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pertenecer

per-te-ne-CERpeɾ.te.ne.ˈθeɾ

“pertenecer” means “to belong” in Spanish (to be part of a group, team, or organization).

to belong

Also: to be a member of, to belong to
VerbB1regular er
A colorful illustration of a person wearing a matching jersey standing with a group of friends who are all wearing the same uniform, smiling and arms around each other.
infinitivepertenecer
gerundperteneciendo
past Participlepertenecido

📝 In Action

Yo pertenezco a este club de lectura.

B1

I belong to this book club.

Este libro pertenece a la biblioteca pública.

B1

This book belongs to the public library.

María pertenece a una familia de músicos.

B2

Maria comes from a family of musicians (belongs to a family of musicians).

¿A qué categoría pertenece este producto?

B2

What category does this product belong to?

Los documentos pertenecen al departamento de recursos humanos.

B1

The documents belong to the human resources department.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • formar parte de (to be part of)
  • ser miembro de (to be a member of)

Antonyms

  • abandonar (to leave (a group))
  • separarse de (to separate from)

Common Collocations

  • pertenecer a un grupo – to belong to a group
  • pertenecer a una organización – to belong to an organization
  • pertenecer a una familia – to belong to / come from a family
  • pertenecer al patrimonio – to be part of the heritage/legacy

Indicative

Present

yopertenezco
túperteneces
él/ella/ustedpertenece
nosotrospertenecemos
vosotrospertenecéis
ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecen

Imperfect

yopertenecía
túpertenecías
él/ella/ustedpertenecía
nosotrospertenecíamos
vosotrospertenecíais
ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecían

Preterite

yopertenecí
túperteneciste
él/ella/ustedperteneció
nosotrospertenecimos
vosotrospertenecisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecieron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yopertenezca
túpertenezcas
él/ella/ustedpertenezca
nosotrospertenezcamos
vosotrospertenezcáis
ellos/ellas/ustedespertenezcan

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoperteneciera
túpertenecias
él/ella/ustedperteneciera
nosotrosperteneciéramos
vosotrospertenecierais
ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecieran
View All Tenses & Moods →

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "pertenecer" in Spanish:

to belong→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: pertenecer

Question 1 of 2

Which preposition must follow 'pertenecer'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From Latin 'pertinēre' meaning 'to pertain' or 'to belong to.' The Latin word comes from 'per-' (completely) and 'tenere' (to hold). So originally it meant 'to hold completely' or 'to be connected to.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: pertencerItalian: appartenereFrench: appartenirEnglish: pertain (related)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pertenecer' a regular verb?

Yes! 'pertenecer' is a completely regular -er verb. It follows the same pattern as other -er verbs like 'comer' or 'beber.' The only irregularity is that 'pertenecer' adds -zc- in some forms (yo pertenezco) - this is called a 'verb stem change' and makes it slightly special, but all the endings are regular.

What's the difference between 'pertenecer' and 'ser de'?

Both can mean 'to belong to,' but they're used differently. 'Pertenecer a' emphasizes being part of a group or having membership: 'Pertenezco al club de fútbol' (I belong to the soccer club). 'Ser de' is more about ownership: 'Este libro es de María' (This book belongs to / is Mary's). In many cases, they're interchangeable, but 'pertenecer' sounds more formal.

Can I use 'pertenecer' for things that are owned?

Yes! 'pertenecer' works for both people AND things: 'Esta casa pertenece a mis padres' (This house belongs to my parents), 'El coche pertenece a la empresa' (The car belongs to the company). It's very common in formal or written Spanish when discussing ownership.