My brother and I attended a rock concert.
Similar to the English verb, “to assist,” in some instances asistir can mean “to help.” However, it most commonly is used in a way that translates to “to attend” in English (“to attend an event,” for example).
Asistir is considered a formal verb in Spanish and is used sparingly in everyday conversation. However, just in case you are invited to a formal event or a wedding, it’s good to have a basic understanding of the verb.
Conjugations
Before delving into the complexities of the meaning of asistir, here is a quick overview of its conjugations in several common verb tenses. Luckily, asistir is a completely regular -ir verb and follows all of the standard rules in all tenses.
Present
|
Yo |
asisto |
Nosotros/as |
asistimos |
|
Tú |
asistes |
Vosotros/as |
asistís |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
asiste |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
asisten |
Example Sentence:
- En el día de navidad, las niñas asisten con la comida en la cocina. → On Christmas Day, the girls assist with the food in the kitchen.
Imperfect
|
Yo |
asistía |
Nosotros/as |
asistíamos |
|
Tú |
asistías |
Vosotros/as |
asistíais |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
asistía |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
asistían |
Example Sentence:
- La enfermera le asistía a nuestra abuela. → The nurse cared for/treated our grandmother.
Preterite
|
Yo |
asistir |
Nosotros/as |
asistimos |
|
Tú |
asististe |
Vosotros/as |
asististeis |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
asistió |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
asistieron |
Example Sentence:
- El sábado pasado, mi hermano y yo asistimos a un concierto de rock. → Last Saturday, my brother and I attended a rock concert.
Future
|
Yo |
asistiré |
Nosotros/as |
asistiremos |
|
Tú |
asistirás |
Vosotros/as |
asistiréis |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
asistirá |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
asistirán |
Example Sentence:
- La próxima semana, asistiré a un evento para recaudar fondos para los damnificados del terremoto. → Next month, I will attend an event to raise money for the earthquake victims.
Conditional
|
Yo |
asistiría |
Nosotros/as |
asistiríamos |
|
Tú |
asistirías |
Vosotros/as |
asistiríais |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
asistiría |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
asistirían |
Example Sentence:
- Escuché que vosotros asistiríais a la boda de Carla y Manuel. → I heard that you guys were going to attend Carla and Manuel’s wedding.
Uses of the Verb Asistir
Asistir a un evento
Meaning, “to attend an event” this is the most common way that asistir is used. It’s rather formal, although you may hear it used to talk about attending concerts and university classes.
Asistir a alguien
Meaning, “to help/attend to someone” this is a formal term normally used with doctors and nurses. More commonly, you will hear the verb ayudar, “to help,” or atender a alguien, “to attend to/take care of someone.”
Now that you have an understanding of the verb asistir, you will be prepared for the first time you have to send an RSVP to a wedding invitation!