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Palabra Lexi · Spanish verb conjugation

Spanish verb conjugation: the 43 most looked-up verbs

These are the 43 verbs whose conjugation people look up most: from ser, estar and tener to the regular models hablar, comer and vivir. Each page has charts for every main tense, a short explanation of exactly what is irregular, the mistakes learners make, example sentences and a quick quiz on the page.

In the charts, forms that differ from the regular pattern are highlighted, so you can see at a glance what has to be memorised and what follows the rule. Forms shared by two verbs (fui is both ser and ir) are listed under "do not confuse".

Regular endings: the three model verbs

Verbs fall into three groups by the ending of the infinitive: -ar, -er, -ir. A regular verb of each group is conjugated like its model.

Presentehablarcomervivir
yohablocomovivo
túhablascomesvives
élhablacomevive
nosotroshablamoscomemosvivimos
vosotroshabláiscoméisvivís
elloshablancomenviven
Pretérito indefinidohablarcomervivir
yohablécomíviví
túhablastecomisteviviste
élhablócomióvivió
nosotroshablamoscomimosvivimos
vosotroshablasteiscomisteisvivisteis
elloshablaroncomieronvivieron

Irregular verbs

Their own preterite stem and, often, a special yo form or future stem. These are also the most frequent verbs in the language, so they are worth learning first.

VerbMeaningyo: presentyo: pretérito
serbesoyfui
irgovoyfui
estarbe (a state or a place)estoyestuve
hacerdo, makehagohice
tenerhavetengotuve
decirsay, telldigodije
venircomevengovine
saberknowsésupe
oírhearoigooí
traerbringtraigotraje
ponerputpongopuse
dargivedoydi
quererwant, lovequieroquise
podercan, be able topuedopude
haberhave (auxiliary verb)hehube

Stem-changing and spelling-changing verbs

Regular endings, but the stem vowel changes under stress (e → ie, o → ue, e → i) or a consonant is respelled to keep its sound (z → c, g → gu, c → zc).

VerbMeaningyo: presentyo: pretérito
verseeveovi
salirleave, go outsalgosalí
almorzarhave lunchalmuerzoalmorcé
dormirsleepduermodormí
jugarplayjuegojugué
pedirask forpidopedí
seguirfollow, continuesigoseguí
empezarbeginempiezoempecé
volverreturn, come backvuelvovolví
entenderunderstandentiendoentendí
cerrarclosecierrocerré
preferirpreferprefieropreferí
leerreadleoleí
servirservesirvoserví
repetirrepeatrepitorepetí
conocerknow (a person or a place)conozcoconocí
pensarthinkpiensopensé
comenzarbegincomienzocomencé
perderlosepierdoperdí

Regular verbs (the model charts)

Every ending follows the pattern of its group. Hablar, comer and vivir are the classic models for -ar, -er and -ir verbs.

VerbMeaningyo: presentyo: pretérito
escribirwriteescriboescribí
comprarbuycomprocompré
gustarlikegustogusté
comereatcomocomí
correrruncorrocorrí
vivirlivevivoviví
aprenderlearnaprendoaprendí
abriropenabroabrí
hablarspeakhablohablé

Tables: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and UniMorph, CC BY-SA 3.0, cross-checked on September 30, 2026. The list will grow: verbs are added together with their notes, not as bare charts.

Also: common words in Spanish · Spanish words by topic

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