A1 Spanish GrammarPresent Tense
Master Spanish present tense verb conjugations for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. Learn regular patterns and start communicating about daily actions, habits, and current states.
1-AR Verbs (hablar, trabajar, estudiar)
Most Spanish verbs end in -ar. To conjugate, remove -ar and add the appropriate ending for each person. These endings are consistent across all regular -ar verbs. This is the largest verb group.
-AR Verb Endings (hablar)
| Person | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | hablo |
| tú | -as | hablas |
| él/ella/usted | -a | habla |
| nosotros | -amos | hablamos |
| vosotros | -áis | habláis |
| ellos/ustedes | -an | hablan |
Examples
Yo hablo español.
I speak Spanish.
hablar - to speak
¿Trabajas aquí?
Do you work here?
trabajar - tú form
Ella estudia medicina.
She studies medicine.
estudiar - él/ella form
Nosotros cantamos bien.
We sing well.
cantar - nosotros form
2-ER Verbs (comer, beber, leer)
-ER verbs follow a similar pattern but with different vowels in the endings. Remove -er and add the -er endings. These are the second most common verb type in Spanish.
-ER Verb Endings (comer)
| Person | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | como |
| tú | -es | comes |
| él/ella/usted | -e | come |
| nosotros | -emos | comemos |
| vosotros | -éis | coméis |
| ellos/ustedes | -en | comen |
Examples
Yo como a las dos.
I eat at two o'clock.
comer - yo form
¿Bebes café?
Do you drink coffee?
beber - tú form
Él lee el periódico.
He reads the newspaper.
leer - él form
Aprendemos español.
We learn Spanish.
aprender - nosotros
3-IR Verbs (vivir, escribir, abrir)
-IR verbs are similar to -er verbs, sharing most endings. The only differences are in the nosotros (-imos) and vosotros (-ís) forms. This makes them easy to learn if you know -er verbs.
-IR Verb Endings (vivir)
| Person | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | vivo |
| tú | -es | vives |
| él/ella/usted | -e | vive |
| nosotros | -imos | vivimos |
| vosotros | -ís | vivís |
| ellos/ustedes | -en | viven |
Examples
Vivo en Barcelona.
I live in Barcelona.
vivir - yo form
¿Escribes correos?
Do you write emails?
escribir - tú form
Ella abre la puerta.
She opens the door.
abrir - ella form
Recibimos muchas cartas.
We receive many letters.
recibir - nosotros
4Uses of the Present Tense
The Spanish present tense is used for current actions, habits, general truths, and sometimes future events. It's more versatile than English present tense and is used in many everyday situations.
Present Tense Uses
| Use | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| current action | Leo un libro | I'm reading a book |
| habit | Trabajo los lunes | I work on Mondays |
| general truth | El sol sale por el este | The sun rises in the east |
| near future | Mañana voy al cine | Tomorrow I'm going to the movies |
Examples
Estudio español todos los días.
I study Spanish every day.
habit - daily routine
Ahora mismo leo un libro.
Right now I'm reading a book.
current action
El agua hierve a 100 grados.
Water boils at 100 degrees.
general truth/fact
Esta noche cenamos fuera.
Tonight we're eating out.
near future plan