Verbs - Present tense / Verbos – Presente del Indicativo

In Spanish there are 3 different classes of verbs: verbs ending in “ar”, verbs ending in “er”, verbs ending in “ir”. Each class of regular verbs has its own pattern of termination when conjugated.

When conjugating regular verbs in Spanish you just have to preserve the root of the verb and substitute “ar”, “er” or “ir” for the following bold terminations:

Examples: 

·         Yo amo. (I love.)

·         Tú amas. (You love.)

·         Ella ama. (She loves)

·         Él ama. (He loves)

·         Usted ama. (You love - formal)

·         Nosotros amamos. (We love)

·         Ellos aman. (They love)

·         Ustedes aman. (You love - formal)

Some verbs ending in “ar” or “er” having the vowel “e” at the second-to-the-last syllable have the root changed when they are conjugated in the Present tense. A vowel “i” is added to the root before the “e”, except for the persons “nosotros / nosotras”.  

Examples: 

·         Yo entiendo todo. (I understand everything.)

·         Tú entiendes todo. (You understand everything.)

·         Ella entiende todo. (She understands everything)

·         Él entiende todo. (He understands everything)

·         Usted entiende todo.. (You understand everything - formal)

·         Nosotros entendemos todo. (We understand everything)

·         Ellos entienden todo (They understand everything)

·         Ustedes entienden todo. (You understand everything - formal)

Some verbs ending in “ar” or “er” having the vowel “o” at the second-to-the-last syllable have the root changed when they are conjugated in the Present tense. The vowel “o” is changed for “ue”, except for the persons “nosotros / nosotras”

Examples: 

·         Yo vuelvo por la tarde. (I come back in the afternoon.)

·         Tú vuelves por la tarde. (You come back in the afternoon )

·         Ella vuelve por la tarde. (She comes back in the afternoon)

·         Él vuelve por la tarde. (He comes back in the afternoon)

·         Usted vuelve por la tarde. (You come back in the afternoon -  formal)

·         Nosotros volvemos por la tarde. (We come back in the afternoon)

·         Ellos vuelven por la tarde. (They come back in the afternoon)

·         Ustedes vuelven por la tarde. (You come back in the afternoon - formal)

Some verbs ending in “ir” having the vowel “e” at the second-to-the-last syllable have the root changed when they are conjugated in the Present tense. The vowel “e” is changed for “i” or  the vowel “i” is added to the root before the vowel “e”, except for the persons “nosotros / nosotras”

Examples: 

·         Yo sigo las leyes. (I follow the laws.)

·         Tú sigues las leyes. (You follow the laws)

·         Ella sigue las leyes. (She follows the laws)

·         Él sigue las leyes. (He follows the laws)

·         Usted sigue las leyes. (You follow the laws -  formal)

·         Nosotros seguimos las leyes. (We follow the laws)

·         Ellos siguen las leyes. (They follow the laws)

·         Ustedes siguen las leyes. (You follow the laws - formal)

Some verbs ending in “uir” have the root changed when they are conjugated in the Present tense. The letter “i” is replaced for “y”, except for the persons “nosotros / nosotras”

Examples: 

·         Yo huyo. (I flee.)

·         Tú huyes. (You flee)

·         Ella huye. (She flees)

·         Él huye. (He flees)

·         Usted huye. (You flee - formal)

·         Nosotros huimos. (We flee)

·         Ellos huyen. (They flee)

·         Ustedes huyen. (You flee - formal)

Some verbs ending in “duir” have the root changed when they are conjugated in the Present tense. The letter “z” is added to the root just to the first persons “yo”.

Examples: 

·         Yo traduzco. (I translate.)

·         Tú traduces. (You translate)

·         Ella traduce. (She translates)

·         Él traduce. (He translates)

·         Usted traduce. (You translate -  formal)

·         Nosotros traducimos. (We translate)

·         Ellos traducen. (They translate)

·         Ustedes traducen. (You translate - formal