Spanish verb conjugation: how it works
Spanish verbs end in -ar, -er or -ir, and each of these three groups has a fixed set of endings. Once you understand them, you can conjugate thousands of regular verbs without memorizing each one.
In English the verb barely changes (I speak, you speak, she speaks). Spanish has a different ending for almost every person, which is why the subject pronoun is often left out: hablo on its own already means “I speak”. Below are the regular present tense endings with one example verb each, followed by the most common exceptions.
Regular verbs in the present tense
One example verb for each ending:
| Verb | yo | tú | él/ella | nosotros | vosotros | ellos/ellas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hablarto speak (-ar) | hablo | hablas | habla | hablamos | habláis | hablan |
| comerto eat (-er) | como | comes | come | comemos | coméis | comen |
| vivirto live (-ir) | vivo | vives | vive | vivimos | vivís | viven |
The endings: -ar → o, as, a, amos, áis, an · -er → o, es, e, emos, éis, en · -ir → o, es, e, imos, ís, en. -er and -ir verbs only differ in the nosotros and vosotros forms. Usted takes the él/ella form, ustedes the ellos/ellas form.
The most common exceptions
A few patterns cover most irregularities:
- Stem change e→ie: querer → quiero, pensar → pienso, empezar → empiezo.
- Stem change o→ue: poder → puedo, dormir → duermo, volver → vuelvo.
- Stem change e→i (only -ir verbs): pedir → pido, servir → sirvo, repetir → repito.
- Irregular yo form: hacer → hago, poner → pongo, salir → salgo, saber → sé.
- Fully irregular: ser, estar, ir and haber are best learned one by one.
Which tense first?
Start with the present tense, which covers a large part of everyday speech. Next usually come the present perfect (he hablado) and the preterite (hablé) for the past, and then the future.
In Recallo you decide which tenses are active, and you practice them like vocabulary: you type the form instead of just reading it. There are 11 tenses to choose from, from the present to the subjunctive and the imperative. The Free plan covers the present tense, Premium unlocks the rest.
150 verbs with full conjugation
Regular and irregular mixed, the most common first. Each verb links to its page with every tense in the indicative, subjunctive and imperative.
- serto be
- tenerto have
- estarto be
- quererto want
- hablarto speak
- irto go
- hacerto make
- comerto eat
- poderto be able to
- vivirto live
- beberto drink
- trabajarto work
- decirto say
- verto see
- venirto come
- comprarto buy
- necesitarto need
- saberto know
- gustarto like
- llamarseto be called
- entenderto understand
- tomarto take
- salirto go out
- llegarto arrive
- pensarto think
- encontrarto find
- dormirto sleep
- buscarto look for
- pagarto pay
- abrirto open
- tener queto have to
- ir ato be going to
- llamarto call
- quedarseto stay
- irseto leave
- tener ganasto feel like
- darto give
- jugarto play
- conocerto know
- escucharto listen
- usarto use
- contarto count
- correrto run
- dejarto leave
- caminarto walk
- aprenderto learn
- leerto read
- escribirto write
- enseñarto teach
- ponerseto become
- regresarto return
- andarto walk
- bailarto dance
- viajarto travel
- ducharseto shower
- lavarseto wash oneself
- despertarseto wake up
- vestirseto get dressed
- acostarseto go to bed
- estudiarto study
- cocinarto cook
- limpiarto clean
- descansarto rest
- seguirto follow
- levantarseto get up
- ayudarto help
- esperarto wait (for)
- haberto have
- ponerto put
- volverto return
- entrarto enter
- empezarto start
- subirto go up
- cerrarto close
- terminarto finish
- bajarto go down
- ganarto win
- recordarto remember
- preguntarto ask
- perderto lose
- olvidarto forget
- responderto answer
- traerto bring
- encenderto turn on
- recibirto receive
- llevarto take
- apagarto turn off
- quitarto remove
- cambiarto switch
- pasarto happen
- sentarseto sit down
- sonreírto smile
- crearto create
- amarto love
- conseguirto get
- decidirto decide
- celebrarto celebrate
- creerto believe
- practicarto practice
- invitarto invite
- nacerto be born
- aparecerto appear
- bañarseto bathe
- regalarto give as a present
- saludarto greet
- prepararseto get ready
- cenarto have dinner
- morirto die
- lavarto wash
- repetirto repeat
- tener hambreto be hungry
- tener sedto be thirsty
- tener miedoto be afraid
- tener fríoto feel cold
- tener calorto feel hot
- tener sueñoto be sleepy
- tener razónto be right
- tener prisato be in a hurry
- alquilarto rent
- visitarto visit
- caerto fall
- debershould
- cortarto cut
- pedirto ask for
- sentirto feel
- mejorarto improve
- protegerto protect
- pararto stop
- romperto break
- parecerto seem
- despedirseto say goodbye
- permitirto allow
- compartirto share
- llorarto cry
- salvarto rescue
- elegirto choose
- durarto last
- soñarto dream
- mirarto look at
- almorzarto have lunch
- intentarto try
- explicarto explain
- partirto leave
- levantarto lift
- reírto laugh
- probarto try
- sacarto take out
- venderto sell
- lloverto rain
- nevarto snow
Frequently asked questions
How many tenses do I need to learn?+
For everyday Spanish, the present, one past tense and the future are enough at first. Spanish has many more. In Recallo you add them step by step when you are ready.
What is a stem-changing verb?+
In some verbs the stressed vowel in the stem changes, for example e→ie (querer → quiero) or o→ue (poder → puedo). The endings stay regular, and the nosotros and vosotros forms keep the original vowel: queremos, podemos.
Do I need to learn the vosotros forms?+
Vosotros is the informal plural “you” used in Spain. In Latin America people say ustedes instead, which takes the same verb form as ellos/ellas. If you are learning Latin American Spanish, it's enough to recognize the vosotros forms.
Practice conjugation until it's automatic
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