Verbs: Present Tense

01

Verbs Ending in -ar

This is the largest and most regular group of verbs. To form the present tense, remove the -ar ending from the infinitive and add the appropriate ending for each person.

The endings are: -o, -es, -a, -em, -eu, -en.

Example with cantar (to sing):

• canto (I sing)
• cantes (you sing)
• canta (he/she/it sings)
• cantem (we sing)
• canteu (y'all sing)
• canten (they sing)

• Treballo en una oficina al centre.

  I work in an office downtown.

• Mires massa la televisió.

  You watch too much television.

• Els nens juguen al parc cada tarda.

  The children play in the park every afternoon.

02

Verbs Ending in -er or -re

The second group of verbs follows a different pattern. Remove the -er or -re ending and add the new endings. Note that the third-person singular (he/she/it) form has no ending; it is just the verb stem.

The endings are: -o, -s, - (no ending), -em, -eu, -en.

Example with vendre (to sell):

• venc (I sell)
• vens (you sell)
• ven (he/she/it sells)
• venem (we sell)
• veneu (y'all sell)
• venen (they sell)

• No bec alcohol.

  I don't drink alcohol.

• Ella aprèn francès a l'escola.

  She learns French at school.

• Correm cada matí per la platja.

  We run every morning along the beach.

03

Verbs Ending in -ir

Verbs in this group have two main patterns.

Pure -ir Verbs

A small number of -ir verbs are conjugated by simply adding the endings to the stem. The endings for we and y'all are -im and -iu.

The endings are: -o, -s, - (no ending), -im, -iu, -en.

Example with dormir (to sleep):

• dormo (I sleep)
• dorms (you sleep)
• dorm (he/she/it sleeps)
• dormim (we sleep)
• dormiu (y'all sleep)
• dormen (they sleep)

• Obrim la finestra perquè fa calor.

  We are opening the window because it's hot.

• Sentiu aquesta música?

  Do y'all hear this music?

Inchoative -ir Verbs (with -eix-)

Most verbs ending in -ir add the infix -eix- between the stem and the ending for all singular forms (I, you, he/she/it) and the third-person plural (they). The we and y'all forms do not use this infix and are conjugated like pure -ir verbs.

Example with servir (to serve):

• serveixo (I serve)
• serveixes (you serve)
• serveix (he/she/it serves)
• servim (we serve)
• serviu (y'all serve)
• serveixen (they serve)

• Aquest restaurant serveix el millor peix de la ciutat.

  This restaurant serves the best fish in the city.

• Ell decideix què fem per sopar.

  He decides what we're having for dinner.

• Rebeixo molts correus electrònics cada dia.

  I receive many emails every day.

04

Common Irregular Verbs

Several of the most important verbs are irregular and must be memorized.

Ser (to be - permanent characteristics)

• sóc (I am)
• ets (you are)
• és (he/she/it is)
• som (we are)
• sou (y'all are)
• són (they are)

• Sóc metge.

  I am a doctor.

Estar (to be - temporary states, location)

• estic (I am)
• estàs (you are)
• està (he/she/it is)
• estem (we are)
• esteu (y'all are)
• estan (they are)

• Com estàs? Estic bé, gràcies.

  How are you? I am well, thank you.

Tenir (to have)

• tinc (I have)
• tens (you have)
• té (he/she/it has)
• tenim (we have)
• teniu (y'all have)
• tenen (they have)

• Tinc gana.

  I am hungry (lit. I have hunger).

Anar (to go)

• vaig (I go)
• vas (you go)
• va (he/she/it goes)
• anem (we go)
• aneu (y'all go)
• van (they go)

• A l'estiu anem a la muntanya.

  In the summer we go to the mountains.