In accordance with the Royal Spanish Academy, greater than 80% of verbs in Spanish finish in -AR. For Spanish learners, realizing how one can use -AR verbs is important for feeling snug in real-life conversations. When you discover ways to conjugate a number of Spanish -AR verbs, you’re already effectively in your solution to conjugating 80% of the verbs in Spanish!
Prepared so as to add the most typical and helpful Spanish -AR verbs to your vocabulary? Let’s dive in.
A fast introduction to Spanish verbs and conjugation
In Spanish, nearly all of verbs have considered one of these three endings:
- -AR endings, e.g., hablar and usar
- -ER endings, e.g., beber and leer
- -IR endings, e.g., escribir and vivir
When you could have verbs in considered one of these endings, they’re of their infinitive, or fundamental, kind.
However if you wish to categorical that these actions are carried out by totally different topics (you, he, they, and so on.) or in several tenses (current, previous, future, and so on.), the Spanish verbs have to be conjugated. Conjugation is a course of the place the type of a verb adjustments to replicate the topic pronoun or verb tense.
Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at how one can conjugate -AR verbs within the current and preterite tenses.
Conjugate common -AR verbs in current tense
The tense of a verb tells you when the motion is going down. The current tense signifies that one thing is at the moment taking place or nonetheless usually occurs.
To conjugate Spanish -AR verbs within the current tense, exchange the “-ar” ending with the next verb endings, relying on the topic.
| Topic pronoun | Verb ending |
|---|---|
| yo (I) | -o |
| tú (you, casual) | -as |
| él (he) ella (she) usted (you, formal) |
-a |
| nosotros (we, masculine) nosotras (we, female) |
-amos |
| vosotros (you all, masculine and casual)* vosotras (you all, female and casual)* |
-áis |
| ellos (they, masculine) ellas (they, female) ustedes (you all, formal) |
-an |
For instance, here’s what the verb trabajar (to work) seems like within the current tense:
| yo | trabajo |
| tú | trabajas |
| él/ella/usted | trabaja |
| nosotros | trabajamos |
| vosotros | trabajáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | trabajan |
As you’ll be able to see, the verb stem (trabaj- in trabajar) by no means adjustments whereas the verb ending adjustments relying on the topic pronoun. That is true with all common Spanish -AR verbs.
Instance sentences:
- Alex works in an workplace. = Alex trabaja en una oficina.
- We work on the college. = Trabajamos en la escuela.
Within the second sentence, the pronoun (nosotros) is pointless as a result of the conjugated verb ending clearly signifies who’s doing the motion. In Spanish, if it’s apparent who the topic is, pronouns are sometimes omitted or solely used for emphasis. That is particularly frequent in spoken Spanish, and practising it may possibly make it easier to sound extra like a neighborhood in every day conversations!
Conjugate common -AR verbs in easy previous tense
The straightforward previous, or preterite, tense is used to speak about issues which have already occurred. In English, verbs within the easy previous tense usually have “-ed” endings, like “walked” or “talked.”
To conjugate Spanish -AR verbs within the easy previous tense, exchange the “-ar” ending with the next verb endings, relying on the topic.
| Topic pronoun | Verb ending |
|---|---|
| yo (I) | -é |
| tú (you, casual) | -aste |
| él (he) ella (she) usted (you, formal) |
-ó |
| nosotros (we, masculine) nosotras (we, female) |
-amos |
| vosotros (you all, masculine and casual)* vosotras (you all, female and casual)* |
-asteis |
| ellos (they, masculine) ellas (they, female) ustedes (you all, formal) |
-aron |
Here’s what the verb trabajar seems like within the easy previous tense:
| yo | trabajé |
| tú | trabajaste |
| él/ella/usted | trabajó |
| nosotros | trabajamos |
| vosotros | trabajasteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | trabajaron |
Similar to within the current tense, the verb stem (trabaj- in trabajar) by no means adjustments previously tense for normal -AR verbs.
Instance sentences:
- I labored on a farm. = Trabajé en una granja.
- They labored right here. = Ellos trabajaron aquí.
40 frequent common Spanish -AR verbs
In Spanish, common verbs are simply that—common. When conjugating them within the current or easy previous tense, their verb stems will all the time keep the identical, and their endings will all the time comply with the identical sample outlined within the charts above.
Here’s a listing of the most typical common -AR verbs in Spanish which might be important to know for each Spanish speaker.
- Llamar: to name, to call
- Hablar: to speak, to talk
- Mirar: to look
- Escuchar: to listen to
- Comprar: to purchase
- Necesitar: to want, to require
- Llevar: to hold, to take, to put on
- Usar: to make use of
- Ayudar: to assist
- Cambiar: to alter
- Quedar: to remain, to stay
- Pasar: to cross, to spend time
- Dejar: to go away, to permit
- Ganar: to win, to achieve
- Preguntar: to ask
- Arreglar: to repair, to rearrange
- Preparar: to organize
- Parar: to cease
- Tomar: to drink, to take
- Estudiar: to review
- Trabajar: to work
- Presentar: to introduce
- Descansar: to relaxation
- Crear: to create
- Olvidar: to overlook
- Manejar: to drive
- Caminar: to stroll
- Viajar: to journey
- Entrar: to enter
- Desayunar: to eat breakfast
- Cenar: to have dinner
- Limpiar: to wash
- Cocinar: to prepare dinner
- Llorar: to cry
- Cantar: to sing
- Bailar: to bop
- Nadar: to swim
- Gustar: to love, to please
- Disfrutar: to take pleasure in
- Esperar: to attend, to hope
Hungry for extra? Try the most typical Spanish verbs throughout the -AR, -ER, and -IR classes.
6 frequent irregular Spanish -AR verbs
Now that you simply perceive how common -AR verbs work, it’s time to satisfy irregular -AR verbs. Irregular verbs in Spanish don’t comply with the common conjugation sample. However with some memorization and follow, you’ll be capable of conjugate irregular verbs simply as simply.
Listed here are among the most typical irregular -AR verbs and their conjugated varieties within the current tense.
1. Estar: to be
| yo | estoy |
| tú | estás |
| él/ella/usted | está |
| nosotros | estamos |
| vosotros | estáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | están |
Instance sentences:
- I’m very drained. = Estoy muy cansado.
- Are you content? = ¿Estás feliz?
2. Pensar (e → ie): to assume
| yo | pienso |
| tú | piensas |
| él/ella/usted | piensa |
| nosotros | pensamos |
| vosotros | pensáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | piensan |
When conjugating pensar within the current tense, the e adjustments to ie, besides within the nosotros and vosotros varieties. Instance sentences:
- Do you assume this shirt is ugly? = ¿Piensas que esta camisa es fea?
- Michelle thinks you might be sensible and hardworking. = Michelle piensa que eres inteligente y trabajador.
3. Comenzar (e → ie): to start out, to start
| yo | comienzo |
| tú | comienzas |
| él/ella/usted | comienza |
| nosotros | comenzamos |
| vosotros | comenzáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comienzan |
For comenzar, the e additionally adjustments to ie within the verb stem, besides within the nosotros and vosotros varieties. Instance sentences:
- I begin faculty subsequent month. = Comienzo la universidad el próximo mes.
- She begins work at the moment. = Ella comienza a trabajar hoy.
4. Jugar (u → ue): to play
| yo | juego |
| tú | juegas |
| él/ella/usted | juega |
| nosotros | jugamos |
| vosotros | jugáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | juegan |
In jugar, the u adjustments to ue when conjugating within the current tense, besides within the nosotros and vosotros varieties. Instance sentences:
- Ryan performs soccer within the morning. = Ryan juega fútbol en la mañana.
- We play video video games each week. = Jugamos videojuegos cada semana.
5. Encontrar (o → ue): to seek out, to satisfy
| yo | encuentro |
| tú | encuentras |
| él/ella/usted | encuentra |
| nosotros | encontramos |
| vosotros | encontráis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | encuentran |
In encontrar, the o adjustments to ue when conjugating within the current tense, besides within the nosotros and vosotros varieties. Instance sentences:
- We meet to review English. = Encontramos para estudiar el inglés.
- They’re assembly with their associates. = Ellos se encuentran con sus amigos.
6. Contar (o → ue): to rely, to inform
| yo | cuento |
| tú | cuentas |
| él/ella/usted | cuenta |
| nosotros | contamos |
| vosotros | contáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | cuentan |
The o adjustments to ue within the verb stem for contar, besides (you guessed it!) within the nosotros and vosotros varieties. Instance sentences:
- I’m counting the celebrities. = Cuento las estrellas.
- You all rely the cash. = Ustedes cuentan el dinero.
Study Spanish verbs and conjugation naturally
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