pida
“pida” means “ask for” in Spanish (requesting something).
ask for, request, order
Also: beg
📝 In Action
Quiero que él pida disculpas por lo que hizo.
B1I want him to ask for forgiveness for what he did.
Es necesario que yo pida el recibo antes de salir.
A2It is necessary that I ask for the receipt before leaving.
Señora, pida lo que quiera, la casa invita.
B1Ma'am, order whatever you want, the house is paying (treating).
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pida
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'pida' as a command?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb *pedir* comes from the Latin word *petere*, which meant 'to seek' or 'to aim for.' Over time, the meaning narrowed to specifically asking for something that you seek.
First recorded: Old Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'pida' have an 'i' instead of the 'e' found in the infinitive 'pedir'?
This verb is irregular! In Spanish, certain verbs change their stem vowel in specific forms. *Pedir* changes its 'e' to an 'i' whenever the stress falls on that part of the word (like in *pido*, *pide*, and all of the *pida* forms).
When should I use 'pida' instead of 'pide'?
Use 'pida' when you are expressing a wish or necessity (subjunctive: 'Espero que pida...') or when giving a formal command to 'Usted' ('Pida la comida'). Use 'pide' when stating a fact in the present tense ('Él pide un taxi') or giving an informal command to 'tú' ('¡Pide un taxi!').