In this lesson, we will learn about the present tense of regular -ar verbs in Spanish.

Knowing how to change these verbs is very important for making sentences and talking to others.

Let’s get started!

Present Tense of Regular -ar Verbs

To change a regular -ar verb to the present tense, first take off the -ar ending from the base form.

Then, add the right ending based on who is doing the action. Here’s how it works:

• Yo (I): -o
• Tú (You - informal): -as
• Él/Ella (He/She): -a
• Nosotros/as (We): -amos
• Vosotros/as (You all - informal): -áis
• Ellos/Ellas (They): -an

Let’s use the verb "hablar" (to speak) as an example:

• Yo hablo (I speak)
• Tú hablas (You speak)
• Él/Ella habla (He/She speaks)
• Nosotros/as hablamos (We speak)
• Vosotros/as habláis (You all speak)
• Ellos/Ellas hablan (They speak)

Personal Pronouns

Here are the personal pronouns in Spanish along with what they mean in English:

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

Using "ser" and "estar"

When you speak Spanish, you will often use the verbs "ser" and "estar."

Both mean "to be," but they are used differently:

• Ser is used for things that are permanent, like identity and origin.

  • Example: Yo soy estudiante. (I am a student.)

• Estar is used for conditions, feelings, and locations.

  • Example: Yo estoy en clase. (I am in class.)

Asking Questions

To ask questions in Spanish, you can change your voice tone or use question words.

Here are some examples:

• ¿Hablas tú español? (Do you speak Spanish?)
• ¿Él juega fútbol? (Does he play soccer?)

Here are some question words you might use:

• ¿Qué? (What?)
• ¿Dónde? (Where?)
• ¿Cuándo? (When?)
• ¿Por qué? (Why?)

Saying "No"

In Spanish, you say "no" before the verb to make something negative.

Here’s how that looks:

• No hablo español. (I do not speak Spanish.)
• Tú no hablas inglés. (You do not speak English.)
• Ellos no están en casa. (They are not at home.)

Practice Time!

Now that you know the rules, let’s practice a bit!

Fill in the blanks with the verb "estudiar" (to study):

1. Yo ________ (estudiar).
2. Tú ________ (estudiar).
3. Nosotros ________ (estudiar).

Here are the correct answers:

1. estudio
2. estudias
3. estudiamos

Remember, practice is really important to get better at these concepts.

Keep using these verbs in sentences, and soon you’ll feel more confident when you speak Spanish!