What does apretar mean?
apretar means to squeeze in English. It is a irregular -ar verb.
It can also be used with these related meanings: to tighten, constrict or compress; to press (e.g., a button).
Spanish verb guide
Apretar Conjugation in Spanish
Learn apretar, meaning to squeeze, through verified forms and contextual examples.
irregular-argerund: apretandoparticiple: apretado
Principal forms of apretar
- Infinitive
- apretar
- Gerund
- apretando
- Past participle
- apretado
Apretar conjugation table
Compare the present, preterite, imperfect, and future forms. Reflexive pronouns are included where the verb requires them.
| Pronoun | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | aprieto | apreté | apretaba | apretaré |
| tú | aprietas | apretaste | apretabas | apretarás |
| él / ella / usted | aprieta | apretó | apretaba | apretará |
| nosotros/as | apretamos | apretamos | apretábamos | apretaremos |
| ellos/as / ustedes | aprietan | apretaron | apretaban | apretarán |
Pattern notes
- Its forms differ from a fully regular -ar pattern in the present.
Examples with apretar
Tom se apretó el cinturón de seguridad.Tom fastened his seatbelt.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yo no apreté el gatillo.I didn't pull the trigger.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tom no apretó el gatillo.Tom didn't pull the trigger.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Practice prompts
- Conjugate apretar for yo in the present.
- Use the preterite form for ella.
- Say the nosotros/as imperfect form.
- Write a short sentence in the future.
Practice apretar online
Use VerbyGo for a quick conjugation round with instant feedback and accent checking.