Meaning and behavior
What does defender mean?
Defender means to defend, to protect, to hold down. VerbyGo classifies it as an irregular -ER verb. It is non-reflexive.
to stand up for, to stick up for; to uphold.
Build from reliable parts
Principal forms
- Infinitive
- defender
- Gerund
- defendiendo
- Past participle
- defendido
Verified irregular pattern
How this verb behaves
Its forms differ from a fully regular -er pattern in the present.
Conjugation guide
Present forms
Present forms
Present
Use the present forms of defender for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.
| Subject | Defender |
|---|---|
| yo | defiendo |
| tú | defiendes |
| él / ella / usted | defiende |
| nosotros / nosotras | defendemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | defendéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | defienden |
Conjugation guide
Past forms
Past forms
Preterite
Use the preterite when the action of defender is presented as completed in the past.
| Subject | Defender |
|---|---|
| yo | defendí |
| tú | defendiste |
| él / ella / usted | defendió |
| nosotros / nosotras | defendimos |
| vosotros / vosotras | defendisteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | defendieron |
Past forms
Imperfect past
Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of defender, or for background information.
| Subject | Defender |
|---|---|
| yo | defendía |
| tú | defendías |
| él / ella / usted | defendía |
| nosotros / nosotras | defendíamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | defendíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | defendían |
Conjugation guide
Future and conditional
Future and conditional
Simple future
Use the future forms of defender for predictions, promises and future statements.
| Subject | Defender |
|---|---|
| yo | defenderé |
| tú | defenderás |
| él / ella / usted | defenderá |
| nosotros / nosotras | defenderemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | defenderéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | defenderán |
Conjugation guide
Subjunctive forms
Subjunctive forms
Present subjunctive
Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.
| Subject | Defender |
|---|---|
| yo | defienda |
| tú | defiendas |
| él / ella / usted | defienda |
| nosotros / nosotras | defendamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | defendáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | defiendan |
Conjugation guide
Commands
Commands
Affirmative commands
Choose the affirmative command of defender that matches the person being addressed.
| Subject | Defender |
|---|---|
| tú | defiende |
| usted | defienda |
| nosotros / nosotras | defendamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | defended |
| ustedes | defiendan |
Commands
Negative commands
Use no with the matching command form of defender.
| Subject | Defender |
|---|---|
| tú | no defiendas |
| usted | no defienda |
| nosotros / nosotras | no defendamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | no defendáis |
| ustedes | no defiendan |
Verified context
Examples with defender
Defendían sus ideas a toda costa.
Defend your ideas at all costs.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRLa Marina defiende nuestras costas.
The navy defends our seacoast.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FREllos defendieron a su país de los invasores.
They defended their country against the invaders.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Quick answers
Defender FAQ
What does defender mean?
Defender means to defend, to protect, to hold down.
Is defender regular or irregular?
Defender is a irregular -ER verb.
What is the gerund of defender?
The gerund of defender is defendiendo.
What is the past participle of defender?
The past participle of defender is defendido.
How is defender conjugated in the present?
The verified public subject set is defiendo, defiendes, defiende, defendemos, defienden.
How is defender conjugated in the preterite?
The verified public subject set is defendí, defendiste, defendió, defendimos, defendieron.
Created by Alejandro Ruiz, an experienced Spanish tutor.