Revising Spanish grammar - present tense - EdexcelThe present tense and irregular verbs

Use the present tense to describe what you do and what things are like. The present continuous can be used to talk about what is happening now.

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The present tense and irregular verbs

Some of the most common in Spanish are irregular verbs. This means that they don't follow the usual pattern in the . You have to learn each one separately.

The four most common irregular verbs are:

ser (to be)estar (to be)tener (to have)ir (to go)
(yo)soyestoytengovoy
(tu)eresestástienesvas
(él/ella/usted)esestátieneva
(nosotros/as)somosestamostenemosvamos
(vosotros/as)soisestáistenéisvais
(ellos/ellas/ustedes)sonestántienenvan
(yo)
ser (to be)soy
estar (to be)estoy
tener (to have)tengo
ir (to go)voy
(tu)
ser (to be)eres
estar (to be)estás
tener (to have)tienes
ir (to go)vas
(él/ella/usted)
ser (to be)es
estar (to be)está
tener (to have)tiene
ir (to go)va
(nosotros/as)
ser (to be)somos
estar (to be)estamos
tener (to have)tenemos
ir (to go)vamos
(vosotros/as)
ser (to be)sois
estar (to be)estáis
tener (to have)tenéis
ir (to go)vais
(ellos/ellas/ustedes)
ser (to be)son
estar (to be)están
tener (to have)tienen
ir (to go)van

These irregular verbs are also useful:

  • decir (to say) digo, dices, dice, decimos, decís, dicen
  • venir (to come) vengo, vienes, viene, venimos, venís, vienen

Verbs which are irregular in the 'I' form only

Some verbs are only irregular in the first person ('I' form) of the verb. These include:

  • conocer (to know) → conozco (I know)
  • dar (to give) → doy (I give)
  • hacer (to do/make) → hago (I do/make)
  • poner (to put/set) → pongo (I put/set)
  • saber (to know) → (I know)
  • salir (to go out/leave) → salgo (I go out/leave)
  • ver (to see/watch) → veo (I see/watch)

Practice using irregular verbs

Complete the sentences with the 'I' form of each verb and translate them into English.

Question

Nunca ________ al insti cuando ________ enfermo. (infinitive = ir / estar)

Question

Siempre ________ mi programa favorito. ¡________ que ________ adicto! (infinitive = ver / saber / ser)

Question

Normalmente ________ mis deberes y luego ________ con mis amigos, si ________ tiempo. (infinitive = hacer / salir / tener)