The Present Tense of Cambiar is used to describe actions happening in the present moment or habitual actions. For example, Cambio de ropa después del trabajo. (I change clothes after work.)

Cambiar is a regular -ar verb, which means its conjugations follow the typical pattern for verbs ending in -ar in the present tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Cambiar (to change) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

Cambiar generally means to change or to exchange, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To change: For example, Yo cambio de opinión con frecuencia. (I change my mind frequently.)

To exchange: For example, Cambiamos regalos en Navidad. (We exchange gifts at Christmas.)

To substitute: For example, El mecánico cambia las ruedas desgastadas. (The mechanic changes the worn tires.)

To convert: For example, Cambio los dólares por euros. (I convert dollars into euros.)

To switch: For example, Cambiamos de canal con el control remoto. (We switch channels with the remote control.)

To transform: For example, El hada cambia a la calabaza en un carruaje. (The fairy transforms the pumpkin into a carriage.)

To alter: For example, Cambio mi look cada temporada. (I alter my look every season.)

Colloquial usage: For example, ¡Cambia esa cara larga! (Cheer up! Literally: Change that long face!)

Examples

Examples of Cambiar in the Present Tense

Cada mañana cambio mi rutina para mantenerme activo. (Every morning I change my routine to keep active.)

¿Por qué cambias de opinión tan seguido? (Why do you change your mind so often?)

Mi hermana cambia los muebles de lugar cada vez que limpia. (My sister rearranges the furniture every time she cleans.)

En la oficina, cambiamos los procedimientos para ser más eficientes. (At the office, we change the procedures to be more efficient.)

Ustedes cambian el canal de televisión demasiado. (You all change the TV channel too much.)

Los precios cambian constantemente en esta tienda. (The prices change constantly at this store.)

Cuando viajo, cambio mi dinero por la moneda local. (When I travel, I change my money for the local currency.)

¿Por qué cambian las reglas del juego tan a menudo? (Why do they change the rules of the game so often?)

En la fiesta, todos cambiamos de pareja para bailar. (At the party, we all changed dance partners.)

Mis amigos cambian de trabajo con frecuencia. (My friends change jobs frequently.)

Cuando hago ejercicio, cambio mi ropa por algo más cómodo. (When I exercise, I change into more comfortable clothes.)

Los políticos cambian sus promesas después de ser elegidos. (Politicians change their promises after being elected.)

En la cultura latina, la gente cambia de look para cada ocasión. (In Latin culture, people change their look for every occasion.)

¿Por qué cambias de novia tan seguido, amigo? (Why do you change girlfriends so often, dude?)

Mis padres cambian la decoración de la casa cada temporada. (My parents change the house decorations every season.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Cambiar (to change) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.