Each verb ending has different conjugations for each subject pronoun;
English Español
Subject pronoun
I Yo
You (singular, informal)
Tú
He/ she/ you (singular, formal)
Él/ ella/ Usted
We Nosotros
You (plural, informal) Vosotros
They (boys)/ (girls)/ You speak (plural, formal)
Ellos/ Ellas/ Ustedes
Look at these carefully and remember them.
It’s time for a quick test;
• Grab a pen and paper and write down the answers to the questions.
1. How do you say I in Spanish?2. How do you say she in Spanish?3. How do you say You (singular, informal) in Spanish?
4.How do you say We in Spanish? 5. How do you say You (plural, formal) in Spanish?6. How do you say They (boys) in Spanish?
Answers;1. Yo 2. Ella 3. Tú 4.Nosotros 6. Ellos 5. Ustedes
Now tick and see if you got them correct, if you got full marks then well done.
If you got less than 5/6 then maybe you should revise subject pronouns more, better luck next time.
Each verb has a different ending for each subject pronoun
and unlike French you don’t have to include the subject
pronoun (person in question.)
Newsflash;
For example;
• I live - English
• j’habite - j’ = I. Habite = live. French.
• Vivo - Spanish. Not yo vivo. No. Yo is not needed because the -O on the end of vivo means I. If you wanted to say she lives it would be Vive because the –E means she.
Ok, lets make this easier and start with –AR verbs.
• Examples of regular –ar verbs are;
• Estudiar – to study
• Escuchar – to listen.
These verbs are both in their infinitive form because they haven’t been conjugated to a specific subject pronoun, that's why they have to in front on them.
Now; lets conjugate;
Subject pronoun Verb
Escuchar Estudiar
Yo escucho estudio
Tú escuchas estudias
Él/ ella/ Usted escucha estudia
Nosotros escuchamos estudiamos
Vosotros escucháis estudiáis
ellos/ ellas/ Ustedes escuchan estudian
These conjugations are the same for all Spanish regular –ar
verbs • If it’s yo add –o to the stem (in this case escuch-
and estudi-.)• If it’s tù add -as• If it’s él, ella, usted add –a• If it’s nosotros add –amos• If it’s vosotros add –áis • If it’s ellos, ellas or ustedes add -an
Remember these because there will be a test later.
Time for some more conjugation;
Subject pronoun Verb
Comer Leer
Yo como leo
Tú comes lees
Él/ ella/ Usted come lee
Nosotros comemos leemos
Vosotros coméis leéis
ellos/ ellas/ Ustedes comen leen
These conjugations are the same for all other regular Spanish –er
verbs.• For Yo add –o to the stem (the part of the verb
that doesn’t change when conjugated.).• For tú add –es.• For él, ella and usted add –e.• For nosotros add –emos.• For vosotros add –éis.• For ellos, ellas and ustedes add –en.
And yet more conjugation I hear you say;
Subject pronoun Verb
Vivir Escribir
Yo vivo escribo
Tú vives escribes
Él/ ella/ Usted vive escribe
Nosotros vivimos escribimos
Vosotros vivís escribís
ellos/ ellas/ Ustedes viven escriben
These conjugations are the same for all other regular Spanish –IR
verbs after the stem, for; • Yo add –o.
• Tú add –es.
• Él, ella, usted add –e.
• Nosotros add –imos.
• Vosotros add- ís.
• Ellos, ellas, ustedes add –en.
Great, now you’re starting to understand how Spanish verbs
work! • Note that the conjugations for-AR, -ER,
and -IR verbs are very similar. Where -AR verbs have an -A, -ER verbs have an -E.
-IR verbs are identical to -ER verbs except in the nosotros and vosotros forms.
Time for a test...Grab a piece of paper and a pencil.
• 1.How do you say I live?
• 2. What is Nosotros in English?
• 3. What is the stem of a Verb?• 4. for –er verbs what is the verb ending
for the subject pronoun ustedes ? • 5.For –ar verbs what is the verb ending
for the subject pronoun tú?
• 7.What is the subject pronoun ella in English?
• 6.How do you say we read?
• 8.What is the –ir verb ending for the subject pronoun vosotros?
• 10.What is the verb ending that all of the regular verbs share for the subject pronoun yo?
• 9. What form is a verb in when it has to.... in front of it?
Answers;
• 1. I live = Vivo
• 2. Nosotros is we in English.
• 3. The stem is the part of the verb that doesn’t change when the verb is conjugated.
• 4. The ustedes ending for –er verbs = en.
• 5. The tú ending for –ar verbs = as.
• 6. We read = leemos.
• 7. The subject pronoun for ella in english is she.
• 8.The –ir verb ending for the subject pronoun vosotros = ís.
• 9.When a verb has ‘to’ in front of it it’s in its infinitive form.
• 10.The verb ending that all regular verbs share for the subject pronoun ‘yo’ = -O.
Add up your scores;• 10/10 – Brilliant, you’re ready to start using
verbs in sentences. Keep up the great work.
• 7/10 – 9/10 – Pretty good. Practise makes perfect though so keep on practising until you get 10/10!
• 6/10 – 4/10 – Next time, try taking some notes to help you.
• 3/10 or below – Try taking some revision notes, better luck next time.
I hope you have learnt lots from my PowerPoint on regular Spanish verbs – Los
verbos regulares. Make sure you remember the rules of the conjugation for each type of
verb, -ar, -er and –ir. Now you’re ready to learn some irregular verbs. Good luck.