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
- conocerto know
- escucharto listen
- usarto use
- contarto count
- dejarto leave
- ponerseto become
- regresarto return
- andarto walk
- aprenderto learn
- leerto read
- escribirto write
- enseñarto teach
- ayudarto help
- esperarto wait (for)
- haberto have
- ponerto put
- volverto return
- cambiarto switch
- pasarto happen
- sentarseto sit down
- sonreírto smile
- crearto create
- amarto love
- aparecerto appear
- bañarseto bathe
- saludarto greet
- prepararseto get ready
- morirto die
- lavarto wash
- repetirto repeat
- levantarseto get up
- ducharseto shower
- lavarseto wash oneself
- despertarseto wake up
- vestirseto get dressed
- acostarseto go to bed
- estudiarto study
- cocinarto cook
- limpiarto clean
- descansarto rest
- visitarto visit
- caerto fall
- debershould
- cortarto cut
- sentirto feel
- mejorarto improve
- protegerto protect
- pararto stop
- romperto break
- compartirto share
- salvarto rescue
- elegirto choose
- mirarto look at
- votarto vote
- 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
- intentarto try
- partirto leave
- levantarto lift
- reírto laugh
- probarto try
- tocarto touch
- cogerto take
- oírto hear
- participarto participate
- comenzarto begin
- enviarto send
- crecerto grow
- construirto build
- lanzarto throw
- confirmarto confirm
- aceptarto accept
- gastarto spend
- cubrirto cover
- medirto measure
- cuidarto take care of
- obtenerto get
- escaparto escape
- acabarto finish
- continuarto continue
- destruirto destroy
- mostrarto show
- arreglarto fix
- disfrutarto enjoy
- prepararto prepare
- fumarto smoke
- guardarto keep
- sumarto add
- firmarto sign
- marcarto mark
- servirto serve
- moverto move
- contestarto answer
- gritarto shout
- moverseto move
- añadirto add
- comprenderto understand
- abandonarto leave
- mentirto lie
- describirto describe
- imaginarto imagine
- lloverto rain
- nevarto snow
- detenerto stop
- borrarto delete
- escogerto choose
- funcionarto work
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
Type the forms yourself and start for free with the present tense.
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