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sustituir

soos-tee-twee-eersustituˈiɾ

“sustituir” means “to replace” in Spanish (general use for items or people).

to replace

Also: to substitute, to fill in for
VerbB1irregular ir
A hand placing a fresh, whole apple on a table where a core used to be.
gerundsustituyendo
past Participlesustituido
infinitivesustituir

📝 In Action

Voy a sustituir el azúcar por miel en esta receta.

A2

I'm going to replace the sugar with honey in this recipe.

El entrenador decidió sustituir al jugador en el segundo tiempo.

B1

The coach decided to substitute the player in the second half.

Es difícil sustituir a un amigo tan bueno.

B2

It's hard to replace such a good friend.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • reemplazar (to replace)
  • suplir (to supply/fill in for)
  • relevar (to relieve/take over a shift)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • sustituir por – to replace with
  • sustituir a alguien – to fill in for someone
  • difícil de sustituir – hard to replace

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yosustituyera
túsustituyeras
él/ella/ustedsustituyera
nosotrossustituyéramos
vosotrossustituyerais
ellos/ellas/ustedessustituyeran

Present Subjunctive

yosustituya
túsustituyas
él/ella/ustedsustituya
nosotrossustituyamos
vosotrossustituyáis
ellos/ellas/ustedessustituyan

Indicative

Preterite

yosustituí
túsustituiste
él/ella/ustedsustituyó
nosotrossustituimos
vosotrossustituisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedessustituyeron

Imperfect

yosustituía
túsustituías
él/ella/ustedsustituía
nosotrossustituíamos
vosotrossustituíais
ellos/ellas/ustedessustituían

Present

yosustituyo
túsustituyes
él/ella/ustedsustituye
nosotrossustituimos
vosotrossustituís
ellos/ellas/ustedessustituyen
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sustituir" in Spanish:

to replace→to substitute→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sustituir

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I replace' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
sustituto(substitute (person)) — Noun
sustitución(replacement/substitution) — Noun
sustituible(replaceable) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'substituere,' which combines 'sub' (under/in place of) and 'statuere' (to set or place). It literally means 'to place in someone else's stead.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: substituteFrench: substituerItalian: sostituire

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'sustituir' more formal than 'reemplazar'?

Not necessarily. Both are used in everyday Spanish, though 'sustituir' is very common in professional, technical, or sports contexts.

When do I need to use the 'y' when conjugating?

Use the 'y' in the present tense (except for 'we' and 'you all') and in the third-person preterite (he/she/they). Basically, whenever an 'i' would be trapped between two 'u' sounds or other vowels.

Can I use 'sustituir' for a person who is sick at work?

Yes! You can say 'Él va a sustituir a María hoy' (He is going to fill in for Maria today).