The Present Tense of obedecer is used to describe actions that are happening right now or that occur habitually. For example, Yo obedezco las reglas de la casa. (I obey the rules of the house.)

Obedecer is a spelling-changing verb that follows the -cer to -zca conjugation pattern in the present tense. This means the c changes to zc before the vowel endings.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Obedecer (to obey) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Obedecer generally means to obey or follow instructions, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

Literal meaning: To follow orders or commands, for example, Los niños obedecen a sus padres (The children obey their parents).

Figurative meaning: To conform to rules or laws, for example, Todos obedecemos las leyes del país (We all obey the laws of the country).

Colloquial usage: To listen to or heed advice, for example, Obedezco a mi abuela cuando me aconseja (I obey my grandmother when she advises me).

Idiomatic usage: To be influenced or controlled by something, for example, Mi estómago obedece a sus antojos (My stomach obeys its cravings).

Rude usage: To submit to someone’s demands or wishes, often used in a derogatory way, for example, Siempre obedeces a tu novia como un perro faldero (You always obey your girlfriend like a lapdog).

Examples

Examples of Obedecer in the Present Tense

Yo siempre obedezco las reglas de la casa. (I always obey the house rules.)

¿Por qué no obedeces a tus padres? (Why don’t you obey your parents?)

Mi perro obedece todos mis comandos. (My dog obeys all my commands.)

En el ejército, obedecemos las órdenes sin cuestionar. (In the army, we obey orders without questioning.)

Los niños bien educados obedecen a sus maestros. (Well-behaved children obey their teachers.)

Cuando el semáforo está en rojo, obedezco y me detengo. (When the traffic light is red, I obey and stop.)

Si quieres progresar en la vida, obedece las reglas. (If you want to progress in life, obey the rules.)

En esta empresa, todos obedecemos al jefe. (In this company, we all obey the boss.)

¿Por qué no obedeces las instrucciones? Es por tu propio bien. (Why don’t you obey the instructions? It’s for your own good.)

Los soldados obedecen las órdenes del general sin dudar. (The soldiers obey the general’s orders without hesitation.)

Cuando viajo, siempre obedezco las leyes locales. (When I travel, I always obey the local laws.)

En esta familia, los hijos obedecen a sus padres por respeto. (In this family, children obey their parents out of respect.)

Si quieres tener éxito, obedece los consejos de los expertos. (If you want to be successful, obey the advice of experts.)

En la escuela, los estudiantes obedecen al maestro para mantener el orden. (At school, students obey the teacher to maintain order.)

Cuando conduzco, obedezco todas las señales de tránsito. (When I drive, I obey all traffic signs.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Obedecer (to obey) 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.