What will you learn in this guide?
The present tense is your main tool for communicating and regular Spanish verbs are the easiest and fastest way to master it. These verbs follow rules that, once learned, work for hundreds of words.
In this guide you will discover the three basic conjugation patterns (-AR, -ER, -IR), the 20 most useful regular verbs for everyday conversations, and proven techniques for memorizing the conjugations effortlessly. Each explanation includes practical examples that you can use immediately. You don’t need any previous experience in Spanish grammar, I will take you step-by-step from zero until you can use these verbs naturally.
By the end of this guide, conjugating the regular verbs of the present tense will be as automatic as breathing, and you will be ready to conquer any basic Spanish conversation.
Definition of the Present Tense of the Indicative
The present indicative is the verb tense we use to talk about:
Actions happening now: “Estudio español” – “Spanish study”.
Routines and habits: “Desayuno a las 8 de la mañana” – “Breakfast at 8 am”.
General truths: “El agua hierve a 100 grados” – “Water boils at 100 degrees”.
Permanent states: “Vivo en Madrid” – “I live in Madrid”.
Near future plans: “Mañana trabajo hasta tarde” – “I’m working late tomorrow”.
It is the most used verb tense in Spanish and the basis of all daily communication. Without mastering it, it will be impossible to have basic conversations about your daily life.
Why Start with Spanish Regular Verbs?
Regular verbs account for 80% of all the verbs you will use in basic conversations and follow predictable patterns that never change. Once you learn the three basic patterns, you can automatically conjugate hundreds of verbs without memorizing each one individually. This gives you immediate results and the confidence to move step by step toward total fluency.
Basic Structure of the Present Regular Tense and its Essential Conjugations
The Three Groups of Regular Verbs in Spanish.
Spanish organizes its regular verbs into three main families, each with distinctive endings that determine how they are conjugated:
1. Verbs Ending in -AR (Majority Group)
Verb HABLAR – TO SPEAK – Present Indicative
Yo hablo
Tú hablas
Él/Ella hablan
Nosotros hablamos
Vosotros habláis
Ellos hablan
2. Verbs ending in -ER (Middle Group)
Verbo COMER – EAT – Present Indicative
Yo como
Tú comes
Él/Ella come
Nosotros comemos
Vosotros coméis
Ellos comen
3. Verbs Ending in -IR (Minor Group)
Verb VIVIR – TO LIVE – Present Indicative
Yo tengo
Tú tienes
Él/Ella tiene
Nosotros tenemos
Vosotros tenéis
Ellos tienen
Top 20 Most Useful Spanish Regular Verbs
To speed up your learning, here are the regular verbs that appear in 90% of everyday conversations:
Most common -AR verbs:
HABLAR – “Hablo español cada día” – SPEAKING – “I speak Spanish every day”.
ESTUDIAR – “Estudio en la universidad” – STUDY – “Study at the university”.
TRABAJAR – “Trabajo de lunes a viernes” – WORK – “I work from Monday to Friday”.
CAMINAR – “Camino al trabajo” – WALKING – “On the way to work”.
COCINAR – “Cocino para mi familia” – COOKING – “I cook for my family”.
COMPRAR – “Compro comida los sábados” – BUY – “I buy food on Saturdays”.
VIAJAR – “Viajo mucho por Europa” – TRAVEL – “I travel a lot in Europe”.
Most common -ER verbs:
COMER – “Como a las dos” – EAT – “At at two o’clock”.
BEBER – “Bebo agua todo el día” – DRINK – “I drink water all day long”.
LEER – “Leo novelas por la noche” – READ – “I read novels at night”.
CORRER – “Corro en el parque” – RUNNING – “I run in the park”.
APRENDER – “Aprendo español online” – LEARN – “I learn Spanish online”.
VENDER – “Vendo mi coche” – SELL – “I sell my car”.
Most common -IR verbs:
VIVIR – “Vivo en Madrid” – LIVE – “I live in Madrid”.
ESCRIBIR – “Escribo emails” – WRITING – “I write emails”.
ABRIR – “Abro la ventana” – OPEN – “I open the window”.
RECIBIR – “Recibo cartas” – RECEIVE – “I receive letters”.
DECIDIR – “Decido rápido” – DECIDE – “I decide quickly”.
PARTIR – “Parto mañana” – Leave – “I’m leaving tomorrow”.
SUBIR – “Subo las escaleras” UP– “I’ go up the stairs “.
Key tip: If you master these 20 verbs, you can now carry on basic conversations in Spanish about routines, work, studies, food, and daily activities.
When to Use the Present Tense with Regular Verbs
The Spanish present indicative is incredibly versatile. It not only speaks of the “ahora” ( now) , but adapts to multiple communicative situations:
1. Actions in the Present Moment
“Ahora mismo estoy escribiendo un email”. “En este momento llueve mucho” .”¿Qué haces? – Leo un libro interesante”. (“I’m writing an email right now.” “It’s raining hard right now. ““What are you doing? – I’m reading an interesting book.)
Routines and Habits
“Todos los días desayuno café con tostadas” “Los domingos voy al gimnasio” “Siempre como a las dos de la tarde”. (“Every day I have coffee and toast for breakfast.” “On Sundays I go to the gym” “I always eat at two o’clock in the afternoon”.)
General Truths and Facts
“El agua hierve a 100 grados” “Los gatos duermen mucho” “España está en Europa”. (“Water boils at 100 degrees” “Cats sleep a lot” “Spain is in Europe”.)
4. States and Permanent Characteristics
“Soy profesora de español”. – “I am a Spanish teacher.” “Mi hermano tiene los ojos azules”. – “My brother has blue eyes.” “Esta casa es muy grande”. – “This house is too big.”
5.Planes y Citas Futuras - Future Plans and Appointments (Present with Future Value)
“Mañana vuelo a Madrid” “La próxima semana empiezo mi nuevo trabajo” “¿Vienes a la fiesta el sábado?” (“Tomorrow I’m flying to Madrid” “Next week I start my new job.” “Are you coming to the party on Saturday?”)
6. Instructions and Recipes
“Primero cortas las verduras, luego las fríes”. “Abres el programa y seleccionas la opción” . “Tomas esta pastilla tres veces al día”. (“First you cut the vegetables, then you fry them”. “You open the program and select the option”. “You take this pill three times a day”.)
Practical Tips for Mastering Regular Verbs
1. Memorize Patterns of Completions
The key to success with regular verbs is to automate these patterns:
-AR: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an -ER: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en
-IR: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en
Memory tip: The verbs -ER and -IR share almost all the endings, they only change in “we” and “you”.
2. Practice with Your Daily Routine
Describe your typical day using only regular verbs: “Me levanto a las siete, desayuno café con tostadas, camino al trabajo, trabajo ocho horas, como con mis compañeros, vuelvo a casa, cocino la cena, leo un libro y escribo en mi diario antes de dormir.” ( “I get up at seven, have coffee and toast for breakfast, walk to work, work eight hours, eat lunch with my coworkers, come home, cook dinner, read a book, and write in my diary before going to sleep.”)
3. Use the "Personal Reporter" Technique.
Narrate what you do as you do it using regular verbs: “Abro el frigorífico, bebo agua, cocino pasta, escucho música, leo las noticias…” (“I open the refrigerador , drink water, cook pasta, listen to music, read the news…”)
4. Group Verbs by Activities
Organize vocabulary by topic to facilitate learning:
En casa: cocinar, limpiar, abrir, cerrar, subir, bajar (At home cooking, cleaning, opening, closing, going up, going down) En el trabajo: trabajar, escribir, leer, hablar, vender, comprar ( At work: working, writing, reading, speaking, selling, buying) Tiempo libre: caminar, correr, viajar, estudiar, aprender ( Free time: walking, running, traveling, studying, learning)
5. Practice Conjugations Out Loud
Say the complete conjugations of 3 different verbs each day:
Lunes: HABLAR, COMER, VIVIR – Monday: TALKING, EATING, LIVING
Martes: ESTUDIAR, BEBER, ESCRIBIR – Tuesday: STUDYING, DRINKING, WRITING
Miércoles: TRABAJAR, LEER, ABRIR – Wednesday: WORK, READ, OPEN
Examples in Real Situations
En el Trabajo – At Work
“Good morning, how is everyone?” “I have a meeting at ten.” “Can you help me with this project?” “I work from home on Fridays.” “My boss travels a lot in Europe.” (“Good morning, how are you all?” “I have a meeting at ten o’clock” “Can you help me with this project?” “I work from home on Fridays” “My boss travels around Europe a lot”)
En un Restaurante – In a Restaurant
“¿Qué recomiendan hoy?” “Quiero una paella para dos personas” “¿Tienen vino de la casa?” “No como carne, soy vegetariana” “La cuenta, por favor” (“What do you recommend today?” “I want a paella for two people” “Do you have house wine?” “I don’t eat meat, I’m a vegetarian.” “The bill, please”)
Con Amigos – With Friends
“¿Qué hacemos esta noche?” “Yo prefiero ver una película” “¿Vienes a mi cumpleaños?” “Siempre nos divertimos juntos” “¿Dónde quedamos?” (“What are we doing tonight?” “I’d rather watch a movie.” “Are you coming to my birthday?” “We always have fun together” “Where shall we meet?”)
En Casa – At home
“¿Quién cocina hoy?” “Yo lavo los platos si tú cocinas” “Los niños hacen mucho ruido” “¿Dónde pongo estas cosas?” “Esta música suena muy alta”. (“Who’s cooking today?” “I’ll do the dishes if you cook.” “The kids make a lot of noise.” “Where do I put these things?” “This music sounds too loud.”)
Practical Application Advice
The key to mastering the present indicative is to connect each conjugation to real situations. For example, when practicing “quiero/quieres/quiere”, don’t just memorize the endings, but use them immediately: “Quiero café”, “¿Tú quieres venir?”, “Ella quiere estudiar medicina”. This immediate connection between grammar and communication accelerates learning and makes conjugations more natural.
Test Your Understanding
Now that you have learned the theory of regular verbs, it is time to check that you really understand how they work. These exercises will help you consolidate everything you have learned and identify which areas you need to reinforce before moving on.
Conclusion: Present Tense Regular Verbs, Your Solid Foundation for Fluency
Regular verbs in the present tense are the essential foundation you need to communicate effectively in Spanish. Once you automate these patterns (-o, -as, -a, -amos/-imos, -áis/-ís, -an/-en), you will have the confidence to express most of your everyday ideas without hesitation or hesitation.
What you have achieved by completing this guide:
Mastery of the three groups of regular verbs (-AR, -ER, -IR)
Knowledge of the 20 most useful verbs for daily conversations
Understanding when and how to use the present tense in real situations
Practical techniques for memorizing and automating conjugations
Confidence to form complete sentences about routines, likes and dislikes and activities
Final recommendation: Practice these regular verbs for at least a week before moving on to irregular verbs. Describe your daily routine, talk about your hobbies, explain your job… all using only regular verbs. When you can do this without thinking about endings, it will be the perfect time for the next level.
Regular verbs are your master key to communicating confidently in Spanish, learn them well and you’ll be ready for any conversation!
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