A high quality storybook illustration of a young child sitting alone on the floor, resting their chin thoughtfully on their hand, indicating deep internal questioning.

preguntarme

preh-goon-TAHR-meh

verbA2regular ar

to ask myself?as in, posing a question to oneself,to wonder?as in, contemplating or having an internal question

Also:to question myself?as in, doubting one's own actions or motives

Quick Reference

infinitivepreguntar

gerundpreguntando

past Participlepreguntado

📝 In Action

Necesito preguntarme si esto es lo correcto.

I need to ask myself if this is the right thing.

Empecé a preguntarme por qué nadie había llegado.

I started to wonder why no one had arrived.

Antes de decidir, debes preguntarme a mí.

Before deciding, you must ask me (the speaker).

Word Connections

Synonyms

cuestionarme (to question myself)
inquirir (to inquire)

Common Collocations

preguntarme a mí mismo – to ask myself (literally)
preguntarme si vale la pena – to wonder if it's worth it

💡 Grammar Points

Two Words in One

This word is the base verb 'preguntar' (to ask) with the pronoun 'me' (me/myself) stuck to the end. The 'me' tells you the action is happening to or for the speaker.

Pronoun Placement Rule

When you conjugate this verb (use it in a specific tense), the 'me' detaches and moves to the front: 'Yo me pregunto' (I ask myself). It only stays attached in the infinitive (preguntarme), the gerund (preguntándome), and affirmative commands (pregúntame).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the Reflexive Meaning

Mistake: "Using 'preguntar' when you mean 'wondering' about yourself."

Correction: Use the full reflexive structure, 'preguntarme' or 'me pregunto,' when the question is internal (I wonder). If you are asking someone else, use 'preguntar.'

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing Wonder

Using 'preguntarme' is the most natural way to say 'I wonder' in Spanish, usually followed by 'si' (if) or 'por qué' (why).

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedse pregunta

yome pregunto

túte preguntas

ellos/ellas/ustedesse preguntan

nosotrosnos preguntamos

vosotrosos preguntáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedse preguntaba

yome preguntaba

túte preguntabas

ellos/ellas/ustedesse preguntaban

nosotrosnos preguntábamos

vosotrosos preguntabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedse preguntó

yome pregunté

túte preguntaste

ellos/ellas/ustedesse preguntaron

nosotrosnos preguntamos

vosotrosos preguntasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedse pregunte

yome pregunte

túte preguntes

ellos/ellas/ustedesse pregunten

nosotrosnos preguntemos

vosotrosos preguntéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedse preguntara

yome preguntara

túte preguntaras

ellos/ellas/ustedesse preguntaran

nosotrosnos preguntáramos

vosotrosos preguntarais

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: preguntarme

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'preguntarme' in the past tense (I wondered)?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

preguntar(to ask) - verb

la pregunta(the question) - noun

preguntón(nosy person) - adjective/noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'preguntarme' look different from 'me pregunto'?

'Preguntarme' is the base form (infinitive), which is used after other verbs (like 'debo preguntarme'). 'Me pregunto' is the conjugated form, used when it is the main action of the sentence (I ask myself/I wonder).

Does 'preguntarme' always mean 'to ask myself'?

Not always. It can also mean 'to ask me' (the speaker), especially if the subject of the sentence is someone else, as in: 'Él va a preguntarme' (He is going to ask me).