Verbs & Present Tense

A verb is a word that describes an action, state, or occurrence.

In Spanish, verbs change their form to reflect:

• Person: Who is performing the action (I, you, he/she/it, we, you all, they)

• Number: How many subjects are performing the action (singular or plural)

• Tense: When the action takes place (present, past, future)

• Mood: The attitude or intention of the speaker (indicative, subjunctive, imperative)

Before diving deeper, it's essential to grasp some key terms.

#Conjugation

"Conjugation" has two meanings:

1. Verb Groups: The three categories of verbs based on their infinitive endings (-ar, -er, -ir).

2. Verb Forms: Conjugating a verb means changing its form to match the subject and tense.

#Infinitive

The infinitive is the base form of the verb, similar to "to speak" in English. Spanish infinitives always end in -ar, -er, or -ir. Think of it like a blueprint for the verb's action.

#Infinitive Ending

The infinitive ending determines the verb's conjugation group:

• -ar: cantar (to sing)

• -er: comer (to eat)

• -ir: vivir (to live)

#Verb Base

The verb base is the core of the verb's meaning. To find it, remove the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir). For example:

• cantar -> cant-

• comer -> com-

• vivir -> viv-

#Verb Ending

Verb endings are attached to the verb base during conjugation. Each ending corresponds to a specific subject pronoun.

#Conjugated Verb Form

A conjugated verb form combines the verb base with the appropriate ending to match the subject and express the action.

#Regular Verb

A regular verb keeps its base intact and uses predictable endings when conjugated.

#Irregular Verb

An irregular verb's base might change during conjugation, or it might use unpredictable endings.

#Subject

The subject is the performer of the action in a sentence. For example:

• Mary sings.

• We eat.

• I live.

#Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns replace the subject of a sentence to avoid repetition. They are:

The present tense in Spanish, known as el presente, is one of the most commonly used tenses. It expresses actions happening right now, habitual actions, general truths, and sometimes actions that will happen in the near future.

#Uses of the Spanish Present Tense

Actions Happening Now

• Hablo con mi mamá. (I am speaking with my mom [right now].)

Habitual Actions

• Estudio todos los días. (I study every day.)

General Truths or Facts

• El sol sale por el este. (The sun rises in the east.)

Near-Future Events (often used with a future time marker)

• Esta tarde voy al cine. (This afternoon I am going to the movies.)

#Principles of conjugation

Conjugating Regular Verbs

For regular verbs, follow these simple steps:

1. Start with the infinitive: This is the base form of the verb, ending in -ar, -er, or -ir (e.g., hablar, comer, vivir).

2. Remove the infinitive ending: This leaves you with the verb stem (habl-, com-, viv-).

3. Add the present tense ending: Choose the ending that matches the subject pronoun.

Here are the endings for regular verbs:

Here are some examples:

#-Ar Verbs

To conjugate a regular -ar verb in the present tense, drop the infinitive ending and add -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an to the stem.

Example:

hablar to speak

Infinitive: hablar

Stem: habl-

Ending: -ar

#-Er Verbs

To conjugate a regular -er verb in the present tense, drop the infinitive ending and add -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en to the stem.

Example:

creer to believe

Infinitive: creer

Stem: cre-

Ending: -er

#-Ir Verbs

To conjugate a regular -ir verb in the present tense, drop the infinitive ending and add -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en to the stem.

Example:

vivir to live

Infinitive: vivir

Stem: vivi-

Ending: -ir