To change regular -ir verbs into the present tense, there’s a simple way to do it. Let’s get started!

Present Tense Conjugation for Regular -ir Verbs

1. Find the Verb Stem:
   First, take off the -ir ending from the verb. For example, with vivir (to live), the stem changes to viv-.

2. Add the Right Endings:
   Each subject needs its own ending:

   • yo (I) → -o → vivo (I live)
   • tú (you, singular informal) → -es → vives (you live)
   • él/ella (he/she) → -e → vive (he/she lives)
   • nosotros/as (we) → -imos → vivimos (we live)
   • vosotros/as (you all, informal) → -ís → vivís (you all live)
   • ellos/as (they) → -en → viven (they live)

Understanding Personal Pronouns

Make sure you know who you’re talking about:

• Yo - I
• Tú - You (singular, informal)
• Él/Ella - He/She
• Nosotros/as - We
• Vosotros/as - You all (informal, plural)
• Ellos/as - They

Basic Use of Ser and Estar

• Ser is for things that are permanent, like who you are or where you come from.
• Estar is for things that are temporary, like how you feel or where you are.

Examples:

• Yo soy profesora. (I am a teacher.)
• Estoy cansada. (I am tired.)

Asking Questions

To ask questions, switch the order of the words:

• ¿Yo vivo aquí? (Do I live here?)
• ¿Tú comes tacos? (Do you eat tacos?)

Simple Negation

To make a verb negative, just put no before the verb:

• No vivo en España. (I do not live in Spain.)
• No comes pizza. (You do not eat pizza.)

You can practice with other regular -ir verbs like escribir (to write) and decidir (to decide) using the same rules!