Present Tense Spanish Conjugation Guide: Regular & Irregular Verbs

Present Tense Spanish Conjugation Guide: Master Regular & Irregular Verbs

Spanish verb conjugation intimidates beginners. But here's the truth: present tense follows predictable patterns. Once you learn the patterns, you can conjugate hundreds of verbs.

This guide breaks down regular and irregular verbs, shows you the patterns, and gives you 10 example sentences so you can use them immediately.

What Is Verb Conjugation?

Verb conjugation means changing the verb form based on who is doing the action. In English, we say "I go," "you go," "he goes." Spanish does the same thing, but with more variations.

Example: The infinitive verb "hablar" (to speak) becomes:

• yo hablo (I speak)
• tú hablas (you speak)
• él habla (he speaks)
• nosotros hablamos (we speak)
• ellos hablan (they speak)

The verb changes based on the subject (who is doing the action). This is conjugation.

The Six Spanish Pronouns

Spanish has six pronouns, and each one requires a different verb form:

Regular Verbs: The Three Patterns

Spanish regular verbs fall into three categories based on their infinitive ending: AR, ER, and IR. Each category follows a predictable conjugation pattern.

Pattern 1: AR Verbs (Hablar - To Speak)

AR verbs are the most common. Once you learn this pattern, you can conjugate hundreds of verbs: hablar, trabajar, estudiar, comprar, viajar, etc.

Pattern 2: ER Verbs (Comer - To Eat)

ER verbs follow a similar pattern to AR verbs, with slight differences. Examples: comer, beber, aprender, leer, vender, etc.

Pattern 3: IR Verbs (Vivir - To Live)

IR verbs are the least common, but follow a predictable pattern. Examples: vivir, escribir, partir, subir, recibir, etc.

Irregular Verbs: The Five Most Important

Irregular verbs don't follow the standard patterns. But the five most important irregular verbs appear in almost every conversation, so they're worth memorizing.

1. SER (To Be - Permanent)

2. ESTAR (To Be - Location/Condition)

3. TENER (To Have)

4. IR (To Go)

5. HACER (To Do/Make)

10 Example Sentences Using Different Conjugations

Here are 10 example sentences that show how to use conjugations in real conversations:

1. "Yo hablo español y mi hermano habla inglés." (I speak Spanish and my brother speaks English.) - Uses AR verb "hablar" with different conjugations
2. "Nosotros comemos en un restaurante y ellos comen en casa." (We eat in a restaurant and they eat at home.) - Uses ER verb "comer" with different conjugations
3. "¿Dónde vives? Yo vivo en Madrid." (Where do you live? I live in Madrid.) - Uses IR verb "vivir" with different conjugations
4. "Ella es doctora y él es ingeniero." (She is a doctor and he is an engineer.) - Uses irregular verb "ser"
5. "¿Cómo estás? Estoy bien, gracias." (How are you? I'm fine, thanks.) - Uses irregular verb "estar"
6. "Tengo un gato y mi amiga tiene un perro." (I have a cat and my friend has a dog.) - Uses irregular verb "tener"
7. "Voy al cine y mis amigos van al parque." (I go to the movies and my friends go to the park.) - Uses irregular verb "ir"
8. "¿Qué haces? Hago la tarea." (What do you do? I do homework.) - Uses irregular verb "hacer"
9. "Nosotros estudiamos español y ustedes estudian francés." (We study Spanish and you all study French.) - Uses AR verb "estudiar"
10. "Ella bebe café y yo bebo té." (She drinks coffee and I drink tea.) - Uses ER verb "beber"

How to Practice Conjugation

1. Conjugate one verb daily. Pick a verb and conjugate it for all six pronouns. Do this for 10 minutes every day.

2. Create sentences. Don't just memorize conjugations. Create sentences using each conjugation. Example: "Yo hablo español. Tú hablas inglés. Él habla francés."

3. Speak out loud. Say each conjugation aloud. Your mouth needs to learn the muscle movements.

4. Use flashcards. Write the infinitive on one side and all six conjugations on the other. Review daily.

5. Focus on the most common verbs first. Master SER, ESTAR, TENER, IR, and HACER before moving to less common verbs.

Related Resources

If you're just starting out, read our Complete Beginner Roadmap first - it gives you the 6-step system to build your foundation before diving into conjugation.

For more detailed verb information and examples, see our essential Spanish verbs guide. For vocabulary to use with these verbs, check out our essential Spanish words guide.

The Bottom Line

Present tense conjugation follows predictable patterns. Learn the three regular patterns (AR, ER, IR) and the five most important irregular verbs (SER, ESTAR, TENER, IR, HACER), and you'll be able to form sentences for 80% of beginner conversations. Practice daily, create sentences, and speak out loud. Conjugation becomes automatic with repetition.