Spanish speakers most often use “abren” to mean they open in the present tense.
“They open” can show up in homework, travel notes, work chats, and daily talk. It can mean a door swings open. It can mean a store starts business. It can also mean a group opens a file, a bottle, or a meeting.
Spanish usually packs the subject into the verb ending, so one small word can do a lot of work. Once you know the core verb and a few patterns, you can write and say this idea without second-guessing yourself.
What You’re Saying When You Say “They Open”
In English, “they open” can point to an action that happens now, a routine, or a scheduled start time. Spanish can match each one, but the best pick depends on what you mean and what you’re opening.
Most of the time you’re talking about the verb abrir, which means “to open.” When you want “they open” in the present tense, the form you’ll reach for is abren.
The Main Verb: Abrir
Abrir works for doors, windows, containers, apps, emails, meetings, and shops. It’s a regular -ir verb in the present tense for the “they” form, which keeps things simple.
Present tense “they open” is abren. You can pair it with ellos (they, masculine or mixed group) or ellas (they, feminine group), but you often don’t need the pronoun at all.
When You’ll Add The Subject
Spanish drops the subject a lot, since the verb ending already points to who is doing the action. You’ll add ellos or ellas when you want contrast, clarity, or emphasis.
- Abren la puerta. = They open the door.
- Ellas abren la puerta, no ustedes. = They open the door, not you all.
- Ellos abren a las nueve. = They open at nine.
Pronunciation And Spelling
Abren is said like “AH-bren.” The r is a quick tap. The stress lands on the first syllable: AH-bren.
Don’t add an accent mark to abren. Spanish spelling rules already place the stress where it belongs.
How To Say They Open In Spanish In Real Sentences
Once you’ve got abren, the next step is building sentences that match what you mean. A door opening and a store opening use the same verb, but the time words and structure can shift.
Pattern 1: They Open + A Thing
This pattern fits physical objects and digital things. Put the thing after the verb, then add details like where, when, or why.
- Abren las ventanas. = They open the windows.
- Abren el archivo. = They open the file.
- Abren la botella con cuidado. = They open the bottle carefully.
Pattern 2: They Open + At A Time
For business hours, Spanish likes the verb plus a time: abren a las nueve, abren tarde, abren los domingos. You’ll hear this in signs, reviews, and calls.
- Abren a las 9. = They open at 9.
- Abren los sábados. = They open on Saturdays.
- No abren hoy. = They’re not opening today.
Pattern 3: They Open + Something For Someone
If you want “they open it for me” or “they open it for us,” Spanish can use an indirect object pronoun: me, nos, le, les.
- Me abren la puerta. = They open the door for me.
- Nos abren el paso. = They clear the way for us.
- Les abren la sala. = They open the room for them.
When “Abren” Doesn’t Fit
English present tense can point to now, routine, or schedule. Spanish splits those ideas with other forms. You don’t need to memorize a full chart to get this right, but you do need a few go-to picks.
They Are Opening Right Now
Use están abriendo when the action is happening at this moment. It matches the English “they are opening.”
- Están abriendo la tienda. = They’re opening the store.
- Están abriendo las cajas. = They’re opening the boxes.
They Opened In The Past
For a completed action, Spanish often uses abrieron. For a repeated past routine, Spanish often uses abrían. The time clue in your sentence will guide you.
- Ayer abrieron temprano. = Yesterday they opened early.
- Antes abrían los domingos. = They used to open on Sundays.
They’re Going To Open Soon
Spanish often uses van a abrir for “they’re going to open.” It’s natural, clear, and common in speech.
- Van a abrir en diez minutos. = They’re going to open in ten minutes.
- Van a abrir otra vez. = They’re going to open again.
| English Idea | Spanish Form | Sample Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| They open (present) | Abren | Abren la puerta. = They open the door. |
| They open (store hours) | Abren a las… | Abren a las 9. = They open at 9. |
| They are opening (right now) | Están abriendo | Están abriendo la tienda. = They’re opening the shop. |
| They opened (finished action) | Abrieron | Abrieron temprano. = They opened early. |
| They used to open (habit) | Abrían | Abrían los domingos. = They used to open Sundays. |
| They will open soon (next action) | Van a abrir | Van a abrir pronto. = They’re going to open soon. |
| Let them open (subjunctive) | Que abran | Que abran la puerta. = Let them open the door. |
| I hope they open | Ojalá que abran | Ojalá que abran hoy. = I hope they open today. |
| They open it (direct object) | La/Lo abren | La abren ahora. = They open it now. |
| The doors open (by themselves) | Se abren | Las puertas se abren. = The doors open. |
Store Hours Vs. Being Open
English can say “they’re open” to mean the place is operating. Spanish can say that too, but it often uses an adjective: abierto (open). That leads to two common patterns that feel close, yet they’re not the same.
They Open At 9
Use abren when you mean the action of opening at a time. This is the line you’ll hear on the phone and see on a door sign.
- Abren a las 9 y cierran a las 6. = They open at 9 and close at 6.
They’re Open Now
Use están abiertos (or está abierto for one place) when you mean the place is operating right now. This talks about the state of being open.
- Hoy están abiertos. = They’re open today.
- Ahora está abierto. = It’s open now.
Many learners say abren when they mean están abiertos. Spanish listeners still get it, but the adjective form sounds smoother for that meaning.
When Things Open Without Naming Who Did It
Sometimes you don’t want “they” at all. You want the idea that something opens, with no agent named. Spanish often uses se abren for that kind of sentence.
Se Abren For “They Open” Without A Clear Subject
Se abren can mean “they open,” but the “they” is the thing being opened, not people. It’s close to “they open” in English when English uses “they” as a stand-in.
- Las ventanas se abren fácil. = The windows open easily.
- Las puertas se abren con tarjeta. = The doors open with a card.
Object Pronouns: “They Open It”
English can stick “it” after the verb. Spanish often places that object as a short pronoun before the verb. This is one of the spots where learners freeze, so it helps to see clean patterns.
Singular: It
If “it” is feminine (like la puerta), use la. If it’s masculine (like el correo), use lo.
- La abren. = They open it. (feminine item)
- Lo abren. = They open it. (masculine item)
Plural: Them
Use las for feminine plural items and los for masculine or mixed plural items.
- Las abren. = They open them. (feminine items)
- Los abren. = They open them. (masculine or mixed items)
Ellos, Ellas, And Ustedes
“They” has a few faces in Spanish. Ellos and ellas mean “they.” Ustedes means “you all.” The verb form for ellos, ellas, and ustedes is the same in the present tense: abren.
That overlap matters when you hear a sentence with no subject. Abren a las 9 can mean “they open at 9” or “you all open at 9,” depending on who is speaking and who they’re talking to.
| Slip | Better Spanish | Why It Sounds Right |
|---|---|---|
| Using abren to mean “they’re open” | Están abiertos. | Uses the adjective for the open state. |
| Saying “they open” when you mean “it opens” | Se abre / Se abren. | Keeps the agent unnamed. |
| Mixing up abrieron and abrían | Abrieron (one-time) / Abrían (habit) | Matches finished action vs routine. |
| Placing “it” after the verb | La/Lo abren. | Object pronoun goes before the verb. |
| Forgetting the preposition with time | Abren a las 9. | A links opening to a clock time. |
| Using ellos each time | Abren… (no subject) | Sounds natural in Spanish. |
| Using abren for “they’re opening now” | Están abriendo… | Marks the action in progress. |
Mini Drills To Make It Stick
Short drills can train your brain to pick the right form fast. Say each line out loud, then swap one piece at a time.
Swap The Object
- Abren la puerta. → La abren.
- Abren el correo. → Lo abren.
- Abren las ventanas. → Las abren.
- Abren los sobres. → Los abren.
Switch The Time
- Abren a las 9. → Ayer abrieron a las 9.
- Abren a las 9. → Antes abrían a las 9.
- Abren a las 9. → Van a abrir a las 9.
Turn People Into Things
Practice the shift from “they open” (people) to “it opens” (a thing) with se.
- Abren la puerta. → La puerta se abre.
- Abren las puertas. → Las puertas se abren.
Quick Checklist Before You Write It
- Do you mean a routine or schedule? Use abren.
- Do you mean “right now”? Use están abriendo.
- Do you mean a finished past action? Use abrieron.
- Do you mean a past routine? Use abrían.
- Do you mean the place is operating? Use está/están abierto(s).
- Do you mean “it opens” with no agent? Use se abre / se abren.
If you keep one anchor in your head, keep this: abren is the default for “they open.” Then let your time words and context steer you to the other forms.
One-Minute Practice
Say the Spanish verb, then add an object: abren la puerta, abren el archivo, abren las ventanas.
Next, swap time: abrieron ayer, abrían los domingos, van a abrir mañana. If a sentence still feels odd, change the subject and see what clicks best.