bailar
by-LAHR
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ella quiere bailar salsa toda la noche.
A1She wants to dance salsa all night.
¿Sabes bailar? Podemos ir a la fiesta.
A1Do you know how to dance? We can go to the party.
El cuadro está mal colgado y parece que va a bailar.
B2The painting is badly hung and looks like it's going to wobble.
💡 Grammar Points
A Regular AR Verb
This verb is very friendly! It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar. If you know how to conjugate 'hablar' (to talk), you know how to conjugate 'bailar'.
Bailar vs. Danzar
'Bailar' is the common, everyday word for dancing, whether professionally or socially. 'Danzar' is usually reserved for formal, artistic, or traditional dance performances.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'a' when naming the dance style
Mistake: "Voy a bailar a salsa."
Correction: Voy a bailar salsa. (You don't need 'a' or 'el/la' before the dance style unless you use the noun 'danza'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Using the Gerund
To say someone 'is dancing' right now, use the 'estar + gerund' pattern: 'Estamos bailando' (We are dancing).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: bailar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the past tense (preterite) form of 'bailar'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'bailar' always mean 'to dance'?
Almost always! It's the standard verb. However, sometimes it is used figuratively to mean 'to wobble' or 'to be unstable,' like when describing a wobbly table or a loose tooth.
Is 'bailar' a regular verb?
Yes, absolutely! It is a perfectly regular -ar verb, meaning it follows the standard, easy-to-learn pattern for all tenses.