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Present Tense Verbs

Every verb has one of three endings: -ar, -ir, or -er. These three verbs (just like subjects) are but into six boxes. The boxes are the same as the subjects (1st is I, you is the second, and so on.)

-Ar verbs

-o

-as

a-

-amos

-aís

-an

Hablar- To talk 

Cantar- to sing 

Usar- to use 

Bailar- to dance 

Trabajar- to work 

Estudiar- to study 

Cocinar- to cook 

Necesitar- to need

Tocar- to touch 

Tomar- to take 

Mirar- to watch

Pagar- to pay 

Limpiar- to clean 

Escuchar- to listen

Comprar- to buy

-Er verbs

-o

-es

-e

-emos

-éis

-en

Hacer: To do

Tener: To have

Poder: to may

Querer: To want

Saber: to know

Conocer: to discover

Leer: to read

Haber: to have

Poner: to put

Aprender: to learn

Correr: to run

Volver: to return

Vender: to sell

Beber: to drink

 

-Ir verbs

-o

-es

-e

-imos

-en

-ís

Decir: To say

Venir: To come

Salir: To leave

Dormir: To sleep

Escribir: To write

Vivir: To live

Pedir: To ask

Oir: To hear

Seguir: To follow

Servir: To serve

Sentir: To feel

Recibir: To recieve 

Repetir: To repeat

Decidir: To decide

Irregulars

Regulars

In Spanish, when conjugating some verbs in the first box, you add "go" to the end. For example: tener is considered a "go" verb, you drop the -er and just add -go, and get tengo.

List of "-go" verbs 

  • poner: yo pongo

  • tener: yo tengo

  • oír: yo oigo

  • venir: yo vengo

  • hacer: yo hago

  • salir: yo salgo

  • valer: yo valgo

Remember, it only changes in the first box.

I have a dog. You change I to yo(subjects). Have is Spanish is tener, but remember, tener is a "go" verb. You change tener to tengo, because you would conjugate it in the first box. A would be changed to un because you're not being specific as to what dog, and because dog is perro, and perro is masculine. Yo tengo un perro.

Stem Changers

Stem changers are where you change the vowel within the word, then conjugate accordingly. You change only in the first, second, third, and sixth box. The only time you wouldn't in the first box is if it's a "go" verb.

Change o:ue, e:i, or e:ie

E:ie verbs

cerrar

entendar

mentir

encendar

advertir

confessar

pensar

perder

empazar

 O:ue verbs

morir

mostrar

probar

contar

volver

dormir

encontar

mordar

volar

poder

E:i verbs

empedir

pedir

repetir

freir

servir

 

Tú cierras la luz. Since it's  saying  you turn on the light, in the subject boxes, you is in the second box. Cerrar is a e-ie stem changer and it is in the second box, so you would stem change it and conjugate it using -as.

We serve. Serves is an -ir verb and since the subject is we, it gets conjugated in the fourth box. Nosotros servimos.

I read. It is an -er verb and since the subject is I, it gets conjugated in the first box. Yo leo.

We talk. Talk is an -ar verb, and since the subject is we, it gets conjugated in the fourth box. Nosotros hablamos.

I ask for permission. Since to ask is pedir, and it is an e:i stem changer, and the subject is I, it gets conjugated in the first box, and stem changed. Yo pido para permiso.

He sleeps. To sleep is dormir, which is and o:ue stem changer. Since the subject is he, it gets conjugated in the third box, also meaning it gets stem changed. Él dueme.

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