Spanish Verb Cambiar Conjugation

Cambiar is a common Spanish verb that usually means to change or exchange. It can be used in a wide variety of situations, such as exchanging money, changing the physical structure of things, modifying appearances, changing opinions, changing plans, and so on. The reflexive form cambiarse can also be used for changing clothes.

Cambiar Conjugation

Cambiar is conjugated regularly, in the same way as other -ar verbs. Don't let the i in the verb's stem confuse you—although it's unusual for a verb's stem to end in a vowel, the conjugation pattern remains the same.

Cambiar is conjugated below in all its simple forms: present indicative, preterite indicative, imperfect indicative, future indicative, conditional indicative, present subjunctive, imperfect subjunctive, and imperative. The past participle and the gerund, both used in the compound tenses, are also shown.

Other verbs conjugated in the same way are apreciar (to value), limpiar (to clean), odiar (to hate), remediar (to solve), and dozens of others.

Present Indicative Tense of Cambiar

The present indicative is the most common tense in Spanish. Much like the English present tense, it can be used not only for ongoing actions, but also for telling of past events in narratives and for events planned for the near future.

Cambiar Preterite

The preterite is used similarly to the simple English past tense, which usually ends in -ed.

Imperfect Indicative Form of Cambiar

In Spanish, the imperfect indicative form is used to talk about a past action without a specific beginning or end. It is similar to "was changing" or "used to change" in English.

Cambiar Future Tense

The future tense is used much like the "will + verb" form in English. It can also be used for supposing something might be true.

Periphrastic Future of Cambiar

In everyday speech, the periphrastic future is used more often than the simple future shown above. It is much like the "going to + verb" future form of English.

Present Progressive/Gerund Form of Cambiar

The gerund is used with verbs such as estar and andar to refer to an ongoing action.

Gerund of Cambiar: está cambiando

is changing -> Ella está cambiando los planes de viaje.

Past Participle of Cambiar

In addition to helping form the perfect tenses, the past participle is frequently used as an adjective. For example, a changed person is una persona cambiada.

Participle of Cambiar: ha cambiado

has changed -> Ella ha cambiado los planes de viaje.

Conditional Form of Cambiar

Present Subjunctive of Cambiar

The subjunctive mood is used much more often in Spanish than in English. It is used in clauses beginning with que.

Imperfect Subjunctive Forms of Cambiar

The imperfect subjunctive can be conjugated in two ways, which are both considered correct. Usage depends on local customs.

Option 1

Option 2

Imperative Forms of Cambiar

Imperative (Positive Command)

Imperative (Negative Command)