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In line with the Royal Spanish Academy, greater than 80% of verbs in Spanish finish in -AR. For Spanish learners, understanding use -AR verbs is crucial for feeling comfy in real-life conversations. When you discover ways to conjugate a number of Spanish -AR verbs, you’re already properly in your solution to conjugating 80% of the verbs in Spanish!
Prepared so as to add the commonest and helpful Spanish -AR verbs to your vocabulary? Let’s dive in.
A fast introduction to Spanish verbs and conjugation
In Spanish, the vast majority of verbs have one in all these three endings:
- -AR endings, e.g., hablar and usar
- -ER endings, e.g., beber and leer
- -IR endings, e.g., escribir and vivir
Whenever you see a verb with one in all these endings, they’re of their infinitive, or primary, kind.
However if you wish to specific that these actions are completed by totally different topics (you, he, they, and so forth.) or in numerous tenses (current, previous, future, and so forth.), the Spanish verbs have to be conjugated. Conjugation is how the type of a verb adjustments to mirror the topic and point out when one thing occurs.
Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at conjugate -AR verbs within the current and preterite tenses.
Conjugate common -AR verbs in current tense
The tense of a verb tells you when the motion is happening. The current tense signifies that one thing is presently taking place or commonly occurs.
To conjugate Spanish -AR verbs within the current tense, exchange the “-ar” ending with the next verb endings, relying on the topic.
Topic pronoun | Verb ending |
---|---|
yo (I) | -o |
tú (you, casual) | -as |
él (he) ella (she) usted (you, formal) |
-a |
nosotros (we, masculine) nosotras (we, female) |
-amos |
vosotros (you all, masculine and casual)* vosotras (you all, female and casual)* |
-áis |
ellos (they, masculine) ellas (they, female) ustedes (you all, formal) |
-an |
For instance, here’s what the verb trabajar (to work) seems like within the current tense:
yo | trabajo |
tú | trabajas |
él/ella/usted | trabaja |
nosotros | trabajamos |
vosotros | trabajáis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | trabajan |
As you may see, the verb stem (trabaj- in trabajar) by no means adjustments, whereas the verb ending adjustments relying on the topic. That is true with all common Spanish -AR verbs.
Instance sentences:
- Alex works in an workplace. = Alex trabaja en una oficina.
- We work on the college. = Trabajamos en la escuela.
Within the second sentence, the pronoun (nosotros) is pointless as a result of the conjugated verb ending clearly signifies who’s doing the motion. In Spanish, if it’s apparent who the topic is, pronouns are sometimes omitted or solely used for emphasis. That is particularly widespread in spoken Spanish, and working towards it may enable you sound extra like a neighborhood in day by day conversations!
Conjugate common -AR verbs in easy previous tense
The straightforward previous, or preterite, tense is used to speak about issues which have already occurred. In English, verbs within the easy previous tense sometimes have “-ed” endings, like “walked” or “talked.”
To conjugate Spanish -AR verbs within the easy previous tense, exchange the “-ar” ending with the next verb endings, relying on the topic.
Topic pronoun | Verb ending |
---|---|
yo (I) | -é |
tú (you, casual) | -aste |
él (he) ella (she) usted (you, formal) |
-ó |
nosotros (we, masculine) nosotras (we, female) |
-amos |
vosotros (you all, masculine and casual)* vosotras (you all, female and casual)* |
-asteis |
ellos (they, masculine) ellas (they, female) ustedes (you all, formal) |
-aron |
Here’s what the verb trabajar seems like within the easy previous tense:
yo | trabajé |
tú | trabajaste |
él/ella/usted | trabajó |
nosotros | trabajamos |
vosotros | trabajasteis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | trabajaron |
Similar to within the current tense, the verb stem (trabaj- in trabajar) by no means adjustments prior to now tense for normal -AR verbs.
Instance sentences:
- I labored on a farm. = Trabajé en una granja.
- They labored right here. = Ellos trabajaron aquí.
40 widespread common Spanish -AR verbs
In Spanish, common verbs are simply that—common. When conjugating them within the current or easy previous tense, their verb stems will all the time keep the identical, and their endings will all the time comply with the identical sample outlined within the charts above.
Here’s a checklist of the commonest common -AR verbs in Spanish which can be important to know for each Spanish speaker.
- llamar: to name, to call
- hablar: to speak, to talk
- mirar: to look
- escuchar: to listen to
- comprar: to purchase
- necesitar: to want, to require
- llevar: to hold, to take, to put on
- usar: to make use of
- ayudar: to assist
- cambiar: to alter
- quedar: to remain, to stay
- pasar: to move, to spend time
- dejar: to depart, to permit
- ganar: to win, to achieve
- preguntar: to ask
- arreglar: to repair, to rearrange
- preparar: to arrange
- parar: to cease
- tomar: to drink, to take
- estudiar: to review
- trabajar: to work
- presentar: to introduce
- descansar: to relaxation
- crear: to create
- olvidar: to overlook
- manejar: to drive
- caminar: to stroll
- viajar: to journey
- entrar: to enter
- desayunar: to eat breakfast
- cenar: to have dinner
- limpiar: to wash
- cocinar: to prepare dinner
- llorar: to cry
- cantar: to sing
- bailar: to bop
- nadar: to swim
- gustar: to be pleasing to
- disfrutar: to get pleasure from
- esperar: to attend, to hope
Hungry for extra? Take a look at the commonest Spanish verbs throughout the -AR, -ER, and -IR classes.
6 widespread irregular Spanish -AR verbs
Now that you simply perceive how common -AR verbs work, it’s time to satisfy irregular -AR verbs. Irregular verbs in Spanish don’t comply with the common conjugation sample. However with some memorization and observe, you’ll be capable to conjugate irregular verbs simply as simply.
Listed here are among the most typical irregular -AR verbs and their conjugated types within the current tense.
1. estar: to be
yo | estoy |
tú | estás |
él/ella/usted | está |
nosotros | estamos |
vosotros | estáis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | están |
Instance sentences:
- I’m very drained. = Estoy muy cansado.
- Are you content? = ¿Estás feliz?
2. jugar (u → ue): to play
yo | juego |
tú | juegas |
él/ella/usted | juega |
nosotros | jugamos |
vosotros | jugáis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | juegan |
In jugar, the u adjustments to ue when conjugating within the current tense, besides within the nosotros and vosotros types. Instance sentences:
- Ryan performs soccer within the morning. = Ryan juega fútbol en la mañana.
- We play video video games each week. = Jugamos videojuegos cada semana.
3. pensar (e → ie): to assume
yo | pienso |
tú | piensas |
él/ella/usted | piensa |
nosotros | pensamos |
vosotros | pensáis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | piensan |
When conjugating pensar and comparable verbs within the current tense, the e adjustments to ie, besides within the nosotros and vosotros types. Instance sentences:
- Do you assume this shirt is ugly? = ¿Piensas que esta camisa es fea?
- Michelle thinks you’re good and hardworking. = Michelle piensa que eres inteligente y trabajador.
4. comenzar (e → ie): to start out, to start
yo | comienzo |
tú | comienzas |
él/ella/usted | comienza |
nosotros | comenzamos |
vosotros | comenzáis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | comienzan |
For comenzar, the e additionally adjustments to ie within the verb stem, besides within the nosotros and vosotros types. Instance sentences:
- I begin school subsequent month. = Comienzo la universidad el próximo mes.
- She begins work at present. = Ella comienza a trabajar hoy.
5. encontrar (o → ue): to seek out, to satisfy
yo | encuentro |
tú | encuentras |
él/ella/usted | encuentra |
nosotros | encontramos |
vosotros | encontráis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | encuentran |
In encontrar and comparable verbs, the o adjustments to ue when conjugating within the current tense, besides within the nosotros and vosotros types. Instance sentences:
- We meet to review English. = Encontramos para estudiar el inglés.
- They’re assembly with their buddies. = Ellos se encuentran con sus amigos.
6. contar (o → ue): to depend, to inform
yo | cuento |
tú | cuentas |
él/ella/usted | cuenta |
nosotros | contamos |
vosotros | contáis |
ellos/ellas/ustedes | cuentan |
The o adjustments to ue within the verb stem for contar, besides (you guessed it!) within the nosotros and vosotros types. Instance sentences:
- I’m counting the celebrities. = Cuento las estrellas.
- You all depend the cash. = Ustedes cuentan el dinero.
Be taught Spanish verbs and conjugation naturally
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