The Present Tense of bendecir is used to express blessings or consecrations happening in the present moment. For example, El sacerdote bendice la iglesia. (The priest blesses the church.)

Bendecir is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow the typical patterns of regular verbs. You’ll need to memorize its unique set of conjugations in the present tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Bendecir (to bless) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Bendecir generally means to bless or consecrate, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To bless or consecrate: For example, El sacerdote bendice la iglesia (The priest blesses the church).

To praise or approve: For example, Bendigo tu esfuerzo por aprender español (I praise your effort to learn Spanish).

To express gratitude: For example, Bendigo el día en que te conocí (I’m grateful for the day I met you).

Colloquial usage: In some Latin American vernacular, it can mean “to damn” or “to curse”, often used in a lighthearted or sarcastic way. For example, Bendigo el momento en que se me ocurrió esta idea tan loca (I curse the moment this crazy idea occurred to me).

Examples

Examples of Bendecir in the Present Tense

Cada domingo, mi familia y yo bendecimos la mesa antes de comer. (Every Sunday, my family and I bless the table before eating.)

El sacerdote bendice a los recién casados al final de la ceremonia. (The priest blesses the newlyweds at the end of the ceremony.)

Antes de salir de viaje, bendigo mi equipaje para tener un viaje seguro. (Before going on a trip, I bless my luggage for a safe journey.)

En la iglesia, el coro bendice al Señor con sus hermosas voces. (In church, the choir blesses the Lord with their beautiful voices.)

Mis abuelos bendicen a sus nietos cada vez que los ven, deseándoles salud y felicidad. (My grandparents bless their grandchildren every time they see them, wishing them health and happiness.)

En la cultura latina, bendecimos nuestros hogares rociando agua bendita en cada habitación. (In Latin culture, we bless our homes by sprinkling holy water in each room.)

Antes de comenzar un proyecto importante, bendices tus herramientas para tener éxito. (Before starting an important project, you bless your tools for success.)

Los chamanes bendicen a los enfermos con rituales ancestrales para sanarlos. (Shamans bless the sick with ancestral rituals to heal them.)

En la cultura popular, se dice que los sacerdotes bendicen objetos para protegerlos del mal. (In popular culture, it’s said that priests bless objects to protect them from evil.)

Antes de una competencia deportiva, los atletas bendicen sus uniformes para tener buena suerte. (Before a sports competition, athletes bless their uniforms for good luck.)

En algunas tradiciones, bendecimos nuestras casas en Año Nuevo para atraer prosperidad. (In some traditions, we bless our homes on New Year’s to attract prosperity.)

Cuando alguien bendice un alimento, le da las gracias a Dios por la comida. (When someone blesses food, they thank God for the meal.)

En ceremonias espirituales, los líderes bendicen a los participantes para purificarlos. (In spiritual ceremonies, leaders bless the participants to purify them.)

Antes de una boda, la novia bendice su vestido para tener un matrimonio feliz. (Before a wedding, the bride blesses her dress for a happy marriage.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Bendecir (to bless) 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.