to build, to construct
hablamos regular endingpienso stem changetengo irregularbusqué spelling change
Presente · What happens now or habitually
Mis tíos construyen casas en Santo Domingo.
My uncles build houses in Santo Domingo.
Pretérito · A completed action in the past
Mi abuelo construyó esta casa con sus manos.
My grandfather built this house with his own hands.
Imperfecto · Ongoing or habitual past; "used to"
Los pescadores construían sus propios botes.
The fishermen used to build their own boats.
Futuro · What will happen
Construiremos un cuarto más en el patio.
We'll build one more room in the yard.
Condicional · What would happen
Yo construiría una casa frente al mar.
I would build a house facing the sea.
Pretérito perfecto · Has/have done
Han construido un hotel nuevo en la playa.
They've built a new hotel on the beach.
Pluscuamperfecto · Had done
El gobierno ya había construido la carretera.
The government had already built the highway.
Futuro perfecto · Will have done
Para el año que viene ya habrán construido el puente.
By next year they will have built the bridge.
Condicional perfecto · Would have done
Con más dinero, habríamos construido una casa más grande.
With more money, we would have built a bigger house.
Presente de subjuntivo · Wishes, doubts, emotions about the present or future
Quiero que construyas una cerca alrededor del patio.
I want you to build a fence around the yard.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-ra) · Hypotheticals and past wishes; the common form
Esperábamos que construyeran una escuela en el barrio.
We were hoping they would build a school in the neighborhood.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-se) · Same meaning as -ra; more literary
Pedimos que construyesen un parque.
We asked them to build a park.
Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo · Subjunctive for something that has happened
Me alegra que hayan construido ese puente.
I'm glad they've built that bridge.
Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo · Contrary-to-fact past: "if I had..."
Si hubiera construido la cerca, el perro no se habría escapado.
If I had built the fence, the dog wouldn't have gotten out.
Imperativo afirmativo · Commands: do it!
Construye tu futuro con paciencia.
Build your future with patience.
Imperativo negativo · Commands: don't do it!
Rarely used with this verb.