The Present Tense of pedir is used to describe actions happening now or that occur regularly. For example, Pido un café, por favor. (I ask for a coffee, please.)

Pedir is an e to i stem-changing verb, meaning the e changes to i in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Pedir (to ask for) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Pedir generally means to ask for or request something, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To ask for or request: This is the most common meaning. For example, Yo pido un café, por favor. (I ask for a coffee, please.)

To order (food/drink): When used in a restaurant or similar context, it means to order. For example, Ella pide una ensalada. (She orders a salad.)

To beg or plead: It can also mean to beg or plead for something. For example, Él pide clemencia al juez. (He begs for mercy from the judge.)

To demand or require: In some contexts, it can mean to demand or require something. For example, El trabajo pide mucha dedicación. (The job demands a lot of dedication.)

Colloquial usage: In informal speech, it can be used to ask for something in a rude or demanding way. For example, ¡Pide la cuenta! (Rudely ask for the bill!)

Examples

Examples of Pedir in the Present Tense

Cuando voy a un restaurante, pido la especialidad de la casa. (When I go to a restaurant, I order the house specialty.)

Mis amigos piden una pizza para compartir después de la escuela. (My friends order a pizza to share after school.)

¿Qué pides de tomar con tu comida? (What do you order to drink with your meal?)

En la fiesta, pedimos más bocadillos porque teníamos mucha hambre. (At the party, we ordered more snacks because we were very hungry.)

Los niños piden helado después de terminar sus tareas. (The kids ask for ice cream after finishing their homework.)

Cuando voy de compras, pido la opinión de mi amiga antes de comprar algo. (When I go shopping, I ask for my friend’s opinion before buying something.)

En el café, pedimos un par de cafés y algunas galletas. (At the cafe, we order a couple of coffees and some cookies.)

¿Qué pides para tu cumpleaños? (What do you ask for your birthday?)

Mis padres piden un plato vegetariano cuando vamos a un restaurante. (My parents order a vegetarian dish when we go to a restaurant.)

Cuando estoy estresado, pido un masaje relajante. (When I’m stressed, I ask for a relaxing massage.)

En la reunión, pedimos más detalles sobre el nuevo proyecto. (In the meeting, we ask for more details about the new project.)

Mis compañeros de trabajo piden un aumento de sueldo cada año. (My coworkers ask for a raise every year.)

Cuando viajo, pido recomendaciones de lugares para visitar. (When I travel, I ask for recommendations of places to visit.)

En la boda, pedimos una mesa cerca de la pista de baile. (At the wedding, we ask for a table near the dance floor.)

Mis hijos piden juguetes nuevos cada vez que vamos al centro comercial. (My kids ask for new toys every time we go to the mall.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Pedir (to ask for) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian 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.