Present tense In Spanish, verbs are conjugated to show mood, tense, person and number. Most verbs are conjugated after a regular pattern. Verbs that do not follow the pattern are said to be irregular and must be committed to memory. Even these irregular verbs are not irregular in all tenses.
The present tense in Spanish means that the time spoken of is present. It may be used to make a statement or to ask a question, either affirmatively or negatively.
- First conjugation: AR: Caminar: To walk
- Second conjugation: ER: Comer: To eat
- Third conjugation: IR: Escribir: To write
The infinitive is the keyword that is used to form all conjugation and tenses. The present tense is formed by dropping the infinitive endings:
- AR: o, as, a, amos, ais, an
- ER: o, es, e, emos, eis, en
- IR: o, es, e, imos, is, en
Following are a few regular verbs that are conjugated in the present indicative tense by following the key given in this lesson.
- hablar: to speak
- estudiar: to study
- esperar: to wait
- enseñar: to teach
- descansar: to rest
- bailar: to dance
- buscar: to look for
- cambiar: to change
- cantar: to sing
- invitar: to invite
- lavar: to wash
- llamar: to call
- mirar: to look at
- preparar: to prepare
- trabajar: to work
- viajar: to travel
In order to form the present tense of AR verbs the infinitive endings AR is dropped. To the root are added the personal endings o, as, a, amos, an.
Comprar: to buy
- Yo compr-o
- Tu compr-as
- El compr-a
- Nosotros compr-amos
- Ellos compr-an
Regular second conjugation verbs
The infinitives of second conjugation verbs end in ER. In order to form the present tense of regular ER verbs the infinitive ending is dropped. Add the personal endings: e, es, emos, eis, en.
To form the present tense of IR verbs, the infinitive ending is dropped and the personal endings: o, es, e, imos, is, en.
Regular third conjugation verbs
To form the present tense of IR verbs, the infinitive ending is dropped and the personal endings: o, es, e, imos, is, en.
Present tense – Irregular Verbs
I Group: E→ IE
Such verbs are called stem-changing verbs. The following verbs change the stem of the infinitive E to IE in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
| Pronouns | Verb: Cerrar: to close |
|
Yo |
cierro |
|
Tu |
cierres |
|
El/ ella |
cierra |
|
Nosotros |
cerramos |
|
Vosotros |
cerráis |
|
Ellos |
cierran |
List of Stem – Changing Verbs: e→ ie
- Atender: to help, assist
- Comenzar: to start, begin
- Defender: to defend
- Despertar: to awaken
- Despertarse: to wake up
- Divertir: to amuse
- Empezar: to start, begin
- Encender: to turn on
- Entender: to understand
- Extender: to extend
- Mentir: to lie
- Negar: to deny
- Nevar: to snow
- Pensar: to think
- Perder: to lose
- Preferir: to prefer
- Presentir: to foresee
- Querer: to want
- Sentir: to feel, be sorry
- Sentirse: to feel, be
- Sugerir: to suggest
- Tender: to extend, spread out
II Group: O → UE
The following verbs change the stem of the infinitive O to UE in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
|
Pronouns |
Verb: Dormir: to sleep |
|
Yo |
duermo |
|
Tú |
duermes |
|
El/ ella |
duerme |
|
Nosotros |
dormimos |
|
Vosotros |
dormís |
|
Ellos |
duermen |
- Acordar: to agree
- Acordarse: to remember
- Cocer: to cook, boil
- Contar: to tel, count
- Demostrar: to demonstrate
- Descontar: to discount
- Devolver: to give back, return
- Doler: to hurt
- Dormir: to sleep
- Encontrar: to find
- Envolver: to wrap
- Llover: to rain
- Morder: to bite
- Morir: to die
- Mostrar: to show
- Oler: to smell
- Poder: to be able to, can
- Recordar. to remember
- Soler: to be used to, be accustomed to
- Volar: to fly
- Volver: to return
III Group: E → I
The third group of stem-changing verbs are those verbs that change the stem of the infinitive from E to I in all forms of the present tense except nosotros and vosotros. Verbs that belong to this class are:
| Pronouns | Verb: Pedir: to ask for |
|
Yo |
pido |
|
Tú |
pides |
|
El/ ella |
pide |
|
Nosotros |
pedimos |
|
Vosotros |
pedis |
|
Ellos |
piden |
-
- Conseguir: to get
- Despedir: to dismiss
- Despedirse: to say good bye
- Freir: to fry
- Impedir: to prevent
- Medir: to measure
- Pedir: to ask for
- perseguir: to pursue
- Proseguir: to continue
- Reir: to laugh
- Repetir: to repeat
- Reñir: to ague
- Seguir: to follow
- Servir: to serve
- Sonreir: to smile
- Vestir: to dress
IV Group: U → UE
| Pronouns | Verb: Jugar: to play |
|
Yo |
juego |
|
Tú |
juegas |
|
El/ ella |
juega |
|
Nosotros |
jugamos |
|
Vosotros |
jugáis |
|
Ellos |
juegan |