Obligar means to compel or force someone to do something. It is used when indicating that an external factor or authority imposes an obligation.
Learn up to 20,000 Spanish words with our spaced repetition app!
El Presente - used to talk about situations, events or thoughts that are happening now or in the near future
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligo | Yo obligo a mis hijos a estudiar. I oblige my children to study. | |
| Tú | obligas | Tú obligas a todos a seguir las reglas. You oblige everyone to follow the rules. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obliga | Ella obliga a su equipo a trabajar duro. She obliges her team to work hard. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obligamos | Nosotros obligamos a los estudiantes a entregar la tarea. We oblige the students to submit the homework. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligáis | Vosotros obligáis a los niños a comer verduras. You all oblige the children to eat vegetables. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obligan | Ellos obligan a sus empleados a cumplir las normas. They oblige their employees to follow the rules. |
El Pretérito Indefinido - used to talk about actions completed in the past, at a specific point in time
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligué | Yo obligué a mi hermano a estudiar. I forced my brother to study. | |
| Tú | obligaste | Tú obligaste a tu amigo a venir. You forced your friend to come. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obligó | Él obligó a su jefe a escuchar. He forced his boss to listen. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obligamos | Nosotros obligamos a los estudiantes a participar. We forced the students to participate. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligasteis | Vosotros obligasteis a los niños a dormir. You all forced the children to sleep. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obligaron | Ellos obligaron a la empresa a pagar. They forced the company to pay. |
El Pretérito Imperfecto - used to describe regular and repeated actions that happened in the past
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligaba | Yo obligaba a mis amigos a estudiar. I used to force my friends to study. | |
| Tú | obligabas | Tú obligabas a tus hermanos a limpiar. You used to make your siblings clean. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obligaba | Ella obligaba a su hijo a comer verduras. She used to make her son eat vegetables. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obligábamos | Nosotros obligábamos a los niños a respetar. We used to make the children respect. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligabais | Vosotros obligabais a los empleados a llegar temprano. You all used to make the employees arrive early. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obligaban | Ellos obligaban a los estudiantes a participar. They used to force the students to participate. |
El Presente Progresivo - used to talk about something that is happening continuously or right now
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | estoy obligando | Estoy obligando a mi hermano a estudiar. I am forcing my brother to study. | |
| Tú | estás obligando | Estás obligando a tus amigos a venir. You are forcing your friends to come. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | está obligando | Ella está obligando a su hijo a comer. She is forcing her son to eat. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | estamos obligando | Estamos obligando a los niños a hacer la tarea. We are forcing the children to do the homework. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | estáis obligando | Vosotros estáis obligando a los empleados a trabajar más. You all are forcing the employees to work more. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | están obligando | Ellos están obligando a los estudiantes a participar. They are forcing the students to participate. |
El Futuro Próximo - used to talk about something that will happen in the future, especially in the near future
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | voy a obligar | Voy a obligar a mi hermano a estudiar. I am going to force my brother to study. | |
| Tú | vas a obligar | Vas a obligar a tus amigos a venir. You are going to force your friends to come. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | va a obligar | Ella va a obligar a su jefe a cambiar. She is going to force her boss to change. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | vamos a obligar | Vamos a obligar a los niños a comer. We are going to force the children to eat. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | vais a obligar | Vosotros vais a obligar a los estudiantes a participar. You all are going to force the students to participate. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | van a obligar | Ellos van a obligar a su equipo a entrenar más. They are going to force their team to train more. |
El Futuro Simple - used to talk about something that will happen in the future
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligaré | Obligaré a mis hijos a estudiar. I will force my children to study. | |
| Tú | obligarás | Tú obligarás a todos a participar. You will force everyone to participate. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obligará | Él obligará a sus empleados a cumplir la ley. He will force his employees to comply with the law. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obligaremos | Nosotros obligaremos a los estudiantes a asistir. We will force the students to attend. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligaréis | Vosotros obligaréis a todos a firmar. You all will force everyone to sign. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obligarán | Ellos obligarán a los vecinos a colaborar. They will force the neighbors to cooperate. |
El Condicional Simple - used to talk about something that may happen in the future, hypothesis and probabilities
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligaría | Yo obligaría a estudiar más si fuera necesario. I would force myself to study more if it were necessary. | |
| Tú | obligarías | Tú obligarías a tus hijos a aprender idiomas. You would force your children to learn languages. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obligaría | Él obligaría a todos a seguir las reglas. He would force everyone to follow the rules. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obligaríamos | Nosotros obligaríamos a participar en el proyecto. We would force ourselves to participate in the project. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligaríais | Vosotros obligaríais a los estudiantes a asistir. You all would force the students to attend. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obligarían | Ellos obligarían a todos a cumplir la ley. They would force everyone to comply with the law. |
El Pretérito Perfecto - used to describe actions that started recently and are still happening now
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | he obligado | He obligado a mi hermano a estudiar. I have forced my brother to study. | |
| Tú | has obligado | ¿Has obligado a alguien a mentir? Have you forced someone to lie? | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | ha obligado | Ella ha obligado a su equipo a trabajar más. She has forced her team to work more. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hemos obligado | Nosotros hemos obligado a los niños a comer. We have forced the children to eat. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habéis obligado | Vosotros habéis obligado a los empleados a firmar. You all have forced the employees to sign. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | han obligado | Ellos han obligado a los estudiantes a participar. They have forced the students to participate. |
El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto - used to talk about actions that happened before another action in the past
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | había obligado | Yo había obligado a estudiar más. I had forced him to study more. | |
| Tú | habías obligado | Tú habías obligado a salir temprano. You had forced to leave early. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | había obligado | Ella había obligado a participar. She had forced to participate. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habíamos obligado | Nosotros habíamos obligado a aceptar. We had forced to accept. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habíais obligado | Vosotros habíais obligado a firmar. You all had forced to sign. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habían obligado | Ellos habían obligado a cumplir. They had forced to comply. |
El Futuro Perfecto - used to talk about something that will have happened in the future after something else
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | habré obligado | Para entonces, habré obligado a todos a cumplir. By then, I will have forced everyone to comply. | |
| Tú | habrás obligado | Tú habrás obligado a ellos a aceptar. You will have forced them to accept. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | habrá obligado | Él habrá obligado a su equipo a ganar. He will have forced his team to win. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habremos obligado | Nosotros habremos obligado a todos a participar. We will have forced everyone to participate. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habréis obligado | Vosotros habréis obligado a los estudiantes a estudiar. You all will have forced the students to study. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrán obligado | Ellos habrán obligado a la empresa a cambiar. They will have forced the company to change. |
El Condicional Perfecto - used to talk about something that would have happened in the past but didn't
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | habría obligado | Yo habría obligado a estudiar más. I would have forced myself to study more. | |
| Tú | habrías obligado | Tú habrías obligado a ayudar si hubieras sabido. You would have forced yourself to help if you had known. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | habría obligado | Él habría obligado a participar en la reunión. He would have forced himself to participate in the meeting. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habríamos obligado | Nosotros habríamos obligado a cumplir la promesa. We would have forced ourselves to keep the promise. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habríais obligado | Vosotros habríais obligado a terminar el trabajo. You all would have forced yourselves to finish the work. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrían obligado | Ellos habrían obligado a respetar las reglas. They would have forced themselves to respect the rules. |
El Presente de Subjuntivo - used to talk about situations of uncertainty, or emotions such as wishes, desires and hopes
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligue | Es importante que yo obligue a los niños a estudiar. It's important that I force the children to study. | |
| Tú | obligues | Espero que tú obligues a tu hermano a venir. I hope that you force your brother to come. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obligue | Es posible que él obligue a los empleados a cumplir las reglas. It's possible that he forces the employees to follow the rules. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obliguemos | Queremos que nosotros obliguemos a todos a participar. We want us to force everyone to participate. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obliguéis | Es necesario que vosotros obliguéis a los estudiantes a entregar la tarea. It's necessary that you all force the students to submit the homework. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obliguen | Dudo que ellos obliguen a alguien a mentir. I doubt that they force someone to lie. |
El Imperfecto Subjuntivo - used to speak about unlikely or uncertain events in the past
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligara | Esperaba que él obligara a todos. I hoped that he would oblige everyone. | |
| Tú | obligaras | Pensé que tú obligaras a la gente. I thought that you would oblige the people. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obligara | Dudaba que ella obligara a los niños. I doubted that she would oblige the children. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obligáramos | Queríamos que nosotros obligáramos a todos. We wanted us to oblige everyone. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligarais | Esperaba que vosotros obligarais a los invitados. I hoped that you all would oblige the guests. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obligaran | No creía que ellos obligaran a nadie. I didn't believe that they would oblige anyone. |
El Futuro de Subjuntivo - used to speak about hypothetical situations and actions/events that may happen in the future
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligare | Si fuera necesario, obligare a todos. If necessary, I will oblige everyone. | |
| Tú | obligares | Tú obligares a seguir las reglas. You will oblige to follow the rules. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | obligare | Él obligare a participar en la reunión. He will oblige to participate in the meeting. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obligáremos | Nosotros obligáremos a terminar el proyecto. We will oblige to finish the project. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligareis | Vosotros obligareis a cumplir la ley. You all will oblige to comply with the law. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obligaren | Ellos obligaren a respetar las normas. They will oblige to respect the rules. |
El Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo - used to describe past actions still connected to the present
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | haya obligado | Espero que haya obligado a tiempo. I hope I have obliged on time. | |
| Tú | hayas obligado | Es posible que hayas obligado demasiado. It's possible that you have forced too much. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | haya obligado | Es importante que él haya obligado correctamente. It's important that he has obliged correctly. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hayamos obligado | Creemos que hayamos obligado a todos. We believe that we have obliged everyone. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hayáis obligado | No creo que hayáis obligado aún. I don't think that you have obliged yet. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hayan obligado | Es probable que hayan obligado en la reunión. It's likely that they have obliged in the meeting. |
El Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo - used to speak about hypothetical situations in the past
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | hubiera obligado | Pensé que hubiera obligado a todos. I thought I had forced everyone. | |
| Tú | hubieras obligado | Esperaba que hubieras obligado a tu hermano. I hoped you had forced your brother. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hubiera obligado | Ella dudaba que él hubiera obligado a nadie. She doubted that he had forced anyone. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéramos obligado | No creíamos que hubiéramos obligado a nadie. We didn't think we had forced anyone. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hubierais obligado | Si hubierais obligado, habría sido diferente. If you had forced, it would have been different. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieran obligado | No estaban seguros de que hubieran obligado. They weren't sure if they had forced anyone. |
El Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo - used to speak about something that will have happened if a hypothetical situation occurs
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | hubiere obligado | Para entonces, ya hubiere obligado a todos. By then, I will have already forced everyone. | |
| Tú | hubieres obligado | Es posible que tú hubieres obligado antes. It's possible that you will have forced before. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hubiere obligado | Quizá él hubiere obligado en esa situación. Perhaps he will have forced in that situation. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéremos obligado | Para entonces, nosotros hubiéremos obligado a todos. By then, we will have forced everyone. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hubiereis obligado | Es probable que vosotros hubiereis obligado antes. It's likely that you will have forced earlier. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieren obligado | Es posible que ellos hubieren obligado en esa situación. It's possible that they will have forced in that situation. |
El Imperativo Afirmativo - used to give orders and commands, to tell someone to do something
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | obligo | No des obligo a nadie. Don't force anyone. | |
| Tú | obliga | ¡Obliga a tu hermano a estudiar! Force your brother to study! | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | oblige | Oblige a tu hijo a comer. Force your son to eat. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | obliguemos | Obliguemos a todos a participar. Let's force everyone to participate. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | obligad | Obligad a los niños a limpiar. Force the children to clean. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | obliguen | Obliguen a los empleados a cumplir. Force the employees to comply. |
El Imperativo Negativo - used to give orders and commands, telling someone not to do something
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | no obligue | No obligue a nadie sin razón. Don't force anyone without reason. | |
| Tú | no obligues | No obligues a tus hijos a hacer eso. Don't force your children to do that. | |
| Él / Ella / Usted | no obligue | Por favor, no obligue a nadie a mentir. Please, don't force anyone to lie. | |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | no obliguemos | No obliguemos a los estudiantes a participar. Let's not force the students to participate. | |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | no obliguéis | No obliguéis a nadie a firmar eso. Don't force anyone to sign that. | |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | no obliguen | No obliguen a los empleados a trabajar horas extras. Don't force the employees to work overtime. |
Learn up to 20,000 Spanish words with our spaced repetition app!