alternar

Asturian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin alternāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /alteɾˈnaɾ/ [al̪.t̪eɾˈnaɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: al‧ter‧nar

Verb

alternar

1. to alternate
2. to hang out, socialize

   Esi mozu alterna muncho.

   That lad hangs out often.

3. to be accurate; hit the target

   Synonyms: acertar, atinar

4. (pronominal) to take turns

   Synonym: turnar

Conjugation

Conjugation of alternar

infinitive		alternar
gerund		alternando
past participle		m alternáu, f alternada, n alternao, m pl alternaos, f pl alternaes
person		first singular yo	second singular tu	third singular él/elli	first plural nosotros/nós	second plural vosotros/vós	third plural ellos
indicative	present	alterno	alternes	alterna	alternamos	alternáis	alternen
	imperfect	alternaba	alternabes	alternaba	alternábemos, alternábamos	alternabeis, alternabais	alternaben
	preterite	alterné	alternasti, alternesti	alternó	alternemos	alternastis, alternestis	alternaron
	pluperfect	alternare, alternara	alternares, alternaras	alternare, alternara	alternáremos, alternáramos	alternareis, alternarais	alternaren, alternaran
	future	alternaré	alternarás	alternará	alternaremos	alternaréis	alternarán
	conditional	alternaría	alternaríes	alternaría	alternaríemos, alternaríamos	alternaríeis, alternaríais	alternaríen
subjunctive	present	alterne	alternes, alternas	alterne	alternemos	alternéis	alternen, alternan
	imperfect	alternare, alternara	alternares, alternaras	alternare, alternara	alternáremos, alternáramos	alternareis, alternarais	alternaren, alternaran
imperative		—	alterna	—	—	alternái	—

Further reading

• García Arias, Xosé Lluis (2002–2004), “alternar”, in Diccionario general de la lengua asturiana [General Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (overall work in Spanish), Editorial Prensa Asturiana, →ISBN
• “alternar”, in Diccionariu de la llingua asturiana [Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (in Asturian), 1st edition, Academy of the Asturian Language [Asturian: Academia de la Llingua Asturiana], 2000, →ISBN

Catalan

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin alternāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [əl.tərˈna]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [al.teɾˈnaɾ]
• IPA^(key): (Northwestern) [al.terˈna]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Verb

alternar (first-person singular present alterno, first-person singular preterite alterní, past participle alternat); root stress: (Northern) /e̞/; (Balearic) /ə/; (Central) /ɛ/; (Northwestern, Valencia) /e/

1. to alternate

Conjugation

    Central Catalan conjugation of alternar (first conjugation)

infinitive			alternar
gerund			alternant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		alternat		alternada
		plural		alternats		alternades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	alterno	alternes	alterna	alternem	alterneu	alternen
	imperfect	alternava	alternaves	alternava	alternàvem	alternàveu	alternaven
	future	alternaré	alternaràs	alternarà	alternarem	alternareu	alternaran
	preterite	alterní	alternares	alternà	alternàrem	alternàreu	alternaren
	conditional	alternaria	alternaries	alternaria	alternaríem	alternaríeu	alternarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	alterni	alternis	alterni	alternem	alterneu	alternin
	imperfect	alternés	alternessis	alternés	alternéssim	alternéssiu	alternessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	alterna	alterni	alternem	alterneu	alternin
	negative (no)	—	no alternis	no alterni	no alternem	no alterneu	no alternin

Related terms

• altern
• alternatiu

Further reading

• “alternar”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “alternar”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “alternar” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “alternar”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Galician

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos

Proto-Italic *aljos

Proto-Indo-European *-teros

Proto-Italic *-teros

Proto-Italic *aliteros

Latin alter

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nos

Latin -nus

Latin alternus

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin alternōder.

Galician alternar

Derived from Latin alternō.

Verb

alternar (first-person singular present alterno, first-person singular preterite alternei, past participle alternado)

1. to alternate

Conjugation

    Conjugation of alternar

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	alternar
Personal	alternar	alternares	alternar	alternarmos	alternardes	alternaren
Gerund
	alternando
Past participle
Masculine	alternado			alternados
Feminine	alternada			alternadas
Indicative
Present	alterno	alternas	alterna	alternamos	alternades	alternan
Imperfect	alternaba	alternabas	alternaba	alternabamos	alternabades	alternaban
Preterite	alternei	alternaches	alternou	alternamos	alternastes	alternaron
Pluperfect	alternara	alternaras	alternara	alternaramos	alternarades	alternaran
Future	alternarei	alternarás	alternará	alternaremos	alternaredes	alternarán
Conditional	alternaría	alternarías	alternaría	alternariamos	alternariades	alternarían
Subjunctive
Present	alterne	alternes	alterne	alternemos	alternedes	alternen
Imperfect	alternase	alternases	alternase	alternásemos	alternásedes	alternasen
Future	alternar	alternares	alternar	alternarmos	alternardes	alternaren
Imperative
Affirmative		alterna	alterne	alternemos	alternade	alternen
Negative (non)		non alternes	non alterne	non alternemos	non alternedes	non alternen

    Reintegrated conjugation of alternar (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti / tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	alternar
Personal	alternar	alternares	alternar	alternarmos	alternardes	alternarem
Gerund
	alternando
Past participle
Masculine	alternado			alternados
Feminine	alternada			alternadas
Indicative
Present	alterno	alternas	alterna	alternamos	alternades, alternais	alternam
Imperfect	alternava	alternavas	alternava	alternávamos	alternávades, alternáveis, alternávais1	alternavam
Preterite	alternei	alternaste, alternache1	alternou	alternamos	alternastes	alternárom, alternaram
Pluperfect	alternara	alternaras	alternara	alternáramos	alternárades, alternáreis, alternárais1	alternaram
Future	alternarei	alternarás	alternará	alternaremos	alternaredes, alternareis	alternarám, alternarão
Conditional	alternaria	alternarias	alternaria	alternaríamos	alternaríades, alternaríeis, alternaríais1	alternariam
Subjunctive
Present	alterne	alternes	alterne	alternemos	alternedes, alterneis	alternem
Imperfect	alternasse	alternasses	alternasse	alternássemos	alternássedes, alternásseis	alternassem
Future	alternar	alternares	alternar	alternarmos	alternardes	alternarem
Imperative
Affirmative		alterna	alterne	alternemos	alternade, alternai	alternem
Negative (nom)		nom alternes	nom alterne	nom alternemos	nom alternedes, nom alterneis	nom alternem

¹Less recommended.

Related terms

• alternativo

Further reading

• “alternar”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026

Occitan

Etymology

From Latin alternō.

Verb

alternar

1. (transitive, intransitive) to alternate

Conjugation

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Related terms

• alternatiu

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos

Proto-Italic *aljos

Proto-Indo-European *-teros

Proto-Italic *-teros

Proto-Italic *aliteros

Latin alter

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nos

Latin -nus

Latin alternus

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin alternārelbor.

Portuguese alternar

Learned borrowing from Latin alternāre.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /aw.teʁˈna(ʁ)/ [aʊ̯.teɦˈna(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /aw.teʁˈna(ʁ)/ [aʊ̯.teɦˈna(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /aw.teɾˈna(ɾ)/ [aʊ̯.teɾˈna(ɾ)]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /aw.teʁˈna(ʁ)/ [aʊ̯.teʁˈna(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /aw.teɻˈna(ɻ)/ [aʊ̯.teɻˈna(ɻ)]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /al.tɨɾˈnaɾ/ [aɫ.tɨɾˈnaɾ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /al.tɨɾˈnaɾ/ [aɫ.tɨɾˈnaɾ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /al.tɨɾˈna.ɾi/ [aɫ.tɨɾˈna.ɾi]

• Hyphenation: al‧ter‧nar

Verb

alternar (first-person singular present alterno, first-person singular preterite alternei, past participle alternado)

1. (transitive) to alternate (to perform by turns, or in succession)
2. (intransitive) to alternate (to happen, succeed, or act by turns)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of alternar (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	alternar
Personal	alternar	alternares	alternar	alternarmos	alternardes	alternarem
Gerund
	alternando
Past participle
Masculine	alternado			alternados
Feminine	alternada			alternadas
Indicative
Present	alterno	alternas	alterna	alternamos	alternais	alternam
Imperfect	alternava	alternavas	alternava	alternávamos	alternáveis	alternavam
Preterite	alternei	alternaste	alternou	alternamos1, alternámos2	alternastes	alternaram
Pluperfect	alternara	alternaras	alternara	alternáramos	alternáreis	alternaram
Future	alternarei	alternarás	alternará	alternaremos	alternareis	alternarão
Conditional	alternaria	alternarias	alternaria	alternaríamos	alternaríeis	alternariam
Subjunctive
Present	alterne	alternes	alterne	alternemos	alterneis	alternem
Imperfect	alternasse	alternasses	alternasse	alternássemos	alternásseis	alternassem
Future	alternar	alternares	alternar	alternarmos	alternardes	alternarem
Imperative
Affirmative		alterna	alterne	alternemos	alternai	alternem
Negative (não)		não alternes	não alterne	não alternemos	não alterneis	não alternem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Synonyms

• revezar

Related terms

• alternação
• alternadamente
• alternado
• alternador
• alternamente
• alternância
• alternante
• alternário
• alternativa
• alternativamente
• alternatividade
• alternativo
• alternável

Further reading

• “alternar”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “alternar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos

Proto-Italic *aljos

Proto-Indo-European *-teros

Proto-Italic *-teros

Proto-Italic *aliteros

Latin alter

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nos

Latin -nus

Latin alternus

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin alternārelbor.

Spanish alternar

Learned borrowing from Latin alternāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /alteɾˈnaɾ/ [al̪.t̪eɾˈnaɾ]

• Audio (Venezuela):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: al‧ter‧nar

Verb

alternar (first-person singular present alterno, first-person singular preterite alterné, past participle alternado)

1. to alternate
2. to interact, communicate, hang out, socialize

Conjugation

    Conjugation of alternar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			alternar
gerund			alternando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		alternado		alternada
		plural		alternados		alternadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	alterno	alternastú alternásvos	alterna	alternamos	alternáis	alternan
	imperfect	alternaba	alternabas	alternaba	alternábamos	alternabais	alternaban
	preterite	alterné	alternaste	alternó	alternamos	alternasteis	alternaron
	future	alternaré	alternarás	alternará	alternaremos	alternaréis	alternarán
	conditional	alternaría	alternarías	alternaría	alternaríamos	alternaríais	alternarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	alterne	alternestú alternésvos2	alterne	alternemos	alternéis	alternen
	imperfect (ra)	alternara	alternaras	alternara	alternáramos	alternarais	alternaran
	imperfect (se)	alternase	alternases	alternase	alternásemos	alternaseis	alternasen
	future1	alternare	alternares	alternare	alternáremos	alternareis	alternaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		alternatú alternávos	alterne	alternemos	alternad	alternen
	negative		no alternes	no alterne	no alternemos	no alternéis	no alternen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of alternar

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive alternar	dative	alternarme	alternarte	alternarle, alternarse	alternarnos	alternaros	alternarles, alternarse
	accusative	alternarme	alternarte	alternarlo, alternarla, alternarse	alternarnos	alternaros	alternarlos, alternarlas, alternarse
with gerund alternando	dative	alternándome	alternándote	alternándole, alternándose	alternándonos	alternándoos	alternándoles, alternándose
	accusative	alternándome	alternándote	alternándolo, alternándola, alternándose	alternándonos	alternándoos	alternándolos, alternándolas, alternándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative alterna	dative	altérname	altérnate	altérnale	altérnanos	not used	altérnales
	accusative	altérname	altérnate	altérnalo, altérnala	altérnanos	not used	altérnalos, altérnalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative alterná	dative	altername	alternate	alternale	alternanos	not used	alternales
	accusative	altername	alternate	alternalo, alternala	alternanos	not used	alternalos, alternalas
with formal second-person singular imperative alterne	dative	altérneme	not used	altérnele, altérnese	altérnenos	not used	altérneles
	accusative	altérneme	not used	altérnelo, altérnela, altérnese	altérnenos	not used	altérnelos, altérnelas
with first-person plural imperative alternemos	dative	not used	alternémoste	alternémosle	alternémonos	alternémoos	alternémosles
	accusative	not used	alternémoste	alternémoslo, alternémosla	alternémonos	alternémoos	alternémoslos, alternémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative alternad	dative	alternadme	not used	alternadle	alternadnos	alternaos	alternadles
	accusative	alternadme	not used	alternadlo, alternadla	alternadnos	alternaos	alternadlos, alternadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative alternen	dative	altérnenme	not used	altérnenle	altérnennos	not used	altérnenles, altérnense
	accusative	altérnenme	not used	altérnenlo, altérnenla	altérnennos	not used	altérnenlos, altérnenlas, altérnense

Derived terms

• alternador
• alternancia
• alternante
• alterne

Related terms

• alternación
• alternativo
• alterno

Further reading

• “alternar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025