Regular Verbs
Learning Spanish involves mastering the use of verbs, as they are fundamental to constructing sentences and expressing actions. In Spanish, verbs are categorized into three main types based on their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. Regular verbs follow consistent patterns for conjugation, making them easier to learn and use. Here’s a comprehensive guide to understanding and using regular verbs in Spanish.
1. The Basics of Regular Verbs
Regular verbs in Spanish are those that follow predictable patterns when conjugated in different tenses. Unlike irregular verbs, which have unique and often unpredictable forms, regular verbs adhere to specific endings.
The three types of regular verbs are:
-ar verbs (e.g., hablar (to talk), caminar (to walk))
-er verbs (e.g., comer (to eat), aprender (to learn))
-ir verbs (e.g., vivir (to live), escribir (to write))
2. Conjugating Regular -ar Verbs
To conjugate regular -ar verbs in the present tense, remove the -ar ending from the infinitive and add the following endings based on the subject:
Yo (I) -> -o
Tú (You, informal) -> -as
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal) -> -a
Nosotros/Nosotras (We) -> -amos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You all, informal in Spain) -> -áis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all, formal) -> -an
Example: Hablar (to talk)
Yo hablo (I talk)
Tú hablas (You talk)
Él/Ella/Usted habla (He/She/You talk)
Nosotros/Nosotras hablamos (We talk)
Vosotros/Vosotras habláis (You all talk)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablan (They/You all talk)
3. Conjugating Regular -er Verbs
To conjugate regular -er verbs in the present tense, remove the -er ending from the infinitive and add the following endings based on the subject:
Yo (I) -> -o
Tú (You, informal) -> -es
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal) -> -e
Nosotros/Nosotras (We) -> -emos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You all, informal in Spain) -> -éis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all, formal) -> -en
Example: Comer (to eat)
Yo como (I eat)
Tú comes (You eat)
Él/Ella/Usted come (He/She/You eat)
Nosotros/Nosotras comemos (We eat)
Vosotros/Vosotras coméis (You all eat)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes comen (They/You all eat)
4. Conjugating Regular -ir Verbs
To conjugate regular -ir verbs in the present tense, remove the -ir ending from the infinitive and add the following endings based on the subject:
Yo (I) -> -o
Tú (You, informal) -> -es
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal) -> -e
Nosotros/Nosotras (We) -> -imos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You all, informal in Spain) -> -ís
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You all, formal) -> -en
Example: Vivir (to live)
Yo vivo (I live)
Tú vives (You live)
Él/Ella/Usted vive (He/She/You live)
Nosotros/Nosotras vivimos (We live)
Vosotros/Vosotras vivís (You all live)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes viven (They/You all live)
5. Using Regular Verbs in Sentences
Here are some examples of regular verbs used in sentences:
Examples with -ar verbs:
Yo hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
Ellos caminan al parque. (They walk to the park.)
Examples with -er verbs:
Tú comes pizza. (You eat pizza.)
Nosotros aprendemos inglés. (We learn English.)
Examples with -ir verbs:
Ella vive en Madrid. (She lives in Madrid.)
Vosotros escribís cartas. (You all write letters.)
6. Regular Verbs in Different Tenses
Regular verbs follow consistent patterns across various tenses, such as the preterite, imperfect, future, and conditional. Learning the specific endings for each tense allows you to conjugate regular verbs accurately.
Example in the Preterite Tense: Hablar (to talk)
Yo hablé (I talked)
Tú hablaste (You talked)
Él/Ella/Usted habló (He/She/You talked)
Nosotros/Nosotras hablamos (We talked)
Vosotros/Vosotras hablasteis (You all talked)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes hablaron (They/You all talked)
