23 February 2026
How to Conjugate Spanish Verbs: A Complete Guide
Verb conjugation is one of the most important aspects of Spanish grammar. Learning to conjugate verbs correctly is essential for communicating fluently. In this guide, we explain everything you need to know.
The three verb groups in Spanish
In Spanish, there are three verb groups. The infinitive can end in -AR, -ER, or -IR. This ending determines how each verb is conjugated.
- -AR verbs: hablar, caminar, escuchar, trabajar, llamar
- -ER verbs: comer, beber, correr, leer, volver
- -IR verbs: vivir, escribir, subir, partir, abrir
Present indicative conjugation
The present indicative is the most commonly used tense in Spanish and is conjugated as follows:
-AR verbs: hablar
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | hablo |
| tú | hablas |
| él / ella | habla |
| nosotros | hablamos |
| vosotros | habláis |
| ellos / ellas | hablan |
-ER verbs: comer
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | como |
| tú | comes |
| él / ella | come |
| nosotros | comemos |
| vosotros | coméis |
| ellos / ellas | comen |
-IR verbs: vivir
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | vivo |
| tú | vives |
| él / ella | vive |
| nosotros | vivimos |
| vosotros | vivís |
| ellos / ellas | viven |
Regular verbs vs. irregular verbs
In addition to the three groups above, verbs are classified as regular or irregular. Regular verbs follow exactly the patterns shown above. Irregular verbs modify their stem or endings in certain persons or tenses.
The most irregular verbs in Spanish — and precisely because of that, the most important ones — are ser, estar, tener, ir, hacer, and poder. These verbs are the most commonly used in everyday speech. That is why it is very important to learn them.
The most important verb tenses
Spanish has a wide variety of verb tenses. For beginners, these are the most important:
- Present indicative: actions happening now or on a regular basis (yo hablo)
- Preterite: completed actions in the past (yo hablé)
- Imperfect: habitual actions in the past or descriptions (yo hablaba)
- Simple future: actions that will happen (yo hablaré)
- Conditional: hypothetical actions (yo hablaría)
Tips for learning to conjugate
Start with the most common verbs. Don't try to memorize all verbs at once. First learn the 10 or 20 most commonly used verbs in Spanish, such as ser, estar, tener, hacer, ir, poder, querer, saber, venir, and decir.
Practice out loud. Conjugation sticks better when you say it aloud. Repeat the tables out loud and use them in your own sentences.
Use a conjugator. Tools like Conjugaverbos let you look up the full conjugation of any Spanish verb in seconds. Use it as a reference while you practice.
Learn the patterns, not the exceptions. Most verbs are regular. Once you master the three groups (-AR, -ER, -IR), you will be able to conjugate thousands of verbs correctly.
You can look up the full conjugation of any verb in our conjugation tool. Try hablar, ser, or tener to get started.