Monday 14 June 2010

Spanish verbs - The Simple Past (El Indicativo Pretérito)

  1. The conjugation of regular verbs:

    ar
    Yo hablé
    hablaste
    Él, Ella, Usted habló
    Nosotros/as hablamos
    Vosotros/as hablasteis
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes hablaron
    er
    Yo comí
    comiste
    Él, Ella, Usted com
    Nosotros/as comimos
    Vosotros/as comisteis
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes comieron
    ir
    Yo viví
    viviste
    Él, Ella, Usted viv
    Nosotros/as vivimos
    Vosotros/as vivisteis
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes vivieron
  2. Common irregular verbs:

      Ser Estar Ir Dar Hacer Andar Conducir* Decir Poder Poner Querer Saber Tener Traer Venir
    To be To be To go To give To make, to do To walk To drive To say To be able to To put To want To know To have To bring To come
    Yo
    Él, Ella, Usted
    Nosotros/as
    Vosotros/as
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes
    fui
    fuiste
    fue
    fuimos
    fuisteis
    fueron
    estuve
    estuviste
    estuvo
    estuvimos
    estuvisteis
    estuvieron
    fui
    fuiste
    fue
    fuimos
    fuisteis
    fueron
    di
    diste
    dio
    dimos
    disteis
    dieron
    hice
    hiciste
    hizo
    hicimos
    hicisteis
    hicieron
    anduve
    anduviste
    anduvo
    anduvimos
    anduvisteis
    anduvieron
    conduje
    condujiste
    condujo
    condujimos
    condujisteis
    condujeron
    dije
    dijiste
    dijo
    dijimos
    dijisteis
    dijeron
    pude
    pudiste
    pudo
    pudimos
    pudisteis
    pudieron
    puse
    pusiste
    puso
    pusimos
    pusisteis
    pusieron
    quise
    quisiste
    quiso
    quisimos
    quisisteis
    quisieron
    supe
    supiste
    supo
    supimos
    supisteis
    supieron
    tuve
    tuviste
    tuvo
    tuvimos
    tuvisteis
    tuvieron
    traje
    trajiste
    trajo
    trajimos
    trajisteis
    trajeron
    vine
    viniste
    vino
    vinimos
    vinisteis
    vinieron
    * Other verbs ending in -ucir [traducir (to translate), producir (to produce)] have a similar conjugation.
    Note: Verbs with stems ending in -j, omit the i of the third person plural ending: condujeron, tradujeron, produjeron, trajeron, dijeron.

  3. Radical changing verbs:
    • -ar and -er verbs that change their stem in the present tense do not change in the preterite
    • -ir verbs that change their stem in the present tense do also change in the preterite as follows:
      • e » i
      • o » u
      but only in the third person, singular and plural.

    Dormir Morir Pedir Preferir Servir Reír
    To sleep To die To ask for To prefer To serve To laugh
    dormí
    dormiste
    durmió
    dormimos
    dormisteis
    durmieron
    morí
    moriste
    murió
    morimos
    moristeis
    murieron
    pedí
    pediste
    pidió
    pedimos
    pedisteis
    pidieron
    preferí
    preferiste
    prefirió
    preferimos
    preferisteis
    prefirieron
    serví
    serviste
    sirvió
    servimos
    servisteis
    sirvieron
    reí
    reíste
    rió
    reímos
    reísteis
    rieron
  4. Orthographic changes:

    1. -ar verbs whose stem ends in z, c or g need a spelling change only in the first person singular:
      -zar z » c Empezar
      Almorzar = To have lunch
      Comenzar = To begin
      Organizar = To organiza
      To begin
      empecé
      empezaste
      empezó
      empezamos
      empezasteis
      empezaron
      -car c » qu Buscar
      Aparcar = To park
      Clasificar = To classify
      Tocar = To touch
      To look for
      busqué
      buscaste
      buscó
      buscamos
      buscasteis
      buscaron
      -gar g » gu Pagar
      Jugar = To play
      Llegar = To arrive
      Rogar = To beg
      To pay
      pagué
      pagaste
      pagó
      pagamos
      pagasteis
      pagaron
    2. -er and -ir verbs whose stem ends in a vowel change the i of the ending to a y in the third persons singular and plural, also, the remaining forms gain a written accent over the letter i:

      -aer
      -eer
      -oer
      -oír
      Creer
      Caer = To fall
      Distribuir = To distribute
      Leer = To read
      Oír = To hear
         Exceptions to this rule:    Traer
      Atraer = To attract
      Distraer = To distract
      To believe To bring
      creí
      creíste
      cre
      creímos
      creísteis
      creyeron
      traje
      trajiste
      trajo
      trajimos
      trajisteis
      trajeron
    3. Vers that end in -uir change in the same way as category 2 but the accent over the letter i appears only in the first person singular:

      -uir Huir
      Atribuir = To clame to have
      Constituir = To be, to constitute
      Construir = To build
      Contribuir = To contribute
      Destituir = To dismiss
      Destruir = To destroy
      Disminuir = To decrease
      Distribuir = To distribute
      Excluir = To exclude
      Incluir = To include
      Influir = To have an influence on
      Reconstituir = To reconstitute
      Restituir = To return, to restore
      Retribuir = To pay, to reward
      Sustituir = To replacel, to substitute
      To flee
      huí
      huiste
      hu
      huimos
      huisteis
      huyeron

Thursday 10 June 2010

Spanish verbs - The Present Tense (El Indicativo Presente)

  1. The conjugation of regular verbs:

    ar
    Yo hablo
    hablas
    Él, Ella, Usted habla
    Nosotros/as hablamos
    Vosotros/as habláis
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes hablan
    er
    Yo como
    comes
    Él, Ella, Usted come
    Nosotros/as comemos
    Vosotros/as coméis
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes comen
    ir
    Yo vivo
    vives
    Él, Ella, Usted vive
    Nosotros/as vivimos
    Vosotros/as vivís
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes viven
  2. Common irregular verbs:

      Ser Estar Ir Tener Haber Decir Venir Oír Seguir Perseguir Cocer Oler
    To be To be To go To have To have To say To come To hear To follow To chase To cook To smell
    Yo
    Él, Ella, Usted
    Nosotros/as
    Vosotros/as
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes
    soy
    eres
    es
    somos
    sois
    son
    estoy
    estás
    está
    estamos
    estáis
    están
    voy
    vas
    va
    vamos
    vais
    van
    tengo
    tienes
    tiene
    tenemos
    tenéis
    tienen
    he
    has
    ha
    hemos
    habéis
    han
    digo
    dices
    dice
    decimos
    decís
    dicen
    vengo
    vienes
    viene
    venimos
    venís
    vienen
    oigo
    oyes
    oye
    oímos
    oís
    oyen
    sigo
    sigues
    sigue
    seguimos
    seguís
    siguen
    persigo
    persigues
    persigue
    perseguimos
    perseguís
    persiguen
    cuezo
    cueces
    cuece
    cocemos
    cocéis
    cuecen
    huelo
    hueles
    huele
    olemos
    oléis
    huelen
  3. Irregular only on the first person:

      Dar Ver Hacer Poner Saber Conocer Caer Salir Traer Valer Fingir
    To give To see To make, to do To put To know To know To fall To leave To bring To be worth To pretend
    Yo
    Él, Ella, Usted
    Nosotros/as
    Vosotros/as
    Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes
    doy
    das
    da
    damos
    dais
    dan
    veo
    ves
    ve
    vemos
    veis
    ven
    hago
    haces
    hace
    hacemos
    hacéis
    hacen
    pongo
    pones
    pone
    ponemos
    ponéis
    ponen
    sabes
    sabe
    sabemos
    sabéis
    saben
    conozco
    conoces
    conoce
    conocemos
    conocéis
    conocen
    caigo
    caes
    cae
    caemos
    caéis
    caen
    salgo
    sales
    sale
    salimos
    salís
    salen
    traigo
    traes
    trae
    traemos
    traéis
    traen
    valgo
    vales
    vale
    valemos
    valéis
    valen
    finjo
    finges
    finge
    fingimos
    fingís
    fingen

    * Also atraer(to attract) and distraer(to distract) are conjugated in the same way as traer (to bring).

  4. Radical changing verbs:
    • In verbs that have "e" as the last vowel in the stem, the "e" changes to "ie", or, in a few cases, to "i".
    • In verbs that have "o" as the last vowel in their stem, the "o" changes to "ue".
    o » ue Poder ar er ir
    To be able
    puedo
    puedes
    puede
    podemos
    podéis
    pueden
    Acordar = To agree, to remember
    Acostar = To put to bed
    Almorzar = To have lunch
    Aprobar = To approve, to pass
    Colgar = To hang
    Comprobar = To check
    Consolar = To console, to comfort
    Contar = To tell, to count
    Costar = To cost
    Demostrar = To prove, to demonstrate
    Encontrar = To find
    Esforzar = To strain, to make an effort
    Mostrar = To show
    Probar = To prove, to try, to test
    Recordar = To remember, to remind
    Rogar = To beg, to ask
    Sonar = To ring
    Soñar = To dream
    Volar = To fly
    Volcar = To turn over
    Devolver = To give back, to return
    Doler = To hurt
    Envolver = To wrap (up)
    Llover = To rain
    Mover = To move
    Morder = To bite
    Resolver = To resolve, to solve
    Soler = To be used to
    Volver = To come back, to turn
    Torcer = To twist, to turn
    Dormir = To sleep
    Morir = To die
    u » ue Jugar ar er ir
    To play
    juego
    juegas
    juega
    jugamos
    jugáis
    juegan
         
    e » ie Pensar ar er ir
    To think
    pienso
    piensas
    piensa
    pensamos
    pensáis
    piensan
    Deshelar = To defrost
    Despertar = To wake up
    Comenzar = To begin
    Cerrar = To close, to lock
    Empezar = To begin, to start
    Fregar = To wash
    Helar = To freeze
    Negar = To deny, to refuse
    Nevar = To snow
    Recomendar = To recommend
    Sentar = To seat, to sit (down)
    Temblar = To shiver, to tremble
    Perder = To lose
    Querer = To want
    Atender = Tu pay attention
    Defender = To defend, to protect
    Entender = To understand
    Encender = To light, to switch on, turn on
    Verter = To pour, to spill
    Preferir = To prefer
    Advertir = To warn
    Concernir = To concern
    Consentir = To allow, to agree
    Convertir = To convert, to transform
    Divertir = To amuse
    Herir = To wound, to hurt
    Hervir = To boil
    Invertir = To invest, to reverse
    Mentir = To lie
    Referir = To refer
    Sentir = To feel
    Sugerir = To suggest
    e » i Servir ar er ir
    To serve
    sirvo
    sirves
    sirve
    servimos
    servís
    sirven
    this change appears only in -ir verbs
    Competir = To compete
    Concebir = To conceive
    Conseguir = To achieve, to obtain
    Corregir = To improve, to correct
    Despedir = To say goodbye
    Elegir = To choose, to elect
    Expedir = To send, to dispatch
    Freír = To fry
    Impedir = To prevent, to hinder
    Medir = To measure
    Pedir = To ask for
    Reír = To laugh
    Reñir = To argue
    Repetir = To repeat
    Seguir = To follow
    Sonreír = To smile
    Vestir = To dress
    i » ie Adquirir ar er ir
    To acquire
    adquiero
    adquieres
    adquiere
    adquirimos
    adquirís
    adquieren
         
  5. Other irregularities:

    1. c » cz irregular only in the first person singular (after that they follow the same pattern as regular verbs):
      -cer
      -cir
      Conocer
      (Des)agradecer = To thank
      (Des)aparecer = To appear
      Carecer = To lack
      Conducir = To drive, to lead to
      Crecer = To grow
      Deducir = To deduct, to deduce
      Enriquecer = To make … rich, to enrich
      Favorecer = To favor
      Introducir = To introduce, to insert
      Merecer = To deserve
      Nacer = To be born
      Obedecer = To obey
      Ofrecer = To ofer
      Parecer = To look loke
      Permanecer = To remain, to stay
      Pertenecer = To belong
      Producir = To produce
      Reducir = To reduce
      Seducir = To seduce
      Traducir = To translate
      To know
      Yo conozco
      conoces
      Él, Ella, Usted conoce
      Nosotros/as conocemos
      Vosotros/as conocéis
      Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes conocen
    2. i » y irregular in all forms except the first and second person plural:
      -uir Huir
      Atribuir = To clame to have
      Constituir = To be, to constitute
      Construir = To build
      Contribuir = To contribute
      Destituir = To dismiss
      Destruir = To destroy
      Disminuir = To decrease
      Distribuir = To distribute
      Excluir = To exclude
      Incluir = To include
      Influir = To have an influence on
      Reconstituir = To reconstitute
      Restituir = To return, to restore
      Retribuir = To pay, to reward
      Sustituir = To replacel, to substitute
      To flee
      Yo huyo
      huyes
      Él, Ella, Usted huye
      Nosotros/as huimos
      Vosotros/as huís
      Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes huyen