How to Conjugate Spanish Verbs: A Step-by-Step Guide

How this guide was made. The rules follow the Real Academia Española and Instituto Cervantes reference materials listed at the end. The verb forms match the conjugation charts on Lingostar. It explains the grammar and does not claim classroom testing.

To conjugate a Spanish verb in most tenses, drop the -ar, -er or -ir ending to find the stem, then add the ending that matches the tense and the person. Regular verbs follow one pattern per group, so a few sets of endings let you conjugate thousands of verbs. Irregular verbs such as ser, tener and ir need extra practice, and the irregular verbs guide shows the patterns behind them.

Step 1: find the verb group

Every Spanish verb in the dictionary ends in -ar, -er or -ir. That ending tells you which set of endings to use.

To find the stem, remove the last two letters: hablar gives habl-, comer gives com- and vivir gives viv-.

Step 2: choose the subject

Spanish speakers often leave out the subject pronoun, because the ending already shows who is acting: Hablo español means “I speak Spanish”.

Step 3: choose the tense

The near future is often expressed with ir a plus an infinitive: Voy a hablar con ella (I am going to talk to her). Lingostar’s charts show 18 tense and mood combinations for each verb. The Instituto Cervantes curriculum plan introduces the present at A1, the imperfect, preterite, present perfect and affirmative commands at A2, and the future, conditional, present subjunctive and negative commands at B1. The differences between the two past tenses are explained in the preterite vs imperfect guide.

Step 4: add the endings

Present

Preterite

The nosotros form of the preterite matches the present for -ar and -ir verbs (hablamos, vivimos), so context tells them apart.

Imperfect

Future and conditional

These are the easiest: add the endings to the whole infinitive, with the same endings for all three groups.

The same endings work with comer (comeré, comería) and vivir (viviré, viviría). About a dozen verbs use a shortened stem (tener gives tendré, hacer gives haré).

Present subjunctive

Take the yo form of the present, drop the -o, and add the opposite vowel: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en for -ar verbs and -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an for -er and -ir verbs. So hablar gives hable, hables, hable, and comer gives coma, comas, coma. There are exceptions, such as sea, vaya, esté, dé, sepa and haya, and stem-changing verbs keep the infinitive vowel in nosotros and vosotros (pensemos, podamos). The subjunctive guide explains when to use it.

Compound tenses and the progressive

Compound tenses use the helper verb haber and a past participle. The regular participle ends in -ado for -ar verbs and -ido for -er and -ir verbs, and some common verbs are irregular (hecho, escrito, visto).

For an action in progress, use estar plus the gerund, which ends in -ando for -ar verbs and -iendo for -er and -ir verbs (with irregular forms such as diciendo and pidiendo): Estoy hablando, Estás comiendo, Están viviendo aquí. See the ser vs estar guide for how estar works.

Commands

Accents on verb endings

Written accents show stress that would otherwise fall elsewhere. The forms to watch are:

• Preterite: hablé and habló, comí and comió.
• Future: every form except nosotros has an accent: hablaré, hablarás, hablará, hablaremos, hablaréis, hablarán.
• Imperfect: -er and -ir verbs carry an accent on every form (comía, comías, comíamos), and -ar verbs only in nosotros (hablábamos).
• Present: habláis, coméis, vivís in the vosotros form.
• Conditional: every form has -ía, so hablaría, hablarías, hablaríamos.
• Participles of -eer, -aer and -oír verbs: leído, creído, oído.

Reflexive verbs and two verbs in a row

A reflexive verb adds a pronoun before the conjugated verb: lavarse gives me lavo, te lavas, se lava, nos lavamos, os laváis, se lavan. With verbs such as ir a, querer, poder and tener que followed by an infinitive, the pronoun can go before the first verb or attach to the end: Me voy a lavar or Voy a lavarme.

After verbs such as querer, poder, deber, ir a and tener que, conjugate the first verb and keep the second as an infinitive: Quiero comer, Puedo ayudarte, Voy a estudiar.

Step 5: check for irregulars

Many common verbs are irregular in at least one tense. Look for these signs:

1. A vowel change in the stem (pienso, puedo, pido). See the stem-changing verbs.
2. An irregular yo form (tengo, hago, conozco).
3. A special preterite stem (tuve, hice, dije).
4. A shortened future stem (tendré, haré).
5. A spelling change to keep a sound (busqué, llegué, empecé).

Start with the ten charts you will use most: ser, estar, tener, hacer, poder, decir, ir, ver, dar and saber.

How to practice

1. Master the present first, then the preterite and the imperfect, following the order of your course.
2. Conjugate out loud. Saying full sets of forms builds speed, and the pronunciation guide helps with the sounds.
3. Use the charts. Each of the 50 verbs on Lingostar’s conjugation charts shows every tense and flags the irregular ones, and most include a short drill.
4. Practice in sentences, not lists, so the endings connect to meaning.
5. Combine study with speaking practice. See the best apps to learn Spanish for options.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you conjugate Spanish verbs?

For most tenses, remove the -ar, -er or -ir ending from the infinitive to get the stem, then add the ending that matches the tense and the subject. The future and conditional add their endings to the whole infinitive. Regular verbs share one set of endings per group, and irregular verbs change their stem or endings.

What are the three types of Spanish verbs?

Verbs are grouped by their infinitive ending: -ar (hablar), -er (comer) and -ir (vivir). Each group has its own endings, although -er and -ir verbs are alike in most tenses.

Do you need subject pronouns in Spanish?

Usually not. The verb ending shows the subject, so Hablo español means “I speak Spanish”. Use a pronoun for emphasis or contrast, or when the verb form is ambiguous, as with él and ella versus usted.

What is the difference between regular and irregular verbs?

Regular verbs follow the endings for their group. Irregular verbs change their stem or endings in some tenses, as tener does in tengo and tuve. Many very common verbs are irregular, but they follow a small set of patterns.

What is vosotros, and do I need it?

Vosotros is the informal plural “you” used mainly in Spain. In Latin America and the Canary Islands, ustedes is used instead. Learn vosotros if you will use Spain’s Spanish, and otherwise recognizing it is enough.

How do you conjugate reflexive verbs?

Conjugate the verb normally and place a reflexive pronoun before it: me lavo, te lavas, se lava, nos lavamos, os laváis, se lavan. With an infinitive, the pronoun can attach to the end, as in Voy a lavarme.

How many tenses are there in Spanish?

Grammar books count them differently. Lingostar’s charts show 18 tense and mood combinations for each verb, including compound and rarely used forms. The Instituto Cervantes curriculum plan introduces the present at A1, the imperfect, preterite, present perfect and affirmative commands at A2, and the future, conditional, present subjunctive and negative commands at B1.

What is the best way to memorize Spanish conjugations?

Learn the endings for each tense first, practice them out loud in sentences, and start with the most frequent irregular verbs. Charts with drills, flashcards and speaking practice all help.

Sources and how this was researched

This guide explains grammar from published reference works and does not claim classroom testing. The verb forms were checked against Lingostar’s conjugation data. Main sources:

• Real Academia Española: the Nueva gramática básica on regular conjugation, on irregular verbs and on the preterite and the present perfect, and the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas conjugation models
• Instituto Cervantes: the Plan curricular del Instituto Cervantes, grammar inventories for levels A1 to A2 and B1 to B2

Related reading

• Spanish Irregular Verbs: Patterns and Common Lists
• Preterite vs Imperfect in Spanish: Rules and Examples
• Spanish Subjunctive: A Simple Guide With Examples
• Ser vs Estar: Rules, Examples and a Quick Quiz
• Por vs Para: When to Use Each (With Examples)