In Spanish, verbs are divided into three conjugations.
1 ° conjugation: verbs that end in –ar. ex. ‘Cantar’ (to sing).
2 ° conjugation: verbs that end in –er. ex. ‘Leer’ (to read).
3 ° conjugation: verbs that end in –ir. ex. ‘Vivir’ (to live).
This is how said verbs present themselves:
Yo CANTO
Tú CANTAS
Él/ella CANTA
Nosotros/as CANTAMOS
Vosotros/as CANTÁIS
Ellos/as CANTAN
Yo LEO
Tú LEES
Él/ella LEE
Nosotros/as LEEMOS
Vosotros/as LEÉIS
Ellos/as LEEN
Yo VIVO
Tú VIVES
Él/ella VIVE
Nosotros/as VIVIMOS
Vosotros/as VIVÍS
Ellos/as VIVEN
The simple present is used to convey the image of a present action.
Canto una canción. (I sing a song).
Ella lee una revista. (She reads a magazine).
Vivimos en la ciudad. (We live in the city).
The simple present is used to talk about something we usually do.
Normalmente me levanto a las siete. (I usually get up at seven).
Cada día paseamos por el parque. (Every day we walk through the park).
Siempre trabaja el domingo. (He always works on Sundays).
It is also used to talk about general facts that are known to be true.
El sol sale por el este. (The sun rises east).
La tierra gira alrededor del sol. (The earth rotates around the Sun).
In Spanish, there are many irregular verbs.
Some change like the verb ‘querer’ (‘e’ becomes ‘ie’): querer (to want), empezar (to begin), pensar (to think), mentir (to lie), preferir (to prefer), entender (to understand), perder (to lose).
Other verbs change like the verb ‘pedir’ (‘e’ becomes ‘i’): elegir (to choose), conseguir (to obtain), reír (to laugh), repetir (to repeat), seguir (to follow). Here are a few examples:
Yo PIERDO
Tú PIERDES
Él/ella PIERDE
Nosotros/as PERDEMOS
Vosotros/as PERDÉIS
Ellos/as PIERDEN
Yo PIDO
Tú PIDES
Él/ella PIDE
Nosotros/as PEDIMOS
Vosotros/as PEDÍS
Ellos/as PIDEN
Other verbs change like the verb ‘poder’ (‘o’ becomes ‘ue’): contar (to count), volar (to fly), encontrar (to find), mover (to move), dormir (to sleep). Here are a few examples:
Yo PUEDO
Tú PUEDES
Él/ella PUEDE
Nosotros/as PODEMOS
Vosotros/as PODÉIS
Ellos/as PUEDEN
Yo JUEGO
Tú JUEGAS
Él/ella JUEGA
Nosotros/as JUGAMOS
Vosotros/as JUGAÍS
Ellos/as JUEGAN
Some verbs only have an irregular first person singular: traer (to take), saber (to know), poner (to put), conocer (to know), salir (to go out).
Yo DOY
Tú DAS
Él/ella DA
Nosotros/as DAMOS
Vosotros/as DAIS
Ellos/as DAN
Yo HAGO
Tú HACES
Él/ella HACE
Nosotros/as HACEMOS
Vosotros/as HACÉIS
Ellos/as HACEN
Yo CONDUZCO
Tú CONDUCES
Él/ella CONDUCE
Nosotros/as CONDUCIMOS
Vosotros/as CONDUCÍS
Ellos/as CONDUCEN
Some verbs are very irregular, like the verb ‘ir’:
Yo VOY
Tú VAS
Él/ella VA
Nosotros/as VAMOS
Vosotros/as VAIS
Ellos/as VAN
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