Conjugation of 'Pedir,' 'Servir,' and 'Vestir'

Pedir (to request), servir (to serve), and vestir (to dress or wear) are among the common Spanish verbs in whose conjugation the -e- in the stem sometimes changes to -i-.

Other verbs that follow the pattern of pedir as shown below include competir (to compete), despedir (to send off, among other meanings), impedir (to impede or prevent), medir (to measure), and repetir (to repeat).

Irregular forms are shown below in boldface. Translations are given as a guide and in real life may vary with context.

Infinitive of Pedir

pedir (to request)

Gerund of Pedir

pidiendo (requesting)

Participle of Pedir

pedido (requested)

Present Indicative of Pedir

yo pido, tú pides, usted/él/ella pide, nosotros/as pedimos, vosotros/as pedís, ustedes/ellos/ellas piden (I request, you request, he requests, etc.)

Preterite of Pedir

yo pedí, tú pediste, usted/él/ella pidió, nosotros/as pedimos, vosotros/as pedisteis, ustedes/ellos/ellas pidieron (I requested, you requested, she requested, etc.)

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Using 'Pedir'

By Gerald Erichsen

Imperfect Indicative of Pedir

yo pedía, tú pedías, usted/él/ella pedía, nosotros/as pedíamos, vosotros/as pedíais, ustedes/ellos/ellas pedían (I used to request, you used to request, he used to request, etc.)

Future Indicative of Pedir

yo pediré, tú pedirás, usted/él/ella pedirá, nosotros/as pediremos, vosotros/as pediréis, ustedes/ellos/ellas pedirán (I will request, you will request, he will request, etc.)

Conditional of Pedir

yo pediría, tú pedirías, usted/él/ella pediría, nosotros/as pediríamos, vosotros/as pediríais, ustedes/ellos/ellas pedirían (I would request, you would request, she would request, etc.)

Present Subjunctive of Pedir

que yo pida, que tú pidas, que usted/él/ella pida, que nosotros/as pidamos, que vosotros/as pidáis, que ustedes/ellos/ellas pidan (that I request, that you request, that she request, etc.)

Imperfect Subjunctive of Pedir

que yo pidiera (pidiese), que tú pidieras (pidieses), que usted/él/ella pidiera (pidiese), que nosotros/as pidiéramos (pidiésemos), que vosotros/as pidierais (pidieseis), que ustedes/ellos/ellas pidieran (that I requested, that you requested, that he requested, etc.)

Imperative of Pedir

pide (tú), no pidas (tú), pida (usted), pidamos (nosotros/as), pedid (vosotros/as), no pidáis (vosotros/as), pidan (ustedes) (request, don't request, request, let's request, etc.)

Compound Tenses of Pedir

The perfect tenses are made by using the appropriate form of haber and the past participle, pedido. The progressive tenses use estar with the gerund, pidiendo.

Sample Sentences Showing Conjugation of Pedir and Similarly Conjugated Verbs

No podemos retener a extranjeros que no quieren pedir asilo. (We can't keep holding foreigners who don't wish to ask for asylum. Infinitive.)

Hay muchas veces en las que ella y su madre se han vestido igual. (There are many times in which she and her mother have dressed alike. Present perfect.)

La ley no impide venta de alcohol cerca de las escuelas. (The law doesn't prevent alcohol sales near schools. Present indicative.)

Estoy satisfecho con estos resultados porque los muchachos compitieron en contra de los mejores del país. (I'm satisfied with these results because the boys competed against the country's best. Preterite.)

Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial hubo enormes aviones que servían como bombarderos, volaban sobre el enemigo. (During World War II there were huge airplanes that served as bombers, flying over the enemy. Imperfect.)

¿Se repetirá la historia? (Will history repeat itself? Future.)

No vas a creer lo que están vistiendo. (You won't believe what they're wearing. Gerund.)

Rodríguez insistió en que su partido pediría a los catalanes que votaran sí a quedarse en España. (Rodríguez insisted that his party would ask Catalonians to vote yes to remaining in Spain. Conditional.)

Es violatorio de la Constitución que impidan el derecho a las protestas. (It violates the Constitution for them to impede the right to protest. Present subjunctive.)

Quisiera unos padres que no midieran el tiempo al estar conmigo. (I wanted parents who wouldn't ration their time being with me. Imperfect subjunctive.)

No pidas perdón. (Don't ask for forgiveness. Imperative.)