Levantar conjugation Spanish verb

How levantar conjugates

Levantar is a regular -ar verb in every tense: levanto, levantas, levanta in the present, levanté, levantó in the preterite, levantaba in the imperfect. There are no stem or spelling changes. The main thing to learn is the difference between levantar (to lift something) and levantarse (to get up yourself), which needs the reflexive pronoun: me levanto, te levantaste, se levantaba.

Levantar in example sentences

• Present

  Me levanto a las seis para llegar a tiempo a la obra.

  I get up at six to get to the job site on time.

• Preterite

  Levanté la mano para hacer una pregunta, pero nadie me vio.

  I raised my hand to ask a question, but no one saw me.

• Imperfect

  Mi padre se levantaba antes del amanecer para abrir la panadería.

  My father got up before dawn to open the bakery.

• Future

  Levantaremos el muro del jardín la semana que viene.

  We'll put up the garden wall next week.

• Present perfect

  El inspector ha levantado un acta por falta de señalización.

  The inspector has filed a report for lack of signage.

• Present subjunctive

  No quiero que levantes cajas pesadas con la espalda así.

  I don't want you lifting heavy boxes with your back like that.

• Conditional

  Yo no levantaría la voz en la reunión; no ayuda.

  I wouldn't raise my voice in the meeting; it doesn't help.

• Affirmative commands

  Levanten la mano los que estén de acuerdo.

  Raise your hand if you agree.

Common phrases with levantar

levantarse temprano / tarde

to get up early / late

levantar la mano

to raise one's hand

levantar la voz

to raise one's voice

levantar el ánimo

to lift someone's spirits

levantarse con el pie izquierdo

to get up on the wrong side of the bed

levantar un acta

to draw up an official report

Mistakes to avoid

• Forgetting the reflexive pronoun for getting up: Me levanto a las siete, not *Levanto a las siete*.
• Using levantar for raising children. To raise kids is criar: Me criaron mis abuelos.
• Using levantar for raising prices or salaries, where subir is more natural: Subieron los precios.

Levantar tense by tense

• Levantar present
• Levantar preterite
• Levantar imperfect
• Levantar future
• Levantar conditional
• Levantar present subjunctive
• Levantar affirmative commands

Related verbs

• llevar to carry; to take; to wear; to have been (time)
• dejar to leave; to let; to allow; to quit
• tomar to take; to drink; to have (food or drink)

Most common Spanish verbs

• ser
• estar
• tener
• haber
• hacer
• ir
• poder
• decir
• dar
• ver
• saber
• querer

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