Regular Verbs
Learning Spanish requires a solid understanding of verbs since they form the backbone of sentences and allow us to express actions, emotions, and states of being. In Spanish, verbs are categorized into three main groups based on their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. Regular verbs are those that follow standard conjugation patterns, making them easier to learn than irregular verbs, which have more unpredictable forms. Below, we’ll explore how to conjugate and use regular verbs in different tenses.
1. The Basics of Regular Verbs
Regular verbs in Spanish follow a predictable set of rules, which makes them an excellent starting point for beginners. They are grouped based on their infinitive forms, and these groups determine how the verb changes depending on the subject pronoun (who or what is doing the action).
Here are the three main types of regular verbs:
-ar verbs: verbs that end in "-ar," such as hablar (to talk), cantar (to sing), and caminar (to walk).
-er verbs: verbs that end in "-er," such as comer (to eat), aprender (to learn), and beber (to drink).
-ir verbs: verbs that end in "-ir," such as vivir (to live), escribir (to write), and abrir (to open).
Mastering regular verbs will help you communicate with greater accuracy and confidence since these verbs are used frequently in everyday conversation.
2. Conjugating Regular -ar Verbs
To conjugate regular -ar verbs in the present tense, you need to follow a straightforward pattern. First, remove the -ar ending from the infinitive, and then add the appropriate endings based on the subject pronoun.
Present tense conjugation for -ar verbs:
Yo (I) → -o
Tú (You, informal) → -as
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal) → -a
Nosotros/Nosotras (We) → -amos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You all, informal, 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)
This simple pattern applies to most -ar verbs, allowing you to easily conjugate them in the present tense.
3. Conjugating Regular -er Verbs
Conjugating -er verbs in the present tense follows a similar pattern to -ar verbs, but with slightly different endings.
Present tense conjugation for -er verbs:
Yo → -o
Tú → -es
Él/Ella/Usted → -e
Nosotros/Nosotras → -emos
Vosotros/Vosotras → -éis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes → -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)
Just like with -ar verbs, this consistent pattern makes it easier to conjugate -er verbs for any subject pronoun.
4. Conjugating Regular -ir Verbs
For -ir verbs, the conjugation is similar to -er verbs but with some minor differences, especially in the nosotros and vosotros forms.
Present tense conjugation for -ir verbs:
Yo → -o
Tú → -es
Él/Ella/Usted → -e
Nosotros/Nosotras → -imos
Vosotros/Vosotras → -ís
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes → -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)
As you can see, the nosotros and vosotros forms are the key differences between -er and -ir verbs. Practicing these conjugations will help you recognize the patterns.
5. Using Regular Verbs in Sentences
Now that you know how to conjugate regular verbs, let’s explore how they’re 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.)
Notice how the verb endings change according to the subject pronoun in each sentence. This is a fundamental aspect of Spanish grammar that you’ll encounter frequently in both spoken and written communication.
6. Regular Verbs in Different Tenses
Spanish verbs can be conjugated in many tenses, but the great thing about regular verbs is that they maintain consistent patterns across these tenses. Once you’ve learned the conjugation rules for one tense, you can apply similar logic to others, such as the preterite (past), imperfect, future, and conditional tenses.
Let’s look at some examples of regular verbs in the preterite tense, which is used to describe completed actions in the past.
Conjugation of -ar verbs in the preterite tense:
Example: 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)
Notice that the pattern is different from the present tense, but it remains regular and predictable.
Conjugation of -er and -ir verbs in the preterite tense:
Example: Comer (to eat)
Yo comí (I ate)
Tú comiste (You ate)
Él/Ella/Usted comió (He/She/You ate)
Nosotros/Nosotras comimos (We ate)
Vosotros/Vosotras comisteis (You all ate)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes comieron (They/You all ate)
Example: Vivir (to live)
Yo viví (I lived)
Tú viviste (You lived)
Él/Ella/Usted vivió (He/She/You lived)
Nosotros/Nosotras vivimos (We lived)
Vosotros/Vosotras vivisteis (You all lived)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes vivieron (They/You all lived)
As you can see, the conjugation in the preterite tense is slightly different for -er and -ir verbs compared to -ar verbs, but the rules are still consistent.
7. Practice Exercises
To master regular verbs, practice is essential. Here are a few exercises to help you strengthen your conjugation skills:
1. Conjugate the following -ar, -er, and -ir verbs in the present tense:
Hablar (to talk)
Comer (to eat)
Escribir (to write)
2. Translate and conjugate these sentences into Spanish:
I live in a big city.
They eat breakfast early.
We talk every day.
3. Write three sentences using regular verbs in the preterite tense.
By practicing regularly and reviewing these conjugation patterns, you’ll develop a strong foundation in Spanish verb usage. The more you familiarize yourself with these regular verbs, the easier it will become to expand your vocabulary and explore more complex grammatical structures. Keep practicing, and soon enough, these conjugations will feel natural!
Also visit our Spanish Short Stories page, where you'll find engaging stories tailored to various skill levels, helping you boost vocabulary and comprehension in a fun, immersive way.
