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insistir

een-sees-TEERinsi'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

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

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

Imperfect Subjunctive

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

Indicative

Present

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

Preterite

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

Imperfect

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

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "insistir" in Spanish:

to emphasize→to insist→to persist→

✏️ 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...'.