Basic Spanish Verbs: 20 Essentials Every Beginner Should Know

Learning Spanish? Verbs are your best friend! They’re the backbone of almost every sentence and one of the first things beginners should focus on. In this post, we’ll walk through 20 of the most common Spanish verbs, show you how to use and conjugate them, and help you start speaking with confidence.

What Are Verbs in Spanish?

Verbs are the action words of a sentence—they describe what someone does, feels, or is. In Spanish, just like in English, verbs are essential for forming even the simplest sentences.

The Infinitive Form

In Spanish, verbs in their most basic form are called infinitives. These are the unconjugated versions of the verb—the version you’d find in a dictionary. They always end in one of three ways:

• -ar (like hablar – to speak)
• –er (like comer – to eat)
• –ir (like vivir – to live)

Think of infinitives as the “base” version of a verb—before it’s been changed to match who’s doing the action or when it’s happening.

Conjugation: Making Verbs Match the Subject

To use verbs in real sentences, you need to conjugate them—this just means adjusting the verb to match the subject (who’s doing the action) and the tense (when it’s happening).

For example:

• Hablar (to speak) becomes yo hablo (I speak)
• Comer (to eat) becomes nosotros comemos (we eat)

Learning to conjugate may sound tricky at first, but don’t worry—most Spanish verbs follow clear patterns!

Here’s a quick look at how to conjugate regular Spanish verbs in the present tense. The table below compares the endings for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs side by side:

Subject Pronoun	-AR Ending	-ER Ending	-IR Ending
yo (I)	-o	-o	-o
tú (you, informal)	-as	-es	-es
él/ella/usted (he/she/you, formal)	-a	-e	-e
nosotros/nosotras (we)	-amos	-emos	-imos
vosotros/vosotras (you all, informal Spain)	-áis	-éis	-ís
ellos/ellas/ustedes (they/you all)	-an	-en	-en

 

Regular vs. Irregular Verbs

Regular verbs follow predictable conjugation rules. Once you learn the pattern for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs, you can apply it to many words, like hablar, comer, and vivir.

Irregular verbs don’t follow the standard patterns, which means you can’t just remove the ending and add the usual one. Sometimes the stem changes, the endings are different, or both.

For example:

• tener (to have) becomes yo tengo, not teno
• ir (to go) becomes yo voy, a completely irregular form!

Some of the most common and important Spanish verbs are irregular, so they’re worth learning early on—even if they break the rules!

20 Common and Basic Spanish Verbs (With Examples)

Here’s a list of Spanish verbs and example conjugations in the present tense, using the yo (I) form. These are useful for everyday conversations and lay the groundwork for more advanced language learning!

Verb	Meaning	Example Conjugation	Example Sentence
ser	to be (essential/permanent)	yo soy	Soy maestra. (I am a teacher.)
estar	to be (temporary/location)	yo estoy	Estoy cansado. (I am tired.)
tener	to have	yo tengo	Tengo un perro. (I have a dog.)
hacer	to do/make	yo hago	Hago la tarea. (I do the homework.)
ir	to go	yo voy	Voy al mercado. (I go to the market.)
poder	to be able to	yo puedo	Puedo nadar. (I can swim.)
decir	to say/tell	yo digo	Digo la verdad. (I tell the truth.)
ver	to see	yo veo	Veo la televisión. (I watch TV.)
dar	to give	yo doy	Doy regalos. (I give gifts.)
saber	to know (facts)	yo sé	Sé la respuesta. (I know the answer.)
querer	to want/love	yo quiero	Quiero helado. (I want ice cream.)
llegar	to arrive	yo llego	Llego temprano. (I arrive early.)
pasar	to pass/spend time	yo paso	Paso tiempo con amigos. (I spend time with friends.)
deber	should/owe	yo debo	Debo estudiar. (I should study.)
poner	to put	yo pongo	Pongo la mesa. (I set the table.)
parecer	to seem	yo parezco	Parece difícil. (It seems difficult.)
quedar	to stay/remain	yo quedo	Me quedo en casa. (I stay home.)
creer	to believe	yo creo	Creo en ti. (I believe in you.)
hablar	to speak	yo hablo	Hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
llevar	to carry/wear	yo llevo	Llevo una chaqueta. (I wear a jacket.)

 

Ser vs. Estar: What’s the Difference?

Both ser and estar are irregular verbs that mean “to be,” but they’re used in different ways.

Use ser for permanent traits, identity, time, or origin.

• Ella es doctora. (She is a doctor.)

Use estar for temporary conditions or location.

• Ella está en casa. (She is at home.)

This is a common challenge for beginners, so stay tuned—we’ll have a full blog post breaking this down soon.

How to Learn Spanish Verbs Effectively

Here are a few strategies to help you master these essential verbs:

• Practice in Context: Use these verbs in your own sentences or short stories.
• Flashcards: Create flashcards with the verb, its conjugation, and an example sentence.
• Repeat and Review: Repetition helps build long-term memory.
• Speak Out Loud: Verbs stick better when you say them, not just read them.

Want to make it easier for your students? Meg’s interactive language lessons give learners real-life practice with these verbs and more.

FAQs About Basic Spanish Verbs

What are the most common Spanish verbs?

Some of the most commonly used Spanish verbs are ser, estar, tener, hacer, and ir. These are essential for beginners.

How do you conjugate Spanish verbs?

Start with the infinitive form (like hablar) and remove the ending (-ar, -er, or -ir). Then, add the correct verb ending to match the subject—like yo, tú, or ellos. For example, hablar becomes yo hablo when you’re talking about yourself.

What’s the best way to learn Spanish verbs as a beginner?

Focus on the most useful verbs first, practice them in short sentences, and use them in real-life situations whenever possible.

Build Your Spanish One Verb at a Time

Mastering these 20 basic Spanish verbs is a great starting point. They’ll help you say what you do, how you feel, and what you want—all key to everyday conversations. As you continue learning, keep practicing them in context and pay attention to how they appear in real life. The more you use them, the more natural they’ll feel.