Study Spanish - Regular Verbs

Regular Verbs

All Spanish verbs are either "regular" or "irregular." In this lesson we will look at three completely regular verbs:

hablar (to speak)
comer (to eat)
vivir (to live)

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Notice the last two letters of each verb.

hablar (to speak)
comer (to eat)
vivir (to live)

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There are three categories of verbs:

-ar verbs (like hablar)
-er verbs (like comer)
-ir verbs (like vivir)

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All three categories are infinitives. You will recall from a previous lesson that infinitives are the base form of the verb, equivalent in English to: to speak, to eat, to live, etc. In Spanish, all infinitives end in -ar, -er, or -ir.

-ar verb
hablar (to speak)

-er verb
comer (to eat)

-ir verb
vivir (to live)

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Remember what it means to conjugate a verb:

to speak

I speak
you speak
he speaks
she speaks
we speak
you-all speak
they speak

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In this lesson, you will learn to conjugate our model verbs for I, you (formal), we, and you-all (formal).

yo hablo
I speak

usted habla
you speak

nosotros/as hablamos
we speak

ustedes hablan
you-all speak

yo como
I eat

usted come
you eat

nosotros/as comemos
we eat

ustedes comen
you-all eat

yo vivo
I live

usted vive
you live

nosotros/as vivimos
we live

ustedes viven
you-all live

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Look for a pattern in the yo form.

yo hablo
yo como
yo vivo

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If the subject is I (yo), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -o.

yo hablo (hablar - ar + o = hablo)
yo como (comer - er + o = como)
yo vivo (vivir - ir + o = vivo)

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Look for a pattern in the usted form.

usted habla
usted come
usted vive

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If the subject is you formal (usted) drop the ending and add either -a or -e. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -a. If it is an -er or -ir verb, add -e.

usted habla (hablar - ar + a = habla)
usted come (comer - er + e = come)
usted vive (vivir - ir + e = vive)

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Look for a pattern in the nosotros/as form.

nosotros/as hablamos
nosotros/as comemos
nosotros/as vivimos

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If the subject is we (nosotros/as), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -amos, -emos, or -imos. Notice that the ending of the infinitive determines which is used: -ar verbs add -amos, -er verbs add -emos, -ir verbs add -imos.

nosotros/as hablamos
(hablar - ar + amos = hablamos)

nosotros/as comemos
(comer - er + emos = comemos)

nosotros/as vivimos
(vivir - ir + imos = vivimos)

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Look for a pattern in the ustedes form.

ustedes hablan
ustedes comen
ustedes viven

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If the subject is you-all (ustedes), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -an or -en. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -an. If it is an -er or an -ir verb, add -en.

ustedes hablan
(hablar - ar + an = hablan)

ustedes comen
(comer - er + en = comen)

ustedes viven
(vivir - ir + en = viven)

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Present tense (indicative) in Spanish means three things.

Yo hablo inglés:

I speak English.
I do speak English.
I am speaking English.

Yo como pan:

I eat bread.
I do eat bread.
I am eating bread.

Yo vivo en Buenos Aires:

I live in Buenos Aires.
I do live in Buenos Aires.
I am living in Buenos Aires.

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It is vital that you continue with your collection of verb flashcards. This will be your key to success in mastering the Spanish verbs. Continue by creating 4 additional cards, writing the words in bold on one side and the conjugations on the other side:

Verb Flashcards

Present Indicative

I speak
I do speak
I am speaking

hablar (to speak)

hablo

habla

hablamos

hablan

comer (to eat)

como

come

comemos

comen

vivir (to live)

vivo

vive

vivimos

viven