Mastering Spanish Verbs: Regular vs. Irregular

Understanding the difference between regular and irregular verbs is crucial for fluency in Spanish. Regular verbs follow predictable conjugation patterns, making them relatively straightforward to learn.

However, irregular verbs deviate from these patterns, requiring memorization and careful attention. This article provides a comprehensive guide to distinguishing between regular and irregular verbs in Spanish, their conjugation patterns, common examples, and practical exercises to help you master this essential aspect of Spanish grammar.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will enhance your understanding and improve your ability to communicate effectively in Spanish.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Definition of Regular and Irregular Verbs
• Regular Verbs
  • Regular -AR Verbs
  • Regular -ER Verbs
  • Regular -IR Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
  • Stem-Changing Verbs
  • Irregular Yo Form Verbs
  • Radical-Changing Verbs
  • Completely Irregular Verbs
• Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs
• Usage Rules for Regular and Irregular Verbs
• Common Mistakes with Spanish Verbs
• Practice Exercises
• Advanced Topics in Spanish Verbs
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Definition of Regular and Irregular Verbs

In Spanish, verbs are categorized as either regular or irregular based on how they change (or don’t change) when conjugated. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns in their conjugations. This means that their stem (the part of the verb before the ending) remains consistent across all tenses and persons. For example, the verb hablar (to speak) is regular because its stem, habl-, doesn’t change when conjugated.

Irregular verbs, on the other hand, do not follow these predictable patterns. They have variations in their stem or endings that deviate from the standard conjugations. These irregularities can occur in one or more tenses and persons. Understanding and memorizing these irregular forms is crucial for accurate and fluent Spanish communication. Recognizing these differences is the first step to mastering Spanish verb conjugation.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs in Spanish are grouped into three categories based on their infinitive endings: -AR, -ER, and -IR. Each group has a specific set of endings that are added to the verb stem to conjugate it in different tenses.

Regular -AR Verbs

-AR verbs are the most common type of regular verbs in Spanish. To conjugate a regular -AR verb, you remove the -AR ending from the infinitive to find the stem, and then add the appropriate endings for each person.

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the regular -AR verb hablar (to speak):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Hablo
Tú (You, informal)	Hablas
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Habla
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Hablamos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Habláis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Hablan

Here are some more examples of regular -AR verbs and their present tense conjugations. Notice how the stem remains consistent, and only the ending changes based on the pronoun.

Verb (Infinitive)	Meaning	Yo	Tú	Él/Ella/Usted	Nosotros/Nosotras	Vosotros/Vosotras	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes
Cantar	To sing	Canto	Cantas	Canta	Cantamos	Cantáis	Cantan
Bailar	To dance	Bailo	Bailas	Baila	Bailamos	Bailáis	Bailan
Estudiar	To study	Estudio	Estudias	Estudia	Estudiamos	Estudiáis	Estudian
Trabajar	To work	Trabajo	Trabajas	Trabaja	Trabajamos	Trabajáis	Trabajan
Comprar	To buy	Compro	Compras	Compra	Compramos	Compráis	Compran
Cocinar	To cook	Cocino	Cocinas	Cocina	Cocinamos	Cocináis	Cocinan
Viajar	To travel	Viajo	Viajas	Viaja	Viajamos	Viajáis	Viajan
Ayudar	To help	Ayudo	Ayudas	Ayuda	Ayudamos	Ayudáis	Ayudan
Pasear	To walk	Paseo	Paseas	Pasea	Paseamos	Paseáis	Pasean
Llamar	To call	Llamo	Llamas	Llama	Llamamos	Llamáis	Llaman
Esperar	To wait	Espero	Esperas	Espera	Esperamos	Esperáis	Esperan
Necesitar	To need	Necesito	Necesitas	Necesita	Necesitamos	Necesitáis	Necesitan
Preguntar	To ask	Pregunto	Preguntas	Pregunta	Preguntamos	Preguntáis	Preguntan
Enseñar	To teach	Enseño	Enseñas	Enseña	Enseñamos	Enseñáis	Enseñan
Mirar	To look	Miro	Miras	Mira	Miramos	Miráis	Miran
Escuchar	To listen	Escucho	Escuchas	Escucha	Escuchamos	Escucháis	Escuchan
Tomar	To take	Tomo	Tomas	Toma	Tomamos	Tomáis	Toman
Visitar	To visit	Visito	Visitas	Visita	Visitamos	Visitáis	Visitan
Caminar	To walk	Camino	Caminas	Camina	Caminamos	Camináis	Caminan
Desayunar	To have breakfast	Desayuno	Desayunas	Desayuna	Desayunamos	Desayunáis	Desayunan

Regular -ER Verbs

Similar to -AR verbs, regular -ER verbs follow a consistent conjugation pattern. The -ER ending is removed to reveal the stem, and then the appropriate -ER endings are added.

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the regular -ER verb comer (to eat):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Como
Tú (You, informal)	Comes
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Come
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Comemos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Coméis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Comen

Here are some more examples of regular -ER verbs and their present tense conjugations:

Verb (Infinitive)	Meaning	Yo	Tú	Él/Ella/Usted	Nosotros/Nosotras	Vosotros/Vosotras	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes
Beber	To drink	Bebo	Bebes	Bebe	Bebemos	Bebéis	Beben
Leer	To read	Leo	Lees	Lee	Leemos	Leéis	Leen
Aprender	To learn	Aprendo	Aprendes	Aprende	Aprendemos	Aprendéis	Aprenden
Comprender	To understand	Comprendo	Comprendes	Comprende	Comprendemos	Comprendéis	Comprenden
Vender	To sell	Vendo	Vendes	Vende	Vendemos	Vendéis	Venden
Creer	To believe	Creo	Crees	Cree	Creemos	Creéis	Creen
Temer	To fear	Temo	Temes	Teme	Tememos	Teméis	Temen
Prometer	To promise	Prometo	Prometes	Promete	Prometemos	Prometéis	Prometen
Esconder	To hide	Escondo	Escondes	Esconde	Escondemos	Escondéis	Esconden
Responder	To answer	Respondo	Respondes	Responde	Respondemos	Respondéis	Responden

Regular -IR Verbs

Regular -IR verbs also follow a predictable pattern. You remove the -IR ending to find the stem, and then add the appropriate -IR endings.

Note that the nosotros/nosotras form is different from -AR and -ER verbs.

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the regular -IR verb vivir (to live):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Vivo
Tú (You, informal)	Vives
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Vive
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Vivimos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Vivís
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Viven

Here are some more examples of regular -IR verbs and their present tense conjugations:

Verb (Infinitive)	Meaning	Yo	Tú	Él/Ella/Usted	Nosotros/Nosotras	Vosotros/Vosotras	Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes
Escribir	To write	Escribo	Escribes	Escribe	Escribimos	Escribís	Escriben
Abrir	To open	Abro	Abres	Abre	Abrimos	Abrís	Abren
Recibir	To receive	Recibo	Recibes	Recibe	Recibimos	Recibís	Reciben
Subir	To go up	Subo	Subes	Sube	Subimos	Subís	Suben
Compartir	To share	Comparto	Compartes	Comparte	Compartimos	Compartís	Comparten
Decidir	To decide	Decido	Decides	Decide	Decidimos	Decidís	Deciden
Permitir	To permit	Permito	Permites	Permite	Permitimos	Permitís	Permiten
Sufrir	To suffer	Sufro	Sufres	Sufre	Sufrimos	Sufrís	Sufren
Añadir	To add	Añado	Añades	Añade	Añadimos	Añadís	Añaden
Asistir	To attend	Asisto	Asistes	Asiste	Asistimos	Asistís	Asisten

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs deviate from the standard conjugation patterns of regular verbs. These irregularities can manifest in several ways, including stem changes, irregular yo forms, and completely irregular forms. Mastering irregular verbs requires memorization and practice, as their conjugations cannot be predicted based on the infinitive form alone.

Stem-Changing Verbs

Stem-changing verbs have a change in the stem vowel in certain conjugations. These changes typically occur in the present tense and sometimes in the preterite tense.

Common stem changes include:

• e → ie (e.g., pensar – to think)
• o → ue (e.g., poder – to be able to)
• e → i (e.g., pedir – to ask for)
• u → ue (e.g., jugar – to play)

It’s important to note that these stem changes do not occur in the nosotros and vosotros forms in the present tense for e -> ie and o -> ue verbs. However, e -> i verbs do change in the nosotros/vosotros forms of the preterite tense.

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the stem-changing verb pensar (e → ie):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Pienso
Tú (You, informal)	Piensas
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Piensa
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Pensamos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Pensáis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Piensan

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the stem-changing verb poder (o → ue):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Puedo
Tú (You, informal)	Puedes
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Puede
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Podemos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Podéis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Pueden

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the stem-changing verb pedir (e → i):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Pido
Tú (You, informal)	Pides
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Pide
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Pedimos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Pedís
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Piden

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the stem-changing verb jugar (u → ue):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Juego
Tú (You, informal)	Juegas
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Juega
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Jugamos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Jugáis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Juegan

Irregular Yo Form Verbs

Some verbs have an irregular form only in the yo (I) form in the present tense. The other forms are regular.

Here are some common verbs with irregular yo forms:

• Hacer (to do, to make) – Yo hago
• Poner (to put, to place) – Yo pongo
• Salir (to leave, to go out) – Yo salgo
• Traer (to bring) – Yo traigo
• Saber (to know) – Yo sé
• Ver (to see) – Yo veo
• Dar (to give) – Yo doy

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the irregular yo verb hacer (to do, to make):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Hago
Tú (You, informal)	Haces
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Hace
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Hacemos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Hacéis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Hacen

Radical-Changing Verbs

Radical-changing verbs, also known as “boot verbs” due to the shape they make in a conjugation chart, change their stem vowel in all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms in the present tense. However, these verbs may also have stem changes in the preterite tense that affect different forms. These verbs often involve changes like e → i.

An example of a radical-changing verb is sentir (to feel). In the present tense, it changes from e → ie in all forms except nosotros and vosotros. However, in the preterite tense, it changes from e → i in the él/ella/usted and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms.

Here’s a table illustrating the present tense conjugation of sentir:

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Siento
Tú (You, informal)	Sientes
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Siente
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Sentimos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Sentís
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Sienten

Completely Irregular Verbs

Completely irregular verbs have no predictable pattern and must be memorized. These verbs often have irregular forms in multiple tenses and persons.

Some of the most common completely irregular verbs include:

• Ser (to be)
• Estar (to be)
• Ir (to go)
• Tener (to have)
• Venir (to come)

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the completely irregular verb ser (to be):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Soy
Tú (You, informal)	Eres
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Es
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Somos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Sois
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Son

Here’s a table showing the present tense conjugations for the completely irregular verb ir (to go):

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo (I)	Voy
Tú (You, informal)	Vas
Él/Ella/Usted (He/She/You, formal)	Va
Nosotros/Nosotras (We)	Vamos
Vosotros/Vosotras (You, informal plural)	Vais
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (They/You, formal plural)	Van

Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs

Here are some example sentences using both regular and irregular verbs in different tenses to illustrate their usage in context.

Regular Verbs:

• Yo hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
• Ella come pizza todos los viernes. (She eats pizza every Friday.)
• Nosotros vivimos en Madrid. (We live in Madrid.)
• Ayer estudié para el examen. (Yesterday, I studied for the exam.)
• Ellos bailarán en la fiesta. (They will dance at the party.)

Irregular Verbs:

• Yo soy estudiante. (I am a student.)
• Él tiene un coche nuevo. (He has a new car.)
• Nosotros vamos al cine. (We are going to the cinema.)
• Ella puede hablar francés. (She can speak French.)
• Yo hago la tarea todos los días. (I do the homework every day.)

Usage Rules for Regular and Irregular Verbs

Understanding the usage rules for regular and irregular verbs is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences in Spanish. Here’s a breakdown of some key rules and considerations:

• Regular Verbs: Follow the standard conjugation patterns for -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs. Ensure that the appropriate endings are added to the verb stem based on the subject pronoun and tense.
• Irregular Verbs: Identify the specific type of irregularity (stem-changing, irregular yo form, completely irregular) and memorize the irregular forms for each verb. Pay close attention to the tenses in which the irregularities occur.
• Stem-Changing Verbs: Remember that stem changes typically occur in all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms in the present tense. However, some stem-changing verbs also have irregularities in the preterite tense.
• Irregular Yo Form Verbs: Be aware of verbs that have an irregular form only in the yo form in the present tense. The other forms follow regular conjugation patterns.
• Completely Irregular Verbs: These verbs have no predictable pattern and must be memorized. Pay attention to their irregular forms in various tenses, as they often deviate significantly from regular conjugation patterns.

When using verbs in sentences, always ensure that the verb agrees with the subject pronoun in number and person. This means that the verb form must match the subject performing the action.

For example:

• Yo hablo español. (I speak Spanish.) – The verb hablo agrees with the subject yo.
• Ellos comen pizza. (They eat pizza.) – The verb comen agrees with the subject ellos.

Common Mistakes with Spanish Verbs

Here are some common mistakes that learners make when using Spanish verbs, along with corrections and explanations:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
Yo sabo la respuesta.	Yo sé la respuesta.	Saber (to know) has an irregular yo form: sé.
Él puedo hablar inglés.	Él puede hablar inglés.	Poder (to be able to) is a stem-changing verb (o → ue): puede.
Nosotros hacemos la tarea.	Nosotros hacemos la tarea.	This sentence is already correct. Hacer (to do) has an irregular yo form (hago), but the other forms are regular.
Yo estoy alto.	Yo soy alto.	Ser is used for permanent characteristics, while estar is used for temporary states. Height is a permanent characteristic, so ser is correct.
Ellos van a la playa.	Ellos van a la playa.	This sentence is already correct. Ir (to go) is irregular and its conjugation is properly used here.
Tú eres cansado.	Tú estás cansado.	Ser is used for permanent characteristics, while estar is used for temporary states. Being tired is a temporary state, so estar is correct.
Yo tengo diez años.	Yo tengo diez años.	This sentence is already correct. Tener (to have) is used to express age.
Nosotros vamos a la fiesta.	Nosotros vamos a la fiesta.	This sentence is already correct. Ir (to go) is irregular and its conjugation is properly used here.
Ellas quiero ir de compras.	Ellas quieren ir de compras.	Querer (to want) is a stem-changing verb (e → ie). The correct form is quieren.
Yo digo la verdad.	Yo digo la verdad.	This sentence is already correct. Decir (to say) is irregular ( yo digo), but the other forms follow a pattern.

Practice Exercises

Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Identify whether the verb is regular or irregular.

Advanced Topics in Spanish Verbs

Once you have a solid understanding of regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, you can move on to more advanced topics such as:

• Preterite vs. Imperfect: Understanding the nuances between these two past tenses is crucial for describing past events accurately.
• Subjunctive Mood: The subjunctive mood is used to express doubts, wishes, and emotions.
• Conditional Tense: The conditional tense is used to express hypothetical situations and polite requests.
• Perfect Tenses: Perfect tenses are used to describe actions that have been completed at some point in the past.
• Passive Voice: The passive voice is used to emphasize the action rather than the actor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Mastering Spanish verbs, both regular and irregular, is essential for achieving fluency and accuracy in the language. Regular verbs provide a foundation with their predictable conjugation patterns, while irregular verbs challenge learners to memorize and understand their unique forms.

By understanding the different types of irregularities, practicing regularly, and applying the usage rules, you can significantly improve your ability to communicate effectively in Spanish. Remember to focus on common mistakes and continue to explore advanced topics to deepen your understanding of Spanish verb conjugations.

With consistent effort and dedication, you can confidently navigate the complexities of Spanish verbs and enhance your overall language proficiency.