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insistir

een-sees-TEER/insi'stir/

“insistir” means “to insist” in Spanish (to demand something or firmly state a point).

to insist

Also: to emphasize, to persist
VerbA2regular ir
A determined child pointing firmly at a toy on a high shelf to show they want it.
gerundinsistiendo
infinitiveinsistir
past Participleinsistido

📝 In Action

Ella insiste en pagar la cena.

A1

She insists on paying for dinner.

Mis padres insistieron en que fuera a la universidad.

B1

My parents insisted that I go to college.

No quiero ser pesado, pero debo insistir en este punto.

B2

I don't want to be annoying, but I must insist on this point.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • reiterar (to reiterate)
  • porfiar (to persist stubbornly)
  • hacer hincapié (to emphasize)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • insistir en algo – to insist on something
  • insistir en que – to insist that...
  • volver a insistir – to insist again

Idioms & Expressions

  • quien la sigue la consigue – persistence pays off

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

present

yoinsista
nosotrosinsistamos
vosotrosinsistáis
él/ella/ustedinsista
ellos/ellas/ustedesinsistan
túinsistas

imperfect

yoinsistiera
nosotrosinsistiéramos
vosotrosinsistierais
él/ella/ustedinsistiera
ellos/ellas/ustedesinsistieran
túinsistieras

indicative

present

yoinsisto
nosotrosinsistimos
vosotrosinsistís
él/ella/ustedinsiste
ellos/ellas/ustedesinsisten
túinsistes

preterite

yoinsistí
nosotrosinsistimos
vosotrosinsististeis
él/ella/ustedinsistió
ellos/ellas/ustedesinsistieron
túinsististe

imperfect

yoinsistía
nosotrosinsistíamos
vosotrosinsistíais
él/ella/ustedinsistía
ellos/ellas/ustedesinsistían
túinsistías
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "insistir" in Spanish:

to insist→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: insistir

Question 1 of 3

Which preposition must follow 'insistir' when you insist on something?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
insistencia(insistence) — Noun
insistente(insistent) — Adjective
insistentemente(insistently) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin verb 'insistere', which means 'to stand upon', 'to halt', or 'to pursue eagerly'. It combines 'in-' (upon) and 'sistere' (to stand).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: insistFrench: insisterItalian: insistere

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'insistir' always followed by 'en'?

Almost always. Whether you are followed by a noun ('insistir en el precio') or a verb ('insistir en salir'), you need 'en'.

Does 'insistir' mean the same as 'obligar'?

No. 'Insistir' means to be persistent or firm, while 'obligar' means to force someone to do something. You can insist without forcing!

Can I say 'Insisto que...'?

In informal speech, some people omit the 'en', but in correct, standard Spanish, it should always be 'Insisto en que...'.