Irregular verbs don't follow normal patterns, so you have to learn their forms one by one. This guide focuses on key irregular verbs that appear frequently in everyday speech.
ir / ser (to go / to be)
The verbs ir and ser share the same forms in the preterite, so you have to rely on context to tell them apart. Here are their identical preterite forms:
| Spanish Form | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| yo fui | I went / I was | |
| tú fuiste | you went / you were | |
| él/ella/usted fue | he/she/you went / was | |
| nosotros/nosotras fuimos | we went / we were | |
| vosotros/vosotras fuisteis | you all went / were | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes fueron | they/you all went / were |
hacer (to do, to make)
The verb hacer has a short stem change in the preterite and is used for describing completed actions or events. Here are its preterite forms:
| Spanish Form | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| yo hice | I did / I made | |
| tú hiciste | you did / you made | |
| él/ella/usted hizo | he/she/you did / made | |
| nosotros/nosotras hicimos | we did / we made | |
| vosotros/vosotras hicisteis | you all did / made | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes hicieron | they/you all did / made |
tener (to have)
The verb tener changes stem in the preterite and is often used for reporting received things, experiences, or timed events. Here are its preterite forms:
| Spanish Form | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| yo tuve | I had | |
| tú tuviste | you had | |
| él/ella/usted tuvo | he/she/you had | |
| nosotros/nosotras tuvimos | we had | |
| vosotros/vosotras tuvisteis | you all had | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes tuvieron | they/you all had |
Summary
Irregular verbs like ir/ser, hacer, and tener each have unique preterite forms that you must memorize to talk about past actions smoothly. Practice these key examples to build instinctive recall.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025