form is 'tentad'.
Example Sentences
Tienta la tela, es muy suave.
Feel the fabric, it's very soft.
tú
No se tiente el bolsillo todavía.
Don't check (feel) your pocket yet.
usted
Tentad el vado antes de cruzar.
Test the ford before crossing.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'tenta' for the tú command.
Correct: The correct command is 'tienta'.
Why: The affirmative tú command usually matches the third-person singular present indicative, which has the stem change.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: tiento
The present tense of tentar features an e-to-ie stem change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Preterite
yo: tenté
The preterite of tentar is completely regular: tenté, tentaste, tentó, tentamos, tentasteis, tentaron.
Imperfect
yo: tentaba
The imperfect of tentar is regular: tentaba, tentabas, tentaba, tentábamos, tentabais, tentaban.
Future
yo: tentaré
The future tense is regular; simply add the endings to the infinitive: tentaré, tentarás, tentará...
Conditional
yo: tentaría
The conditional is regular: tentaría, tentarías, tentaría, tentaríamos, tentaríais, tentarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: tiente
The present subjunctive of tentar follows the e-to-ie stem change: tiente, tientes, tiente, tentemos, tentéis, tienten.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: tentara
The imperfect subjunctive is regular: tentara, tentaras, tentara, tentáramos, tentarais, tentaran.
Negative Imperative
yo: no tientes
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive forms: no tientes, no tiente, no tentemos...