What does cantar mean?
cantar means to sing in English. It is a regular -ar verb.
It can also be used with these related meanings: to stink.
Spanish verb guide
Cantar Conjugation in Spanish
Learn cantar, meaning to sing, through verified forms and contextual examples.
regular-argerund: cantandoparticiple: cantado
Principal forms of cantar
- Infinitive
- cantar
- Gerund
- cantando
- Past participle
- cantado
Cantar 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 | canto | canté | cantaba | cantaré |
| tú | cantas | cantaste | cantabas | cantarás |
| él / ella / usted | canta | cantó | cantaba | cantará |
| nosotros/as | cantamos | cantamos | cantábamos | cantaremos |
| ellos/as / ustedes | cantan | cantaron | cantaban | cantarán |
Pattern notes
- Cantar follows the regular -ar pattern in the four tenses shown here.
Examples with cantar
Tom le cantó a Mary.Tom sang to Mary.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Tomás cantó junto a María.Tom sang with Mary.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Ella cantaba mejor que él.She sang better than him.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Practice prompts
- Conjugate cantar 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 cantar online
Use VerbyGo for a quick conjugation round with instant feedback and accent checking.