Present Tense Verbs
In this lesson, you will get a general idea of how to use present tense verbs. You will learn how to conjugate some regular and some irregular verbs, and use them in example sentences. Look for how the endings of verbs change in correspondence to the subject pronouns they are used with. Look for patterns in how they change. Pay attention also to any tips or extra info provided in the lesson. There is a quiz at the end of each lesson to test what you learned. Don't worry if you are tempted to feel frustrated, language learning takes time and patience. ;-)
Hablar = to speak (pronounced ah-blar, where the "H" is always silent)
Yo hablo = I speak
Tú hablas = you speak (informal)
Usted habla = you speak (formal)
Él o Ella habla = he or she speaks
nosotros hablamos = we speak
vosotros habláis = you speak (informal, plural)
ustedes hablan = you speak (formal, plural)
ellos o ellas hablan = they speak (masculine or feminine)
Por ejemplo:
Ustedes hablan muy rápido. You speak very fast.
Mi amigo, José, habla español. My friend, José, speaks Spanish.
Mis padres sólo hablan inglés. My parents only speak English.
¿Usted habla inglés también? Do you speak English also?
Yo hablo un poco de español. I speak a little Spanish.
Hablamos mucho. We talk a lot.
¡Hablas inglés muy bien! You speak English very well!
Vosotros habláis con un acento muy diferente. You guys speak with a very different accent.
(Note: It is usually not necessary to use the subject pronouns (e.g., yo, tú, ustedes, ella, etc.) when speaking Spanish, because the conjugation of the verb (i.e., the way the verb changes form) usually tells us who the subject is when speaking or listening to Spanish.)
Tener = to have
yo tengo = I have
tú tienes = you have
usted tiene = you have (formal)
él o ella tiene = he or she has
nosotros tenemos = we have
vosotros tenéis = you have (informal, plural)
ustedes tienen = you have (formal, plural)
ellos o ellas tienen = they have (masculine or feminine)
Por ejemplo:
Tengo veinte dólares. I have twenty dollars.
¿Tienes frío o calor? Are you cold or hot?
Juan tiene hambre y sed. Juan is hungry and thirsty.
Tenemos nuestros pasajes de avion. We have our plane tickets.
Tenéis que visitarnos otra vez. You have to visit us again.
¿Tienen ustedes algo a comer o beber? Do you have something to eat or drink?
Ellos tienen que venir con nosotros. They have to come with us.
Querer é ir = to want and to go
yo quiero y voy = I want and I go
tú quieres y vas = you want and you go
usted quiere y va = you want and you go (formal)
él o ella quiere y va = he or she wants and goes
nosotros queremos y vamos = we want and we go
vosotros queréis y váis = you want and you go (informal, plural)
ustedes quieren y van = you want and you go (formal, plural)
ellos o ellas quieren y van = they want and they go (masculine or feminine)
Por ejemplo:
Nosotros queremos ir al restaurante. Vamos pronto. We want to go to the restaurant. We are going soon.
¿Quieren ustedes ir con nosotros? Do you want to go with us?
Mi novia va al salón cada fin de la semana, porque quiere parecer bonita. My girfriend goes to the Salon every weekend, because she wants to look pretty.
¿Vas al supermercado? ¿Qué quieres? Are you going to the supermarket? What do you want?
¿Quieres hacer la cena? Do you want to make supper?
Más ejemplos:
Quiero ir a la playa mañana. Voy a ir con mis amigos. Nos vamos muy temprano. Quieres venir con nosotros? I want to go to the beach tomorrow. I'm going to go with my friends. We are leaving very early. Do you want to come with us? (Note: Nos vamos does not mean "We are going", it literally means "We are leaving". To say, "I'm leaving soon", you say, Me voy pronto. For "you are leaving" it is te vas; for "he or she and usted are leaving", it is se va; for "you (informal, plural) are leaving", it is os váis; for "they are leaving" and "ustedes are leaving", it is se van.)
Vivir = to live
yo vivo = I live
tú vives = you live
él o ella vive = he or she lives
usted vive = you live (formal)
nosotros vivimos = we live
vosotros vivís = you live (informal, plural)
ustedes viven = you live (formal, plural)
ellos o ellas viven = they live (masculine or feminine)
Por ejemplo:
¿Vive usted lejos de aquí? Do you live far from here?
Vivo en la ciudad. I live in the city.
¿En cuál ciudad vives? In which city do you live? (informal)
Ella vive en Santo Domingo. She lives in Santo Domingo.
Él vive cerca de nosotros. He lives near us.
Juan y Alicia viven en el mismo barrio. Juan and Alicia live in the same neighborhood.
Vivimos en los estados unidos. We live in the United States.
¿Viven ustedes por aquí? Do you live around here?
¡Vosotros vivís en un país muy hermoso! You guys live in a very beautiful country!
Examen = quiz: Present Tense Verbs
1. It is not necessary to always use the subject pronoun with conjugated verbs. True or False?
2. How do you ask someone formally in Spanish, "Do you speak English?"
3. What is the conjugated verb form for "We speak"?
4. How do you say in Spanish, "I have twenty dollars"?
5. What are the conjugated verbs for "You (informal) want" and "They are going"?
6. Say in Spanish, "We want to go to the restaurant."
7. Conjugate the present tense of the verb hablar (to speak).
8. Conjugate the present tenses of the verb tener (to have, as in possession).
9. Conjugate the present tense of the verbs querer y ir (to want and to go).
10. Conjugate the present tense of the verb vivir (to live).
