Table of contents
- How to Start Learning Spanish Verb Conjugation
- Spanish Verb Conjugation Tables
- Spanish Verb Conjugation Groups
- Most important Spanish verbs: Ser and Estar
- Moving On to Advanced Concepts
- Conjugate Spanish Verbs Like a Pro!
Even the most advanced speakers slip up on their verb conjugation in Spanish - especially with irregular verbs. Is there any hope of learning all the rules?
Yes, it's completely doable! Many verbs in Spanish follow set conjugation rules that even beginners can learn.
As your language skills advance and you use more challenging tenses, there'll be more complex rules to absorb. But even those become second nature over time.
To walk you through the process, from beginner to advanced, we've collected all the key rules and concepts into one place. Read on for the most important Spanish verb conjugation concepts and how to learn them.
How to Start Learning Spanish Verb Conjugation
Every verb has a standard, infinitive form. But this basic form is only one of many. For a verb to make grammatical sense, both the stem and ending may change. This is verb conjugation.
You might find it beneficial to gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental concepts at this point. If you're a beginner looking to solidify your foundation, we've prepared a comprehensive guide that focuses on the essentials of Spanish verb conjugation. Check out our Spanish verb conjugation essentials guide for beginners to expand your knowledge and practise these essential skills.
Spanish Verb Conjugation Tables
The first step in learning verb conjugation is a verb conjugation table. This simple reference tool lets you check how the subject and tense change a verb.
Having these at hand means you don't have to learn the conjugation rules by heart to use a verb. For example, check out this verb conjugation table for ser (to be) in the present tense. You can find more verb tables with different conjugations in our Verbs Tenses & Conjugation lessons.
Spanish Verb Conjugation Groups
When you're ready to move on from referencing tables to learning them, it's time for conjugation groups. These are categories of verbs that follow the same set of rules across the tenses.
There are three Spanish verb conjugation groups:
- Verbs ending -AR
- Verbs ending -ER
- Verbs ending -IR
Once you've learned these three sets of rules, you know how to conjugate almost every verb!
We caveat with "almost" because Spanish does have some irregular verbs. These verbs follow their own rules either some or all of the time. They are best learned one by one, as you come across them.
Most important Spanish verbs: Ser and Estar
In Spanish, there are two verbs you will absolutely need to master: "ser" and "estar" (to be). Although they mean the same thing, they are used in different contexts and can give a different meaning to the sentences they're in.
In a nutshell, the verb "ser" is generally used for qualities that, in the speaker's mind, are seen as inherent or intrinsic characteristics, without having any possible changes in mind. Meanwhile, the verb "estar" is used for qualities that, in the speaker's mind, have gone through a change or transformation, ie. non-permanent conditions.
There are many use cases and rules to learn when talking about these two Spanish verbs, so you can go into much more detail on the difference between ser and estar, when to use each one and how to practise this specific topic.
Moving On to Advanced Concepts
Once you've wrapped your head around the conjugation groups, you're ready for the next level: advanced Spanish verb conjugation concepts.
There are four advanced concepts that affect how a verb is conjugated.
The first is tense. If you've mastered the conjugation classes, you may know all the tense rules already! But only with a knowledge of all four advanced concepts can you use a verb correctly in all situations.
Tense
From a temporality focus, there are only three tenses: past, present, and future. However, when we talk about Spanish verb tense, we're referring to a bigger concept.
While past, present, and future are hugely important, they are the categories of verb tenses. Within these categories, verb tenses allow speakers to get more specific.
In total, there are more than 14 tenses used across written and spoken Spanish. All of them change how verbs should be conjugated. Start learning their rules with our guide to learn and practise the Spanish verb tenses!
Mood
One of the reasons there are so many verb tenses is because of mood. Verb mood qualifies whether a verb is used in a:
- Statement (the indicative mood)
- Hypothetical (the subjunctive mood)
- Instruction (the imperative mood)
Learn more about the impact verb mood has on conjugation in our verb mood article!
Voice
Both English and Spanish have two verb voices:
- Active voice
- Passive voice
The good news is, you likely already know the rules for the active voice! In the active voice, the subject performs the verb. This is the voice we use most often.
In contrast, subjects in the passive voice undergo the verb. To convey this change in meaning, verbs in the passive voice are conjugated differently. Study this advanced concept in our verb voice article.
Aspect
The final advanced concept, which is also a factor in verb tense, is aspect.
Spanish verb aspect expresses how a verb happens in relation to the passage of time or other events. For example, even though these sentences use the same subject and verb, the verb aspect is different:
Tú estás estudiando mucho. (progressive action)
You are studying a lot.
Tú sueles estudiar mucho. (habitual action)
You usually study a lot.
Tú habrás estudiado mucho. (completed action)
You will have studied a lot.
Tú estudiabas mucho. (imperfective action)
You studied a lot.
To learn how to conjugate tenses taking into account which aspect one wants to convey, check out our Spanish verb aspect article!
Conjugate Spanish Verbs Like a Pro!
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