Pertenecer: Full Conjugation

Pertenecer means "to belong" and is another member of the -cer family that uses the -zco spelling change in the yo form of the present indicative and throughout the present subjunctive. It conjugates exactly like merecer, parecer, and conocer.

An important grammatical point: pertenecer takes an indirect object, not a subject, to indicate the owner. You don't say yo pertenezco este libro; you say este libro me pertenece ("this book belongs to me"). The owner is the indirect object, and the thing owned is the subject.

Present Indicative

Preterite

Imperfect

Future

Conditional

Present Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive (-ra forms)

Imperative

The imperative is uncommon with this verb — you rarely command something to belong — but grammatically it exists.

Non-Finite Forms

• Infinitive: pertenecer
• Gerund: perteneciendo
• Past participle: pertenecido

Common Uses

Pertenecer is almost always followed by the preposition a: pertenecer a un grupo, pertenecer a una familia, pertenecer al equipo. It's used both for literal ownership and for membership in a group, era, or category.