Present Tense
The present tense describes actions that happen routinely, general truths, and things happening now. It also sets the stage for near-future plans when combined with time expressions.
Usage
Use the present tense for habitual actions, current activities, general truths, and sometimes near future when context supports it. It applies to both actions and states.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs follow predictable endings in the present tense for each of the three conjugation groups: -ar, -er, and -ir. Learning one set of endings lets you apply them to any regular verb.
-ar Verbs
The present tense endings for -ar verbs are consistent: yo form ends in -o, tú in -as, él/ella/usted in -a, nosotros in -amos, vosotros in -áis, and ellos/ellas/ustedes in -an.
| Spanish Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| yo pago | I pay / I am paying |
| tú pagas | you pay / you are paying |
| él/ella/usted paga | he/she/you (formal) pays / is paying |
| nosotros pagamos | we pay / we are paying |
| vosotros pagáis | you all pay / you all are paying |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes pagan | they/you all (formal) pay / are paying |
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Yo 🌅 trabajo en la cafetería. | I work at the café. |
| Tú 🍞 preparas pan fresco. | You prepare fresh bread. |
| Él ☕ sirve cafés calientes. | He serves hot coffees. |
| Nosotros 🧺 limpiamos las mesas. | We clean the tables. |
| Vosotros 📝 tomáis pedidos. | You all take orders. |
| Ellos 🌳 organizan las sillas afuera. | They arrange the chairs outside. |
-er Verbs
The present tense endings for -er verbs follow a pattern: yo form ends in -o, tú in -es, él/ella/usted in -e, nosotros in -emos, vosotros in -éis, and ellos/ellas/ustedes in -en.
| Spanish Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| yo como | I eat / I am eating |
| tú comes | you eat / you are eating |
| él/ella/usted come | he/she/you (formal) eats / is eating |
| nosotros comemos | we eat / we are eating |
| vosotros coméis | you all eat / you all are eating |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes comen | they/you all (formal) eat / are eating |
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Yo 🍊 vendo jugo de naranja. | I sell orange juice. |
| Tú 🥐 comes un croissant. | You eat a croissant. |
| Ella 🍰 comparte pastel con amigos. | She shares cake with friends. |
| Nosotros 🥖 aprendemos recetas nuevas. | We learn new recipes. |
| Vosotros 🍚 bebéis café con leche. | You all drink coffee with milk. |
| Ellos 🍎 reciben fruta para la semana. | They receive fruit for the week. |
-ir Verbs
The present tense endings for -ir verbs are: yo form ends in -o, tú in -es, él/ella/usted in -e, nosotros in -imos, vosotros in -ís, and ellos/ellas/ustedes in -en. This pattern is consistent across regular -ir verbs.
| Spanish Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|
| yo escribo | I write / I am writing |
| tú escribes | you write / you are writing |
| él/ella/usted escribe | he/she/you (formal) writes / is writing |
| nosotros escribimos | we write / we are writing |
| vosotros escribís | you all write / you all are writing |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes escriben | they/you all (formal) write / are writing |
| Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Yo 🏃 abro la puerta a las ocho. | I open the door at eight. |
| Tú ✉️ recibes muchos pedidos hoy. | You receive many orders today. |
| Ella 🧴 añade azúcar al café. | She adds sugar to the coffee. |
| Nosotros 🪑 vivimos cerca del café. | We live near the café. |
| Vosotros 🚪 metéis más sillas adentro. | You all put more chairs inside. |
| Ellos 📧 escriben el menú en la pizarra. | They write the menu on the board. |
Stem-Changing Verbs
Stem-changing verbs modify a vowel in the stem when conjugated in the present tense, typically in all forms except nosotros and vosotros. Common changes are e→ie, o→ue, and e→i.
Irregular Verbs
Some high-frequency verbs are irregular in the present tense and must be memorized because they do not follow standard endings. These verbs are essential for everyday communication.
ir / ser (to go / to be)
The verbs ir and ser share the same irregular forms in the preterite but differ in the present. In the present tense, ir is used for movement and ser for identity and characteristics.
| Spanish Conjugation | ir (to go) | ser (to be) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | voy | soy |
| tú | vas | eres |
| él/ella/usted | va | es |
| nosotros | vamos | somos |
| vosotros | vais | sois |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van | son |
hacer (to do, to make)
The verb hacer is irregular in the first person present form and regular elsewhere. It is used for activities, tasks, and when describing the creation of something.
| Spanish Conjugation | hacer (to do / to make) |
|---|---|
| yo | hago |
| tú | haces |
| él/ella/usted | hace |
| nosotros | hacemos |
| vosotros | hacéis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hacen |
tener (to have)
The verb tener is irregular in the first person present form and commonly appears in expressions of possession, age, necessity, and certain idiomatic phrases.
| Spanish Conjugation | tener (to have) |
|---|---|
| yo | tengo |
| tú | tienes |
| él/ella/usted | tiene |
| nosotros | tenemos |
| vosotros | tenéis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | tienen |
Signal Words
Signal words that often appear with the present tense include expressions of routine, frequency, and current moments. They help confirm that the present tense is the appropriate choice.
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ☀️ cada mañana | every morning |
| 🕗 a las ocho | at eight o’clock |
| 🧑🍳 siempre | always |
| 📝 hoy | today |
| 🌿 muchas veces | often |
| 🕒 ahora | now |
| 📅 todos los días | every day |
Summary
The present tense expresses habitual actions, current activities, general truths, and sometimes near future. Regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs follow predictable endings, while stem-changing and irregular verbs must be learned individually.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025