Vestir means to dress in two senses that English keeps somewhat separate: (a) to put clothing on another person — vestir a un niño (to dress a child) — and (b) to wear, to be dressed in something, with an implied formality of register — viste de negro (he wears black, he is dressed in black). It is an -ir stem-changing verb in the e→i family, the same class as pedir, servir, repetir, conseguir, seguir. The stem vest- becomes vist- whenever the stress falls on the stem.
What makes the e→i family different from the e→ie family (pensar, cerrar) is that the change happens in more places: not just in the present, but also in the preterite 3rd persons (vistió, vistieron), in the gerundio (vistiendo), and throughout the present and imperfect subjunctives. -ar and -er stem-changers do not spread the change like this — only -ir verbs do. This makes mastering one e→i verb especially efficient: the pattern transfers cleanly to the whole class.
Non-finite forms
| Form | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitivo | vestir | to dress, to wear |
| Infinitivo compuesto | haber vestido | to have dressed |
| Gerundio | vistiendo | dressing |
| Gerundio compuesto | habiendo vestido | having dressed |
| Participio | vestido | dressed |
The gerundio vistiendo shows the e→i stem change — characteristic of every -ir stem-changer. The participio vestido is regular and keeps the bare stem (no change), which is also why it doubles as the noun vestido (dress).
Indicative — simple tenses
Presente
E → i in the four stressed-stem forms (the boot). Nosotros and vosotros keep the bare stem because the stress shifts onto the ending.
| yo | tú | él/ella/usted | nosotros | vosotros | ellos/ellas/ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| visto | vistes | viste | vestimos | vestís | visten |
A coincidence to be aware of: the 3rd-singular present viste is identical in spelling to the 2nd-singular preterite of ver (tú viste = "you saw"). Context disambiguates; both are extremely common.
Mi hermana viste siempre de negro, dice que le adelgaza.
My sister always wears black — she says it's slimming.
¿Quién viste al niño por las mañanas, tú o tu marido?
Who dresses the kid in the mornings, you or your husband?
Vestimos a los actores con ropa de época para la obra.
We dress the actors in period clothing for the play.
Pretérito perfecto simple
This is where -ir stem-changers differ from -ar and -er stem-changers: the 3rd-person preterite forms also undergo the e→i change (vistió, vistieron), even though the stress in those forms is on the ending. The other persons keep the bare stem.
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vestí | vestiste | vistió | vestimos | vestisteis | vistieron |
This "third-person stem change" is the diagnostic that you are dealing with an -ir stem-changer, not an -er or -ar one. Pidió, sirvió, repitió, durmió, sintió — every -ir stem-changer behaves this way. Cerró, contó, pensó do not.
Mi madre nos vistió a los tres hermanos exactamente igual hasta los diez años.
My mother dressed the three of us siblings exactly the same way until we were ten.
Los figurinistas vistieron a los protagonistas con trajes hechos a mano.
The costume designers dressed the leads in handmade outfits.
Pretérito imperfecto
The imperfect is regular — no stem change. The -ir imperfect endings -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían attach to the bare stem vest-.
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vestía | vestías | vestía | vestíamos | vestíais | vestían |
This is a general rule: -ir stem-changers do not carry the stem change into the imperfect, the future, or the conditional. Only the present, the subjunctives, the gerundio, and the 3rd-person preterites are affected.
De joven vestía como un hippie y mi madre no podía con ello.
As a kid I used to dress like a hippie and my mother couldn't stand it.
Futuro simple
Regular -ir future: full infinitive vestir- plus the endings.
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vestiré | vestirás | vestirá | vestiremos | vestiréis | vestirán |
Para la boda vestiré a los niños de blanco impoluto.
For the wedding I'll dress the kids in spotless white.
Condicional
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vestiría | vestirías | vestiría | vestiríamos | vestiríais | vestirían |
Yo no vestiría así a un crío para ir al colegio, parece exagerado.
I wouldn't dress a kid like that for school — it looks over the top.
Indicative — compound tenses
Pretérito perfecto compuesto
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| he vestido | has vestido | ha vestido | hemos vestido | habéis vestido | han vestido |
Esta semana he vestido a los niños yo todos los días, mi mujer está agotada.
This week I've dressed the kids every day — my wife is exhausted.
Pretérito pluscuamperfecto
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| había vestido | habías vestido | había vestido | habíamos vestido | habíais vestido | habían vestido |
Cuando llegaron los invitados, ya había vestido a la novia.
By the time the guests arrived, she had already dressed the bride.
Futuro compuesto
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| habré vestido | habrás vestido | habrá vestido | habremos vestido | habréis vestido | habrán vestido |
Para las nueve ya habremos vestido a los niños y estaremos listos.
By nine we'll have already dressed the kids and we'll be ready.
Condicional compuesto
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| habría vestido | habrías vestido | habría vestido | habríamos vestido | habríais vestido | habrían vestido |
Yo nunca la habría vestido de ese color para una boda.
I'd never have dressed her in that colour for a wedding.
Subjunctive — simple tenses
Presente de subjuntivo
E → i in every form, including nosotros and vosotros — this is the other place where -ir stem-changers behave differently from -ar and -er stem-changers. -ar and -er stem-changes vanish in nosotros / vosotros subjunctive (pensemos, contemos), but -ir stem-changes spread across the whole paradigm.
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vista | vistas | vista | vistamos | vistáis | vistan |
Mi suegra insiste en que vistamos a los niños de manera más clásica.
My mother-in-law insists that we dress the kids more classically.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-ra / -se)
Built from the 3rd-plural preterite vistieron — drop -ron, add the endings. The vist- stem is preserved throughout.
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -ra | vistiera | vistieras | vistiera | vistiéramos | vistierais | vistieran |
| -se | vistiese | vistieses | vistiese | vistiésemos | vistieseis | vistiesen |
Me sugirió que la vistiera con algo más sobrio para la entrevista.
She suggested that I dress her in something more sober for the interview.
Subjunctive — compound tenses
Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| haya vestido | hayas vestido | haya vestido | hayamos vestido | hayáis vestido | hayan vestido |
Me parece bien que la hayas vestido tú esta mañana.
I think it's good that you dressed her this morning.
Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo
| yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -ra | hubiera vestido | hubieras vestido | hubiera vestido | hubiéramos vestido | hubierais vestido | hubieran vestido |
| -se | hubiese vestido | hubieses vestido | hubiese vestido | hubiésemos vestido | hubieseis vestido | hubiesen vestido |
Si la hubiéramos vestido con menos capas, no habría pasado tanto calor.
If we'd dressed her in fewer layers, she wouldn't have been so hot.
Imperative
The imperative uses the e→i stem in every form except vosotros affirmative, where the original infinitive vowel is preserved (vestid, parallel to pedid, servid, repetid).
| Form | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| tú | viste | no vistas |
| usted | vista | no vista |
| nosotros | vistamos | no vistamos |
| vosotros | vestid | no vistáis |
| ustedes | vistan | no vistan |
The tú affirmative viste is homophonous with the present 3rd-singular viste and with the preterite 2nd-singular viste (of ver). Context resolves it.
Viste al pequeño mientras yo preparo el desayuno.
Dress the little one while I make breakfast.
No los vistáis tan abrigados, que dentro hace calor.
(to a group) Don't dress them in so many layers — it's warm inside.
When pronouns attach to affirmative imperatives, the verb is written as one word with an accent where needed: vístelo (dress him), vístemelo (dress him for me — rare).
Vestir + preposition: the descriptive frames
vestir de + color / material — "to wear / be dressed in"
The most idiomatic peninsular use of non-reflexive vestir. The preposition is de, and what follows is treated as an attribute, not a possession.
En los entierros aquí se viste de negro de pies a cabeza.
At funerals here you dress in black from head to toe.
El novio vestía de etiqueta y la novia de blanco, lo clásico.
The groom wore black tie and the bride wore white — the classic combo.
vestir a alguien de + sustantivo — "to dress someone as / in"
When you dress another person, the person is the direct object and the outfit takes de.
Para el carnaval vestimos a los niños de piratas, fue todo un éxito.
For carnival we dressed the kids as pirates — it was a hit.
vestir bien / mal — "to dress well / badly"
Vestir with a manner adverb describes someone's general style of dressing — a generic, almost characterological observation.
Tu hermano siempre viste muy bien, ¿dónde compra la ropa?
Your brother always dresses really well — where does he buy his clothes?
Vestir, vestirse, and llevar puesto: three different angles
These three constructions cover what English collapses into "to wear":
- vestir (non-reflexive) — to dress someone else (vestir al niño) or to describe someone's habitual or current style (viste de negro). Slightly formal-leaning.
- vestirse (reflexive) — to get dressed (yourself). The everyday verb for putting on your own clothes. See the vestirse page.
- llevar puesto / -a — to be wearing a specific item right now. Most common in everyday speech for "I'm wearing X": lleva puesta una chaqueta roja (she's wearing a red jacket).
The fourth option, ir + de + clothing item, is also frequent: iba de traje (he was wearing / went in a suit).
Hoy llevo puesta la camisa que me regalaste, ¿te gusta cómo me queda?
Today I'm wearing the shirt you gave me — do you like how it looks on me?
Va de traje gris a todas las reuniones, es su uniforme.
He goes in a grey suit to every meeting — it's his uniform.
High-frequency expressions
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| vestir de etiqueta | to wear formal / black-tie attire |
| vestir de luto | to wear mourning clothes |
| vestir a la moda | to dress fashionably |
| vestir de domingo | to wear one's Sunday best (slightly old-fashioned) |
| vestir de uniforme | to wear a uniform |
| aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda | "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" (proverb) |
| vestir santos | to be an old maid (informal, dated — quedarse para vestir santos) |
Mis abuelos siempre vistieron de domingo para ir a misa.
My grandparents always wore their Sunday best to go to mass.
The classic English-speaker error
The biggest mistake is using non-reflexive vestir when talking about putting on your own clothes. English "I dress in five minutes" is me visto en cinco minutos, not visto en cinco minutos. The non-reflexive visto en cinco minutos would mean "I dress someone else in five minutes" — almost certainly not what you mean.
A second common error is the preposition. English "wear black" calques into Spanish as vestir negro — wrong. The construction is vestir *de negro. The *de is non-negotiable for colors and materials.
A third trap is the gerundio. The form is vistiendo, not vestiendo. -ir stem-changers always carry the change into the gerund: durmiendo, pidiendo, sintiendo, vistiendo.
Common Mistakes
❌ Yo visto rápido por las mañanas.
Without the reflexive, this means 'I dress someone else fast'. For dressing yourself, use vestirse: me visto.
✅ Yo me visto rápido por las mañanas.
I get dressed quickly in the mornings.
❌ Mi hermana viste negro siempre.
The preposition de is required: vestir de + colour.
✅ Mi hermana viste de negro siempre.
My sister always wears black.
❌ La señora vestió a la niña de princesa.
The 3rd-singular preterite of an -ir stem-changer takes the e→i change: vistió, not vestió.
✅ La señora vistió a la niña de princesa.
The lady dressed the little girl as a princess.
❌ Estaba vestiendo a los niños cuando sonó el timbre.
The gerund carries the e→i change: vistiendo, not vestiendo.
✅ Estaba vistiendo a los niños cuando sonó el timbre.
I was dressing the kids when the doorbell rang.
❌ Quiero que vestas al bebé tú esta mañana.
The subjunctive of an -ir stem-changer takes the e→i change in every form: vistas, not vestas.
✅ Quiero que vistas al bebé tú esta mañana.
I want you to dress the baby this morning.
Key Takeaways
- Vestir is an -ir e→i stem-changer: the stem vest- becomes vist- in stressed positions.
- The stem change spreads further than in -ar / -er stem-changers: into the 3rd-person preterite (vistió, vistieron), the gerundio (vistiendo), and the entire present and imperfect subjunctive.
- The imperfect, future, and conditional are regular — no stem change.
- Non-reflexive vestir means dressing someone else (vestir al niño) or describing someone's style (viste de negro). For your own dressing, use vestirse.
- The standard frame is vestir de + colour / material / role — vestir de negro, de etiqueta, de pirata. The de is obligatory.
- Three competing constructions cover English "wear": vestir / vestirse, llevar puesto, ir de + sustantivo. Each has its own register and focus.
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- Cambio vocálico: e>i (pedir, servir, repetir)A2 — The e→i stem change found only in certain -ir verbs: stressed e shifts to i in the boot forms — pido, sirvo, repito — while nosotros and vosotros keep the simple e.
- Pretérito: cambio e>i en 3ª persona (-ir)B1 — The e→i stem change that surfaces only in the third-person preterite of certain -ir verbs: pidió, sintió, prefirió, sirvieron. The rest of the paradigm stays regular — yo pedí, tú pediste, but él pidió.
- Cambios vocálicos en la raízA2 — The four stem-change patterns in Spanish verbs — e→ie, o→ue, e→i, u→ue — the 'boot' shape they make, and why vosotros sits outside the boot.
- vestirseA2 — Full conjugation reference for vestirse (to get dressed) — the reflexive form of vestir, combining the e→i stem change of the -ir class with the reflexive pronoun system. Includes every simple and compound tense, full peninsular imperative (including the peculiar vestíos), pronoun placement rules in compound and progressive forms, and the contrast with ponerse + ropa.
- conseguirA2 — Full conjugation reference for conseguir — to get, obtain, or manage to do something. Combines the e→i stem change of the seguir family with the gu→g spelling shift before o and a. Includes every simple and compound tense, all imperatives with peninsular vosotros conseguid, and the conseguir + infinitive pattern.
- repetirA1 — Full conjugation reference for repetir (to repeat, to have seconds, to retake a class) — a textbook e>i stem-changing -ir verb (repito, repites, repite; repitió, repitieron; repitiendo). Includes all simple and compound tenses, peninsular vosotros throughout, the food-and-drink meaning "to repeat on you", and the school-and-life meanings learners need at A1-B1.