How to Use Regular and Irregular Verbs in Spanish

In Spanish, verbs are action words. There are two main types of verbs: regular and irregular. Let’s break them down!

Regular Verbs:

Regular verbs follow patterns. This makes them easier to learn. Here are some common ones:

• -ar Verbs:

  • Example: hablar (to speak)
    • yo hablo (I speak)
    • tú hablas (you speak)
    • él/ella habla (he/she speaks)

• -er Verbs:

  • Example: comer (to eat)
    • yo como (I eat)
    • tú comes (you eat)
    • él/ella come (he/she eats)

• -ir Verbs:

  • Example: vivir (to live)
    • yo vivo (I live)
    • tú vives (you live)
    • él/ella vive (he/she lives)

Irregular Verbs:

Irregular verbs don’t follow the same patterns. This means they can change in tricky ways. Here are some examples:

• ser: (to be)

  • yo soy (I am)
  • tú eres (you are)
  • él/ella es (he/she is)

• ir: (to go)

  • yo voy (I go)
  • tú vas (you go)
  • él/ella va (he/she goes)

Key Differences:

• Regular verbs have endings that stay the same each time you use them.
• Irregular verbs change a lot. So, you need to learn these by heart!

Practice Examples:

1. Regular Verb: bailar (to dance)

   • yo bailo (I dance)
   • tú bailas (you dance)
   • él/ella baila (he/she dances)

2. Irregular Verb: tener (to have)

   • yo tengo (I have)
   • tú tienes (you have)
   • él/ella tiene (he/she has)

By keeping these differences in mind, you can get better at using Spanish verbs in the present tense! Happy learning!