1st (AR), 2nd (ER), 3rd (IR) conjugation verbs Part 1
In Spanish, there are three categories of verbs. The category is determined by the last two letters of the infinitive:
-ar verbs (like hablar) -er verbs (like comer) -ir verbs (like vivir)
The infinitive is the base form of the verb, such as to speak, to eat, to live, etc. In Spanish, all infinitives end in -ar, -er, or -ir.
-ar verb hablar (to speak)
-er verb comer (to eat)
-ir verb vivir (to live)
To conjugate a verb means to manipulate the infinitive so that it agrees with the different possible subjects. Here is the present tense conjugation of the infinitive "to speak":
to speak:
I speak, you speak, he speaks, she speaks, we speak, you-all speak, they speak
The present tense in Spanish can mean three things. The Spanish phrase "yo hablo" can mean:
yo hablo I speak
yo hablo I am speaking
yo hablo I do speak
Many Spanish verbs are completely regular, meaning that they follow a specific pattern of conjugation. In this lesson you will learn to conjugate regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs (in the present tense). Before you can do that, you must memorize the following subject pronouns.
yo (I) tú (you - informal) él (he) ella (she) usted (you - formal)
nosotros/nosotras (we) vosotros/vosotras (you-all - informal)
ellos/ellas (they) ustedes (you-all formal)
For a review of the subject pronouns, click here.
Spanish infinitives are divided into two parts: the ending and the stem. The ending is the last two letters. Remember, all infinitives end in -ar, -er, or -ir. The stem is everything that's left after you remove the ending.
habl + ar = hablar com + er = comer viv + ir = vivir
