Verbs: Present Tense

01

Regular -ar Verbs

To conjugate regular -ar verbs, remove the -ar ending from the infinitive to find the stem, then add the following endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.

Using hablar (to speak) as an example:

• yo hablo (I speak)
• tú hablas (you speak - informal singular)
• él/ella/usted habla (he/she speaks, or you speak - formal singular)
• nosotros hablamos (we speak)
• vosotros habláis (you speak - informal plural, used in Spain)
• ellos/ellas/ustedes hablan (they speak, or you speak - formal plural)

• Hablo español con mis amigos.

  I speak Spanish with my friends.

• Ana trabaja en una oficina.

  Ana works in an office.

02

Regular -er and -ir Verbs

Verbs ending in -er and -ir share most of the same endings, differing only in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

For -er verbs (like beber - to drink), the endings are: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.

• bebo (I drink)
• bebes (you drink)
• bebe (he/she drinks)
• bebemos (we drink)
• bebéis (you all drink)
• beben (they drink)

For -ir verbs (like vivir - to live), the endings are: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en. Note the change to i in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

• vivo (I live)
• vives (you live)
• vive (he/she lives)
• vivimos (we live)
• vivís (you all live)
• viven (they live)

• Comemos paella los domingos.

  We eat paella on Sundays.

• ¿Dónde vivís vosotros?

  Where do you guys live?

03

Stem-Changing Verbs

Many Spanish verbs are "stem-changing." This means the vowel in the stem changes when stressed. However, the endings remain regular.

Important: The stem does not change for nosotros and vosotros, because the stress falls on the ending, not the stem.

E to IE (e.g., querer - to want):

• quiero, quieres, quiere, queremos, queréis, quieren.

O to UE (e.g., poder - to be able to/can):

• puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, podéis, pueden.

E to I (e.g., pedir - to ask for):

• pido, pides, pide, pedimos, pedís, piden.

• Ella no puede venir hoy.

  She cannot come today.

• Siempre pedimos el menú del día.

  We always order the menu of the day.

04

Irregular "Yo" Forms

Some verbs are regular in all forms except the first person singular (yo).

• hacer (to do/make) becomes hago. (Rest: haces, hace...)
• poner (to put) becomes pongo.
• salir (to go out) becomes salgo.
• saber (to know info) becomes sé.
• dar (to give) becomes doy.
• ver (to see) becomes veo.

• Hago mis deberes por la tarde.

  I do my homework in the afternoon.

• No sé la respuesta.

  I don't know the answer.

05

Highly Irregular Verbs

A few verbs follow unique patterns and must be memorized completely. The most common are ser (to be), estar (to be), and ir (to go).

Ser (permanent state/identity):

soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son.

Estar (location/temporary state):

estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están.

Ir (to go):

voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van.

• Nosotros somos estudiantes.

  We are students.

• Voy al supermercado.

  I am going to the supermarket.

06

Usage Contexts

The present tense in Spanish is more flexible than in English. It covers:

1. Current actions: Leo un libro. (I read a book / I am reading a book).

2. Habitual actions: Corro todos los días. (I run every day).

3. General truths: El cielo es azul. (The sky is blue).

4. Near future: El tren sale mañana. (The train leaves tomorrow).

• ¿Qué haces?

  What are you doing? / What do you do?

• Mañana comemos con mi abuela.

  Tomorrow we are eating with my grandmother.