Spanish is considered as one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers with simpler grammar and many words that will sound familiar in English. To get your learning started we have listed the most commonly used Spanish verbs for sentence structure and communication! Mastering these verbs will give you a strong foundation to build sentences confidently and express yourself in everyday situations. Let's get started!
Spanish Grammar
The first thing you need to know is that Spanish verbs are classed into 3 groups:
- Verbs ending in -AR: 1st group,
- Verbs ending in -ER: 2nd group,
- Verbs ending in -IR: 3rd group.
This grouping makes it easy to know which endings to put with each verb. Once you start learning different verbs you then need to learn to conjugate them in the different Spanish tenses:
- Present
- Simple future
- Perfect
- Imperfect
- Present subjunctive and imperfect subjunctive
- Pluperfect
- Conditional
- Imperative
Spanish has more than 12,000 verbs listed in the official dictionary, though only a fraction are used regularly. In everyday conversations, around 50–100 verbs cover most situations. For beginners, focusing on the core 30–50 verbs is enough to communicate effectively.
30 of the Most Common Spanish Verbs
Before looking into grammar charts or advanced conjugations, it’s useful to start with verbs you’ll actually use in conversation. The following 30 verbs appear in daily life, whether you’re ordering food, introducing yourself, or asking for help. Each one includes translations, sample conjugations, and a short example sentence.
Ser (to be – essential identity, origin, time)
“Ser” is one of the first verbs every learner encounters. It expresses permanent traits such as identity, nationality, or time.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo soy / él es | Soy estudiante de medicina. | I am a medical student. |
| Preterite | yo fui / él fue | Él fue profesor en Madrid. | He was a teacher in Madrid. |
Tip: Use “ser” for permanent traits, professions, and telling time.
Estar (to be – temporary states, location)
While “ser” handles permanent qualities, “estar” describes temporary conditions. It’s also the verb you’ll use to talk about where someone or something is located.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo estoy / él está | Estoy cansado después de trabajar. | I am tired after working. |
| Preterite | yo estuve / él estuvo | Ella estuvo en casa todo el día. | She was at home all day. |
Tip: Use “estar” for emotions, conditions, and location.
Tener (to have, to possess, also used for age)
“Tener” is a high-frequency verb that goes beyond possession. It’s also used in many expressions, such as talking about age or physical states.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo tengo / él tiene | Tengo 25 años. | I am 25 years old. |
| Preterite | yo tuve / él tuvo | Él tuvo un coche nuevo. | He had a new car. |
Tip: In Spanish, you “have” age, you don’t “be” age.
Michael S)
Hacer (to do, to make)
“Hacer” is versatile, appearing in both casual and formal conversations. From homework to the weather, it’s a verb you’ll hear daily.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo hago / él hace | Hago ejercicio todos los días. | I exercise every day. |
| Preterite | yo hice / él hizo | Hice mi tarea anoche. | I did my homework last night. |
Tip: Very common in weather expressions (Hace frío – It’s cold).
Poder (can, to be able to)
This verb allows you to express ability and possibility. It’s also essential when asking for help or permission.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo puedo / él puede | ¿Puedes ayudarme? | Can you help me? |
| Preterite | yo pude / él pudo | No pude ir al trabajo ayer. | I couldn’t go to work yesterday. |
Tip: Always followed by an infinitive verb.
Decir (to say, to tell)
“Decir” is about expressing ideas and sharing information. It’s often paired with “que” to introduce what someone says.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo digo / él dice | Digo la verdad. | I tell the truth. |
| Preterite | yo dije / él dijo | Él dijo que vendría. | He said he would come. |
Tip: Often followed by que: Dice que viene. (He says he’s coming.)
Ir (to go)
Whenever you talk about movement or travel, “ir” is your verb. It also helps form the near future tense in Spanish.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo voy / él va | Voy al cine mañana. | I’m going to the movies tomorrow. |
| Preterite | yo fui / él fue | Fuimos a la playa ayer. | We went to the beach yesterday. |
Tip: Used with “a + infinitive” for near future (Voy a estudiar).
Ver (to see, to watch)
“Ver” is useful for both literal and figurative seeing. It can mean watching television or simply noticing something.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo veo / él ve | Veo televisión por la noche. | I watch TV at night. |
| Preterite | yo vi / él vio | Vi una película interesante. | I saw an interesting movie. |
Dar (to give)
Giving and receiving are central to conversation, and “dar” is the verb for that. It appears often with indirect objects.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo doy / él da | Te doy mi número. | I give you my number. |
| Preterite | yo di / él dio | Ella dio un discurso. | She gave a speech. |
Tip: Often paired with indirect object pronouns (me, te, le).
Write all the verbs in the infinitive on a piece of paper and repeat them out loud three times or four each evening before going to sleep. Two or three times a week, read them several times, and recite them first with the help of the English translation, and then again hiding the English word.
Saber (to know – facts, information)
“Saber” covers knowledge of information, not people. It’s the verb you’ll need for facts, skills, and abilities.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo sé / él sabe | Sé hablar inglés. | I know how to speak English. |
| Preterite | yo supe / él supo | Supe la respuesta ayer. | I found out the answer yesterday. |
Tip: Contrast with conocer, which means to know people or places.
Querer (to want, to love)
This verb combines desire with affection. It can mean wanting an object or expressing love for someone.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo quiero / él quiere | Quiero un café. | I want a coffee. |
| Preterite | yo quise / él quiso | Quise ayudarte, pero no pude. | I wanted to help you, but I couldn’t. |
Llegar (to arrive)
“Llegar” appears in travel, meetings, and schedules. It’s one of the most frequent verbs for daily life.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo llego / él llega | Llego temprano a clase. | I arrive early to class. |
| Preterite | yo llegué / él llegó | Llegué tarde a la reunión. | I arrived late to the meeting. |
Pasar (to pass, to happen, to spend time)
This verb has several uses, from passing objects to talking about time. It’s highly versatile in conversations.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo paso / él pasa | Paso mucho tiempo con mi familia. | I spend a lot of time with my family. |
| Preterite | yo pasé / él pasó | Pasó algo extraño. | Something strange happened. |
Deber (should, must, to owe)
Whenever you want to talk about obligations or recommendations, “deber” is the verb to use. It’s also used to express debt.
| Tense | Conjugation | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo debo / él debe | Debo estudiar para el examen. | I must study for the exam. |
| Preterite | yo debí / él debió | Debí decir la verdad. | I should have told the truth. |
Poner (to put, to place)
“Poner” is a simple yet extremely common verb. You’ll need it for setting objects down or placing items somewhere.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo pongo / él pone | Pongo la mesa antes de cenar. | I set the table before dinner. |
| Preterite | yo puse / él puso | Puse el libro en la mesa. | I put the book on the table. |
This might seem a lot but believe us, with some revision they’re easy to memorize and with help from private Spanish courses you'll get the hang of it in no time.
Parecer (to seem, to appear)
This verb lets you describe impressions or appearances. It’s especially useful when expressing opinions.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo parezco / él parece | Parece cansado. | He seems tired. |
| Preterite | yo parecí / él pareció | Pareció una buena idea. | It seemed like a good idea. |
Quedar (to remain, to stay, to meet up)
“Quedar” is a flexible verb with different meanings depending on the context. It can describe staying somewhere or arranging to meet.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo quedo / él queda | Quedo en casa hoy. | I’m staying at home today. |
| Preterite | yo quedé / él quedó | Quedamos en el parque. | We arranged to meet at the park. |
Creer (to believe, to think)
Beliefs and opinions often require this verb. It appears frequently in casual conversations and debates alike.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo creo / él cree | Creo en ti. | I believe in you. |
| Preterite | yo creí / él creyó | Él creyó la historia. | He believed the story. |
Hablar (to speak, to talk)
Communication is impossible without “hablar.” It’s one of the first verbs every student learns.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo hablo / él habla | Hablo español e inglés. | I speak Spanish and English. |
| Preterite | yo hablé / él habló | Hablé con mi madre ayer. | I spoke with my mother yesterday. |
Llevar (to carry, to wear, to take)
This verb appears in clothing, transportation, and movement. It’s a core part of everyday Spanish.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo llevo / él lleva | Llevo una chaqueta nueva. | I’m wearing a new jacket. |
| Preterite | yo llevé / él llevó | Llevé el regalo a la fiesta. | I took the gift to the party. |
Dejar (to leave, to allow, to let)
“Dejar” is commonly used when leaving something behind or giving permission. It has both literal and figurative uses.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo dejo / él deja | Dejo las llaves en la mesa. | I leave the keys on the table. |
| Preterite | yo dejé / él dejó | Dejé mi cartera en casa. | I left my wallet at home. |
It might be difficult to memorize them all but keep trying! You’ll get there in the end. To master Spanish verbs and conjugation, try testing yourself. Take a blank piece of paper and write down all the verbs you can think of. Then conjugate them in all the different tenses you know.
Seguir (to follow, to continue)
Movement, guidance, and continuation all use “seguir.” You’ll often see it in instructions or directions.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo sigo / él sigue | Sigo las instrucciones. | I follow the instructions. |
| Preterite | yo seguí / él siguió | Él siguió caminando. | He kept walking. |
Spanish is perhaps the only language that has no ugly words.
Gabriel García Márquez, Colombian writer and journalist
Encontrar (to find)
This verb is all about discovery. From lost items to new experiences, “encontrar” is always useful.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo encuentro / él encuentra | Encuentro mis llaves. | I find my keys. |
| Preterite | yo encontré / él encontró | Encontré dinero en la calle. | I found money in the street. |
Llamar (to call, to name)
Names and communication rely on “llamar.” It’s essential for introducing yourself and making calls.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo llamo / él llama | Me llamo Ana. | My name is Ana. |
| Preterite | yo llamé / él llamó | Llamé a mi amigo ayer. | I called my friend yesterday. |
Pensar (to think)
When sharing thoughts or making decisions, “pensar” is the verb to use. It’s key for expressing opinions.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo pienso / él piensa | Pienso en mis vacaciones. | I think about my vacation. |
| Preterite | yo pensé / él pensó | Pensé que era cierto. | I thought it was true. |
Learning the most commonly used verbs is a good start but don’t forget there are plenty of irregular verbs that don’t follow the same pattern as others. There are certain verbs where there are diphthongs (two vowels in the same syllable) that are completely irregular to other verbs. Take the verb pensar for example (to think). In this case the ‘e’ becomes ‘ie’, so in the present tense it conjugated like this: pienso, piensas, piensa, pensamos, pensais, piensan.
Creating a list of irregular verbs and their conjugations will be invaluable in your Spanish learning. There are plenty of websites that will provide you with a list of all the most commonly used irregular verbs. Get Spanish classes near me here.
Salir (to leave, to go out)
Social plans and exits revolve around “salir.” It’s often used for going out to eat or spending time with friends.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo salgo / él sale | Salgo con mis amigos. | I go out with my friends. |
| Preterite | yo salí / él salió | Salí temprano de casa. | I left home early. |
Volver (to return, to come back)
This verb is all about returning, whether to a place or to an activity. It’s often paired with “a” plus an infinitive.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo vuelvo / él vuelve | Vuelvo a casa tarde. | I return home late. |
| Preterite | yo volví / él volvió | Volvimos de vacaciones ayer. | We came back from vacation yesterday. |
Tomar (to take, to drink)
Meals and transportation often use “tomar.” It can mean taking something physically or consuming food and drinks.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo tomo / él toma | Tomo café por la mañana. | I drink coffee in the morning. |
| Preterite | yo tomé / él tomó | Tomé el autobús al trabajo. | I took the bus to work. |
(Photo by Dan Gold)
Conocer (to know – people, places)
Unlike “saber,” “conocer” deals with familiarity. Use it for people you know or places you’ve visited.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo conozco / él conoce | Conozco Madrid muy bien. | I know Madrid very well. |
| Preterite | yo conocí / él conoció | Conocí a tu hermano ayer. | I met your brother yesterday. |
Vivir (to live)
Finally, “vivir” covers residence and life itself. It’s a common verb in personal introductions.
| Tense | Conjugation (yo / él-ella) | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | yo vivo / él vive | Vivo en España. | I live in Spain. |
| Preterite | yo viví / él vivió | Viví en México durante un año. | I lived in Mexico for a year. |
You could try online tests to see how much you can remember. There are plenty of sites where you can play Spanish games that will make it easier to remember the different conjugations. When writing these verbs pay special attention to the spelling! Some Spanish words can be tricky. Want a few extra tips?
Tips for Learning Spanish Verbs
Knowing which verbs to study is only the first step. To make real progress, you need to practice and apply them in well thought out ways. This section covers practical advice for remembering verbs and avoiding common pitfalls.
Memorization Techniques
Memorizing verbs doesn’t have to be boring. By using a variety of techniques, you can keep practice interesting and effective. Repetition is important, but so is context and creativity.
- Group verbs by endings: -ar, -er, and -ir verbs share patterns that make memorization easier.
- Use personal examples: Instead of repeating “hablo español,” try sentences about your own life like Hablo inglés y estudio español.
- Practice out loud: Speaking strengthens memory far more than silent reading.
- Use songs and stories: Many learners find music or short texts helpful for remembering irregular forms.
- Spaced review: Revisit verbs every few days rather than cramming once.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even motivated learners fall into predictable traps with verbs. By recognizing these early, you can save yourself frustration and confusion. Keep an eye out for these common issues.
- Mixing up “ser” and “estar”: Remember that ser is for permanent identity, while estar covers temporary states and locations.
- Forgetting irregularities: Words like ir and tener don’t fit the regular rules. Write them down separately.
- Overusing the present tense: Try simple past and future forms early on.
- Literal translations: Don’t say Estoy 20 años (I am 20 years old). In Spanish, it’s Tengo 20 años.
- Dropping pronouns too much: While Spanish often omits subject pronouns, beginners should use them more often until conjugations feel natural.
Spanish verbs form the heart of the language. With just 30 verbs, you can already express an impressive range of ideas. The more you use these verbs in real situations, the faster they’ll become second nature. Keep practicing, stay patient with irregular forms, and you’ll find your confidence growing with every conversation.
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This was very helpful for me, thank you!
You’re welcome, Sonia!