A colorful puzzle with one piece perfectly fitting into the center of the others.

pertenezco

pehr-teh-NESS-koh

verbA2irregular er

I belong?membership in a group or fitting in

Also:I pertain to?relevance or relation to a topic

Quick Reference

gerundperteneciendo

past Participlepertenecido

infinitivepertenecer

📝 In Action

Yo pertenezco a un club de lectura.

I belong to a book club.

Siento que finalmente pertenezco a esta comunidad.

I feel like I finally belong to this community.

Yo no pertenezco a ese mundo de lujos.

I don't belong to that world of luxury.

Word Connections

Synonyms

soy parte de (I am part of)
integro (I make up / I am a member of)

Antonyms

sobro (I am extra / I don't fit in)

Common Collocations

pertenezco a un grupo – I belong to a group
no pertenezco aquí – I don't belong here

💡 Grammar Points

The 'ZC' Spelling Change

For verbs like 'pertenecer,' the 'c' changes to 'zc' when you use the 'I' form (yo) in the present. This keeps the pronunciation sounding consistent!

❌ Common Pitfalls

Don't say 'perteneco'

Mistake: "Yo perteneco a este club."

Correction: Yo pertenezco a este club. Remember that the 'z' is required for the correct 'I belong' form.

⭐ Usage Tips

Always use 'a'

When saying you belong 'to' something, always use the word 'a' right after 'pertenezco'.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecieran

yoperteneciera

túpertenecieras

vosotrospertenecierais

nosotrosperteneciéramos

él/ella/ustedperteneciera

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespertenezcan

yopertenezca

túpertenezcas

vosotrospertenezcáis

nosotrospertenezcamos

él/ella/ustedpertenezca

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecieron

yopertenecí

túperteneciste

vosotrospertenecisteis

nosotrospertenecimos

él/ella/ustedperteneció

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecían

yopertenecía

túpertenecías

vosotrospertenecíais

nosotrospertenecíamos

él/ella/ustedpertenecía

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespertenecen

yopertenezco

túperteneces

vosotrospertenecéis

nosotrospertenecemos

él/ella/ustedpertenece

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pertenezco

Question 1 of 1

If you want to say 'I belong to the team,' which is correct?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

pertenecer(to belong) - verb

pertenencia(belonging / membership) - noun

perteneciente(belonging to) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'pertenezco' only used for people?

While it's most common for people to say where they belong, it can also be used formally by an entity or in literature to describe a connection, though usually, objects use 'pertenece' (it belongs).

Does it mean the same as 'encajar'?

'Pertenezco' refers to formal membership or ownership, while 'encajar' means 'to fit in' socially or physically.