The simple present tense of bailar is used to describe actions happening in the present moment or habitual actions. For example, Yo bailo salsa los viernes por la noche. (I dance salsa on Friday nights.)

Bailar 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 Bailar (to dance) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Bailar generally means to dance, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To dance: This is the most common meaning. For example, Yo bailo salsa los viernes por la noche. (I dance salsa on Friday nights.)

To move rhythmically: It can refer to moving in a rhythmic way, not necessarily dancing. For example, El viento baila entre las hojas de los árboles. (The wind dances among the leaves of the trees.)

To shake or wobble: In some contexts, it means to shake or wobble. For example, La mesa baila cuando la empujo. (The table wobbles when I push it.)

To flirt or play around (colloquial): In informal contexts, it can mean to flirt or play around with someone. For example, Juan baila con todas las chicas en la fiesta. (Juan flirts with all the girls at the party.)

To avoid or evade (colloquial): In some regions, it can mean to avoid or evade something. For example, Siempre baila las preguntas difíciles. (He always avoids the difficult questions.)

Examples

Examples of Bailar in the Present Tense

Mis amigos y yo bailamos en la fiesta todos los fines de semana. (My friends and I dance at the party every weekend.)

Ella baila muy bien, ¿no crees? (She dances very well, don’t you think?)

¿Ustedes bailan salsa o prefieren el merengue? (Do you dance salsa or do you prefer merengue?)

Yo bailo para mantenerme en forma y relajarme después del trabajo. (I dance to stay in shape and relax after work.)

En las fiestas familiares, todos bailamos juntos sin importar la edad. (At family parties, we all dance together regardless of age.)

Tú bailas increíble, deberías considerar tomar clases profesionales. (You dance incredibly, you should consider taking professional classes.)

Cuando estoy estresado, pongo música y bailo un rato para despejarme. (When I’m stressed, I put on music and dance for a while to clear my mind.)

¿Vieron a esa pareja? Bailan de una manera tan elegante. (Did you see that couple? They dance in such an elegant way.)

En los eventos culturales, los grupos folclóricos bailan danzas tradicionales. (At cultural events, folk groups dance traditional dances.)

Aunque no soy experto, me gusta bailar de vez en cuando solo por diversión. (Although I’m not an expert, I like to dance every now and then just for fun.)

Los niños bailan y se mueven al ritmo de la música sin preocupaciones. (Children dance and move to the rhythm of the music without a care.)

En los clubes nocturnos, la gente baila y se divierte hasta la madrugada. (In nightclubs, people dance and have fun until the early morning.)

Cuando estoy solo en casa, a veces pongo música y bailo como si nadie me viera. (When I’m alone at home, sometimes I put on music and dance like no one’s watching.)

Los instructores bailan frente a la clase para demostrar los pasos correctamente. (The instructors dance in front of the class to demonstrate the steps correctly.)

Aunque no soy bueno, bailo en las fiestas porque me divierte y me ayuda a socializar. (Although I’m not good, I dance at parties because it’s fun and helps me socialize.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Bailar (to dance) 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.