Regular verbs in Spanish follow consistent patterns in their conjugations. They fall into three categories based on their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. Each category has its own set of endings for different tenses, but the root of the verb always remains the same.
Conjugations
All regular verbs follow the same pattern within their group. To conjugate, remove the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add the appropriate ending.
Present Tense
The present tense expresses current actions, habits, or general truths.
| Subject | -ar (hablar) | -er (comer) | -ir (vivir) | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablo | como | vivo | Yo hablo español. | I speak Spanish. |
| tú | hablas | comes | vives | Tú comes pizza. | You eat pizza. |
| él/ella | habla | come | vive | Ella vive sola. | She lives alone. |
| nosotros | hablamos | comemos | vivimos | Nosotros vivimos juntos. | We live together. |
| vosotros | habláis | coméis | vivís | Vosotros habláis mucho. | You all speak a lot. |
| ellos/as | hablan | comen | viven | Ellos comen tarde. | They eat late. |
Preterite Tense
The preterite tense describes completed actions in the past.
| Subject | -ar (hablar) | -er (comer) | -ir (vivir) | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablé | comí | viví | Yo hablé con Ana. | I spoke with Ana. |
| tú | hablaste | comiste | viviste | Tú comiste arroz. | You ate rice. |
| él/ella | habló | comió | vivió | Él vivió en Madrid. | He lived in Madrid. |
| nosotros | hablamos | comimos | vivimos | Nosotros vivimos mucho. | We lived a lot. |
| vosotros | hablasteis | comisteis | vivisteis | Vosotros hablasteis mucho. | You all spoke a lot. |
| ellos/as | hablaron | comieron | vivieron | Ellos comieron juntos. | They ate together. |
Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
| Subject | -ar (hablar) | -er (comer) | -ir (vivir) | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablaba | comía | vivía | Yo hablaba inglés. | I used to speak English. |
| tú | hablabas | comías | vivías | Tú comías frutas. | You used to eat fruit. |
| él/ella | hablaba | comía | vivía | Ella vivía cerca. | She used to live nearby. |
| nosotros | hablábamos | comíamos | vivíamos | Nosotros vivíamos juntos. | We used to live together. |
| vosotros | hablabais | comíais | vivíais | Vosotros hablabais mucho. | You all used to speak a lot. |
| ellos/as | hablaban | comían | vivían | Ellos comían tarde. | They used to eat late. |
Future Tense
The future tense indicates actions that will happen.
| Subject | -ar (hablar) | -er (comer) | -ir (vivir) | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablaré | comeré | viviré | Yo hablaré mañana. | I will speak tomorrow. |
| tú | hablarás | comerás | vivirás | Tú comerás ahora. | You will eat now. |
| él/ella | hablará | comerá | vivirá | Ella vivirá mucho. | She will live a lot. |
| nosotros | hablaremos | comeremos | viviremos | Nosotros viviremos juntos. | We will live together. |
| vosotros | hablaréis | comeréis | viviréis | Vosotros hablaréis tarde. | You all will speak late. |
| ellos/as | hablarán | comerán | vivirán | Ellos comerán temprano. | They will eat early. |
Summary
Regular Spanish verbs follow clear and consistent rules across three categories (-ar, -er, -ir) and various tenses. Knowing these patterns allows you to conjugate most verbs accurately and express a wide range of actions in Spanish.
Regular verbs in Spanish are the building blocks of verb conjugation. They follow consistent patterns, making it easier for learners to predict and form correct verb endings across different tenses.
Flashcards (1 of 24)
- Subject: yo
- -ar (hablar): hablo
- -er (comer): como
- -ir (vivir): vivo
- English Example: I speak Spanish.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
