mentir
to lie
In the tables below, the stem is shown in black and the ending in purple.
1.Presente
Presente
Habitual actions, general truths, and what's happening now.
| yo | miento |
| tú | mientes |
| él/ella | miente |
| nosotros | mentimos |
| vosotros | mentís |
| ellos/ellas | mienten |
Siempre mientes cuando te preguntan sobre tu edad.
You always lie when they ask you about your age.
Ella no miente nunca, siempre dice la verdad.
She never lies, she always tells the truth.
2.Pretérito Indefinido
Pretérito Indefinido
Completed actions at a specific point in the past.
| yo | mentí |
| tú | mentiste |
| él/ella | mintió |
| nosotros | mentimos |
| vosotros | mentisteis |
| ellos/ellas | mintieron |
Ayer mentiste sobre dónde estabas.
Yesterday you lied about where you were.
Él mintió en su declaración durante el juicio.
He lied in his statement during the trial.
3.Imperfecto
Imperfecto
Ongoing or repeated actions in the past, descriptions, and background context.
| yo | mentía |
| tú | mentías |
| él/ella | mentía |
| nosotros | mentíamos |
| vosotros | mentíais |
| ellos/ellas | mentían |
Cuando éramos niños, a menudo mentíamos para salir de problemas.
When we were kids, we often lied to get out of trouble.
Siempre que hablaba con ella, sabía que mentía.
Whenever I talked to her, I knew she was lying.
4.Futuro Simple
Futuro Simple
Future actions, predictions, and speculation about the present.
| yo | mentiré |
| tú | mentirás |
| él/ella | mentirá |
| nosotros | mentiremos |
| vosotros | mentiréis |
| ellos/ellas | mentirán |
Mañana mentiré si me preguntas sobre el examen.
Tomorrow I will lie if you ask me about the exam.
Si no me crees, mentiré para que me creas.
If you don't believe me, I will lie so that you do.
5.Condicional
Condicional
Hypothetical situations, polite requests, and future-in-the-past.
| yo | mentiría |
| tú | mentirías |
| él/ella | mentiría |
| nosotros | mentiríamos |
| vosotros | mentiríais |
| ellos/ellas | mentirían |
Si tuviera que elegir, mentiría para protegerte.
If I had to choose, I would lie to protect you.
Ella diría que no miente, pero en realidad mentiría.
She would say she doesn't lie, but in reality, she would lie.
6.Subjuntivo Presente
Subjuntivo Presente
Wishes, doubts, emotions, and subordinate clauses expressing uncertainty.
| yo | mienta |
| tú | mientas |
| él/ella | mienta |
| nosotros | mintamos |
| vosotros | mintáis |
| ellos/ellas | mientan |
Es importante que no mientas en tu testimonio.
It's important that you don't lie in your testimony.
Espero que él no mienta sobre lo que sucedió.
I hope he doesn't lie about what happened.
7.Subjuntivo Imperfecto
Subjuntivo Imperfecto
Past subjunctive contexts, hypothetical si-clauses, and polite suggestions.
| yo | mintiera |
| tú | mintieras |
| él/ella | mintiera |
| nosotros | mintiéramos |
| vosotros | mintierais |
| ellos/ellas | mintieran |
Si supieras la verdad, desearías que no mintieras.
If you knew the truth, you would wish you hadn't lied.
Si ellos mintieran, perderían la confianza de todos.
If they lied, they would lose everyone's trust.
"mentir" in other languages
Related verbs
Common questions
- Is "mentir" regular or irregular in Spanish?
- "mentir" is an irregular Spanish verb. It does not follow the standard -ir conjugation pattern and must be memorized.
- How do you conjugate "mentir" in the present tense?
- In the Presente, "mentir" conjugates as: mientes, miento, mienten, and more. See the full table above.
- What is the past tense of "mentir" in Spanish?
- In the Pretérito Indefinido, "mentir" conjugates as: mentiste, mentí, mintieron, and more. See the full table above.
- How common is "mentir" in Spanish?
- "mentir" (to lie) is one of the most commonly used verbs in Spanish.