- A1 Essential: Learn the 3 verb groups (-ar, -er, -ir) and their conjugation patterns
- Understand how to remove the infinitive ending and add the correct ending
- Learn the 6 basic endings for each verb type (yo, tú, él/ella, nosotros, ellos/ellas, usted/ustedes)
- Practice with common regular verbs like hablar, comer, vivir
- Build confidence conjugating verbs in simple present tense sentences
- Recognise that verb endings tell you who is doing the action
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Essential VerbsBeginner
Regular Verbs Present Tense
Learn the -ar, -er, -ir verb patterns (hablar, comer, vivir)
What You'll Learn
Overview
Spanish verbs change their endings to show who is doing the action. The good news? Regular verbs follow simple, predictable patterns!
There are three verb families in Spanish, named after their infinitive endings:
-AR
hablar (to speak)
hablar (to speak)
-ER
comer (to eat)
comer (to eat)
-IR
vivir (to live)
vivir (to live)
Why Do Verb Endings Change?
Unlike English, Spanish verbs change their endings to tell you who is doing the action. The verb ending acts like a built-in pronoun!
English (Simple)
I speak Spanish
You speak Spanish
He/She speaks Spanish
We speak Spanish
They speak Spanish
You speak Spanish
He/She speaks Spanish
We speak Spanish
They speak Spanish
Only "he/she" adds an 's'
Spanish (Rich System)
Yo hablo español
Tú hablas español
Él/Ella habla español
Nosotros hablamos español
Ellos hablan español
Tú hablas español
Él/Ella habla español
Nosotros hablamos español
Ellos hablan español
Each person has a unique ending!
The Big Advantage: Since the ending tells you who's doing the action, you can often drop the subject pronoun! Hablo español (I speak Spanish) - the "-o" ending makes it clear it's "I".
What English is Missing
Formal vs Informal: Spanish has tú (informal "you") and usted (formal "you")
You All: Spanish distinguishes vosotros (informal, Spain) and ustedes (formal/universal)
Gender Forms: nosotros/nosotras, vosotros/vosotras, ellos/ellas
Understanding these patterns is fundamental to Spanish communication, as they form the backbone of everyday conversation and allow you to express actions happening now or habitual actions.
Structure & Formation
How to Conjugate Regular Verbs
Step 1: Remove the Infinitive Ending
Take off -ar, -er, or -ir to find the stem:
hablar → habl-
comer → com-
vivir → viv-
Step 2: Add the Correct Ending
Choose the ending that matches the subject (see tables below for examples):
-AR
-o, -as, -a
-amos, -áis, -an
-o, -as, -a
-amos, -áis, -an
-ER
-o, -es, -e
-emos, -éis, -en
-o, -es, -e
-emos, -éis, -en
-IR
-o, -es, -e
-imos, -ís, -en
-o, -es, -e
-imos, -ís, -en
Step 3: Put It Together
Combine the stem with the ending:
habl- + -o = hablo
com- + -es = comes
viv- + -e = vive
Complete Conjugation Tables
-AR Verbs: hablar (to speak)
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
yo hablo I speak | nosotros hablamos we speak |
tú hablas you speak | vosotros habláis you all speak |
él/ella habla he/she speaks | ellos/ellas hablan they speak |
-ER Verbs: comer (to eat)
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
yo como I eat | nosotros comemos we eat |
tú comes you eat | vosotros coméis you all eat |
él/ella come he/she eats | ellos/ellas comen they eat |
-IR Verbs: vivir (to live)
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
yo vivo I live | nosotros vivimos we live |
tú vives you live | vosotros vivís you all live |
él/ella vive he/she lives | ellos/ellas viven they live |
-AR Verbs: hablar
| yo | hablo | I speak |
| tú | hablas | you speak |
| él/ella | habla | he/she speaks |
| nosotros | hablamos | we speak |
| vosotros | habláis | you all speak |
| ellos | hablan | they speak |
-ER Verbs: comer
| yo | como | I eat |
| tú | comes | you eat |
| él/ella | come | he/she eats |
| nosotros | comemos | we eat |
| vosotros | coméis | you all eat |
| ellos | comen | they eat |
-IR Verbs: vivir
| yo | vivo | I live |
| tú | vives | you live |
| él/ella | vive | he/she lives |
| nosotros | vivimos | we live |
| vosotros | vivís | you all live |
| ellos | viven | they live |
Quick Reference: All Endings
| Person | -AR | -ER | -IR |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | -o | -o |
| tú | -as | -es | -es |
| él/ella/usted | -a | -e | -e |
| nosotros | -amos | -emos | -imos |
| vosotros | -áis | -éis | -ís |
| ellos/ustedes | -an | -en | -en |
Examples
Daily Activities
-AR
Yo trabajo en una oficina.
I work in an office.
-AR
Tú estudias español.
You study Spanish.
-ER
Él come en un restaurante.
He eats at a restaurant.
-IR
Nosotros vivimos en Madrid.
We live in Madrid.
Questions & Answers
Question
¿Hablas inglés?
Do you speak English?
Answer
Sí, hablo inglés y español.
Yes, I speak English and Spanish.
Question
¿Dónde vives?
Where do you live?
Answer
Vivo en Barcelona.
I live in Barcelona.
Common Mistakes
Don't Forget the Accent Marks
Wrong: Vosotros hablais
Correct:Vosotros habláis
The accent mark on vosotros forms is essential for correct pronunciation.
-ER and -IR Verbs Are Similar
-ER and -IR verbs have identical endings except for nosotros/vosotros:
-ER: comemos, coméis
-IR: vivimos, vivís
Memory Tip: Drop the Pronoun
You can often drop the subject pronoun because the verb ending tells you who's doing the action:
Hablo español(I speak Spanish)
The "-o" ending clearly indicates "yo" (I), so you don't need to say it.
Quick Test
Test your understanding of regular verb conjugations:
1. How do you conjugate 'hablar' (to speak) for 'tú'?
2. What is the correct conjugation: 'Nosotros _____ (comer) pizza'?
3. Choose the correct form: 'Ellos _____ (vivir) en España'?
4. Which ending is correct for 'vosotros' with -AR verbs?
5. What's the difference between -ER and -IR verbs in the 'yo' form?
6. Fill in the blank: 'Yo _____ (trabajar) en una oficina'
7. What is the correct form: 'Ella _____ (escribir) una carta'?
8. Which forms are identical for -ER and -IR verbs?
Want more practice? Try our interactive fill-in-the-blank exercises with progressive lessons covering -ar, -er, and -ir verb conjugations!