100 MOST COMMON SPANISH VERBS: PRESENT TENSE CONJUGATION RULES
General pattern for all regular verbs:
1. Drop the ending (AR, IR, or ER) from the infinitive (the unconjugated verb – this is the
most basic form of the verb that you will find in the dictionary).
a. What’s left is called the stem (or the root).
2. Add the ending (see chart below) that corresponds to the subject you want to talk
about.
Subject Pronoun
I
you (informal)
he / she / you (formal)
we (male or mixed gender group) / we
(all female)
you guys (male or mixed gender
group) / you guys (all female) – only
used in spain. in other parts of
spanish-speaking worls, uds. is used to
express “you guys”
they (male or mixed gender) / they
(female only) / you guys (formal in
spain only)
Subject Pronoun
yo
tu
él / ella / Ud.
nostotros / nosotras
AR
o
as
a
amos
ER / IR
o
es
e
emos / imos
vostotros / vosotras
áis
éis / ís
ellos/ellas/Uds.
an
en
http://www.linguasorb.com/learnspanish/most-common-verbs.aspx
1. In the present tense, when there’s a stem change, it usually occurs on all forms except for nosotros(as) and
vosotros(as) (Those 2 forms will follow the normal patterns of conjugation.)
2. However, the yo, tu, él/ella/Ud., and ellos/ellas/Uds. WILL experience the stem change.
3. Some of these verbs also have completely irregular “yo” forms and should be memorized along with the stem
changes for its other subject pronouns (see #2, above).
No.
Spanish
English
Type/Notes
1
ser
to be (essential/permanent
quality)
Highly irregular and essential: memorize!
2
estar
to be (health, location, state)
Highly irregular and essential: memorize!
3
tener
to have
4
hacer
to do, make
5
poder
to be able, can


Irregular “yo”: tengo
Stem change: e -> ie : (tu) tienes, (él/ella/Ud.)
tiene, (ellos/ellas/Uds.) tienen


Irregular “yo”: hago
No other change

Stem change: o -> ue : (yo) puedo, (tu) puedes,
(él/ella/Ud.) puede, (ellos/ellas/Uds.) pueden
6
decir
to say, tell
7
ir
to go
8
ver
to see


Highly irregular and essential: memorize!



9
dar
to give
Irregular “yo”: digo
Stem change e -> i : (tu) dices, (él/ella/Ud.) dice,
(ellos/ellas/Uds.) dicen


Irregular “yo”: veo
Don’t drop the “e” from the stem on any present
form
No other change

Irregular “yo”: doy
Don’t drop the “a” from the stem on any present
form
No other change


Irregular “yo”: sé
No other change

Stem change: e -> ie : (yo) quiero, (tu) quieres,
(él/ella) quiere, (ellos/ellas) quieren
10
saber
to know (information)
11
querer
to want, love
12
llegar
to arrive, come, reach
Regular
13
pasar
to pass, to pass on, to spend
(time), to happen
Regular
14
deber
to owe, must, should, ought
to
Regular
15
poner
to put, place, set


Irregular “yo”: pongo
No other change
16
parecer
to seem, appear


Irregular “yo”: parezco
No other change


Regular, but reflexive
Will need a reflexive/indirect object pronoun
before the verb (see chart below)
17
quedarse
to stay, remain
18
creer
to believe
Regular
19
hablar
to speak
Regular
20
llevar
to carry, bring
Regular
21
dejar
to leave, abandon, to let,
allow
Regular
22
seguir
to follow, continue


Irregular “yo”: sigo
No other change

23
encontrar
to find, encounter
Stem change: o -> ue : (yo) encuentro, (tu)
encuentras, (él/ella) encuentra, (ellos/ellas)
encuentran
24
llamar
to call, to name
Regular
25
venir
to come


26
pensar
to think

Stem change: e -> ie (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
27
salir
to leave, go out


Irregular “yo”: salgo
No other change
28
volver
to return, go back

Stem change: o -> ue (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
29
tomar
to take, drink
30
conocer
to know (people, places)
31
vivir
to live
Irregular “yo”: vengo
Stem change: e -> ie : (tu) vienes, (él/ella) viene,
(ellos/ellas) vienen
Regular


Irregular “yo”: conozco
No other change
Regular

Stem change: e -> ie (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
32
sentir
to feel, regret
33
tratar
to treat, handle
Regular
34
mirar
to watch, look at
Regular
35
contar
to count, relate, tell

Stem change: o -> ue (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
36
empezar
to begin, start

Stem change: e -> ie (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
37
esperar
to hope
Regular
38
buscar
to search for, look for
Regular
39
existir
to exist
Regular
40
entrar
to enter, go in, come in
Regular
41
trabajar
to work
Regular
42
escribir
to write
Regular
43
perder
to lose

Stem change: e -> ie (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
44
producir
to produce


Irregular “yo” produzco
No other change
Regular, but reflexive
Will need a reflexive/indirect object pronoun
before the verb (see chart below)
45
ocurrir
to occur, happen


46
entender
to understand

Stem change: e -> ie (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
47
pedir
to request, ask for

Stem change e -> i (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
48
recibir
to receive, to welcome,
greet
49
recordar
to remember, remind
50
terminar
to finish, end
Regular
51
permitir
to permit, allow
Regular
52
aparecer
to appear, show up


Irregular “yo” aparezco
No other change
53
conseguir
to get, obtain


Irregular “yo” (like seguir): consigo
No other change
54
comenzar
to begin, start, commence

Stem change: e -> ie (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
55
servir
to serve

Stem change e -> i (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
56
sacar
to take out, stick out
Regular
57
necesitar
to need, require
Regular
58
mantener
to maintain, get
•
Irregular “yo” (like tener): mantengo
•
Stem change: e -> ie : (tu) mantienes, (él/ella/Ud.)
mantiene, (ellos/ellas/Uds.) mantienen
59
resultar
to turn out (to be)
Regular
60
leer
to read
61
caer
to fall
Regular

Stem change: o -> ue (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
Regular, but looks unusual. The “ee” is correct:
leo, lees, lee, etc.
 Irregular “yo” (like seguir): caigo
 No other change
62
cambiar
to change
Regular
63
presentar
to introduce
Regular
64
crear
to create, to make
Regular, but don’t confuse with creer!
65
abrir
to open
Regular
66
considerar
to consider
Regular
67
oír
to hear
68
acabar
to finish, end
69
convertir
to convert, change
70
ganar
to win, gain, earn, get,
acquire
Regular
71
formar
to form, shape, fashion,
make
Regular
72
traer
to bring, to get, fetch, to
carry
73
partir
to divide, to leave
74
morir
to die
75
aceptar
to accept, approve, to agree
to
Regular
76
realizar
to achieve, attain,
accomplish
Regular
77
suponer
to suppose
78
comprender
to understand, comprehend
Regular
79
lograr
to get, obtain, to achieve,
attain
Regular
80
explicar
to explain
Regular
81
preguntar
to ask, inquire
Regular
82
tocar
to touch, to play (an
Regular


Irregular “yo”: oigo
Stem change: i -> y (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
Regular



Stem change: e -> ie (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
Irregular “yo”: traigo
No other change
Regular



Stem change: o -> ue (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
Irregular “yo” (like poner): supongo
No other change
instrument)


Irregular “yo” (like conocer): reconozco
No other change
83
reconocer
to recognize
84
estudiar
to study
Regular
85
alcanzar
to reach, catch up
Regular
86
nacer
to be born


Irregular “yo”: nazco
No other change
87
dirigir
to direct


Irregular “yo”: dirijo
No other change
88
correr
to run
Regular
89
utilizar
to use, utilize
Regular
90
pagar
to pay, pay for
Regular
91
ayudar
to help
Regular


While this can be conjugated as a regular –ar verb,
it usually only uses 2 common forms: gusta (when
there’s only 1 object that is pleasing) and gustan
(when multiple objects are pleasing)
This verb is often (or always) conjugated with the
speaker as the indirect object, thus an indirect
object pronoun is needed: (a mi) me gusta(n), (a
ti) te gusta(n), a él/ella/Ud. le gusta(n), a
nosotros(as) nos gusta(n), a vosotros(as) vos
gusta(n), a ellos/ellas/Uds. les gusta(n)
92
gustar
to please, be pleasing
93
jugar
to play (a game or sport)
94
escuchar
to listen to, hear
Regular
95
cumplir
to fulfil, carry out
Regular
96
ofrecer
to offer
97
descubrir
to discover
Regular
98
levantar
to raise, to lift
Regular
99
intentar
to try, attempt
Regular



Stem change: u -> ue (on all but nos. & vos. forms)
Irregular “yo” ofrezco
No other change
100
usar
to use
Regular
Highly irregular, used often in various forms: memorize!
haber
rd
the 3 “to be” verb
he, has, ha/hay, hemos, habéis, han
Reflexive and indirect object pronouns
Subject Pronoun
Yo
Tu
él / ella / ud.
nostotros / nosotras
vostotros / vosotras
ellos/ellas/uds.
Reflexive / Indirect
Pronoun
me
te
se / le (ud.)
nos
vos
se / les (uds.)
Conjugate
Examples:
verb
that
follows
per
rules
above.
Yo me llamo
Tu te llamas
El se llama
Nosotros nos llamamos
Vosotros vos llamáis
Ellas se llaman
Check out this website for more on stem-changing verbs, listed by the type of change:
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/StemChanging-Verbs-in-the-Present-Tense.topicArticleId-24013,articleId23948.html
Also, check out these Spanish Cognate Rules – they’re a great resource to help build your vocabulary:
http://www.linguasorb.com/learnspanish/spanish-cognates.aspx
Advanced: No need to use this chart now as it refers to irregularities in multiple tenses.
All other verb irregularities:
Modelos de
verbos irregulares -ar:
cambios de raíz:
irregular -ar:
stem-changing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
cazar -zar
llegar -gar
sacar -car
acertar e>ie
contar o>ue
degollar go>güe
Modelos de
verbos irregulares -er:
cambios de raíz:
irregular -er:
stem-changing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
más de un cambio:
more than 1 change:
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
avergonzar
enraizar
forzar
jugar
negar
rogar
tropezar
volcar
agradecer -cer (zc)
coger -ger
leer -eer
mecer -cer (z)
tañer -ñer
entender e>ie
mover o>ue
oler o>hue
andar
dar
desosar
errar
estar
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
más de un cambio:
more than 1 change:
10. escocer
11. soler
12. traer
irregular / irregular:
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
Modelos de
verbos irregulares -ir:
cambios de raíz:
irregular -ir:
stem-changing:
argüir -üir
asir -sir
conducir -cir (zc, j)
delinquir -quir
distinguir -guir
fruncir -cir (z)
huir -uir
lucir -cir (zc)
mullir -llir,-ñir
reír -eír
rugir -gir
adquirir i>ie
discernir e>ie
pedir e>i
sentir e>ie,i
pudrir u>o
más de un cambio:
more than 1 change:
19.
20.
21.
22.
dormir
rehuir
reñir
seguir
irregular:
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
caber
caer
haber
hacer
placer
poder
poner
prever
querer
raer
rehacer
reponer
retener
roer
saber
ser
tener
valer
ver
yacer
irregular:
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
abolir
decir
predecir
elegir
embaír
erguir
ir
oír
prevenir
salir
venir