One word that could describe the verb conseguir is versatile. It is a very common and useful verb that can mean many things in Spanish and can be used in many situations. It translates as ‘‘to get’’ or ‘‘to accomplish.” However, conseguir can also mean ‘‘to manage,” ‘‘to find,” ‘‘to attain,’’ and ‘‘to obtain.’’ The conjugation for this verb is pretty straightforward and easy to remember. There are, however, some minor stem changes to which you must pay attention.
Present Tense Conjugation for Conseguir
|
Yo |
consigo |
Nosotros |
conseguimos |
|
Tú |
consigues |
Vosotros |
conseguís |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
consigue |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
consiguieron |
Example sentence:
Yo siempre consigo lo que quiero. -- I always get what I want.
There is a noticeable orthographic change in the conjugation with the first person yo as the final vowels of the word – ui – are dropped. Also, there is an e-to-i stem change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Imperfect
|
Yo |
conseguía |
Nosotros |
conseguíamos |
|
Tú |
conseguías |
Vosotros |
conseguíais |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
conseguía |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
conseguían |
Example sentence:
Mi hermano está preocupado porque él conseguía muchos me gusta en Facebook el año pasado y ahora no lo hace ¿Qué te parece? -- My brother is worried because he used to get a lot of likes on Facebook last year and he doesn’t anymore. What do you think about it?
Preterite
|
Yo |
conseguí |
Nosotros |
conseguimos |
|
Tú |
conseguiste |
Vosotros |
conseguisteis |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
consiguió |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
consiguieron |
Example sentence:
¿Por qué estás tan feliz? / Bueno, mi hermana consiguió su primer trabajo de tiempo completo y estoy muy emocionado por ello. -- Why are you so happy? / Well, my sister got her first full-time job and I’m really excited about it.
Future
|
Yo |
conseguiré |
Nosotros |
conseguiremos |
|
Tú |
conseguirás |
Vosotros |
conseguiréis |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
conseguirá |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
consiguieron |
Example sentence:
He estudiado mucho últimamente así que conseguiré pasar ese examen. -- I have studied a lot lately so I will manage to pass that test.
Conditional
|
Yo |
conseguiría |
Nosotros |
conseguiríamos |
|
Tú |
conseguirías |
Vosotros |
conseguiríais |
|
Él/Ella/Ud. |
conseguiría |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. |
conseguirían |
Example sentence:
Creo que conseguirías ese ascenso más rápido si trabajaras más fuerte. -- I think you would get that promotion faster if you worked harder.
Other Examples with Conseguir
Yo admiro a Patricia. Siempre consigue llegar puntual al trabajo todos los días. -- I admire Patricia. She always manages to arrive on time to work every day.
Creo que tu mamá consiguió la mejor oferta para el viaje. I think your mom got the best deal for the trip.
Estoy muy orgulloso de tu padre. Consiguió todo lo que se propuso. -- I am very proud of your father. He achieved everything he set out to do.
Idioms with Conseguir
Just like many other verbs in Spanish, conseguir is commonly used in idiomatic expressions.
For example:
El que la sigue la consigue.--Where there is a will, there is a way. This idiomatic expression is used to talk about being determined enough to achieve what you want, even if it is difficult.
Final Notes on Conseguir
Don’t be afraid to try verbs that have multiple meanings in Spanish. With practice, patience and the conjugation of this very important verb, you will certainly master Spanish in no time.