verb tenses
Hi everyone.
It drives me crazy when it comes to verb tenses. I have a question. In among these things:
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- Indicative
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- Perfect
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- Subjunctive
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- Subjunctive Perfect
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- Imperative (Commands)
Which one of these we use the most and as a beginner, which one should I focus on at first (I know I have to memorise them all eventually right ?)
Also in among these tense, which one do we use the most in daily conversation and which one I should focus on the most at first.
Gracias !!!
3 Answers
Here are some of my thoughts! Concentrate on present/indicative. Become so used to it that you can say things without thinking. Of course some verbs are irregular but it is important you become comfortable with them. Verbs like estar and ser and ir which are irregular are essential. If you are talking to people you can make yourself understood with just the present tense eg yesterday I go to the beach is understood by a native speaker without you knowing how to say ' I went'. Knowing to go (ir) means you can say the future using I am going to (ir a) plus the infinitive. You can also add progressive estar + gerund.
The next tense I was taught was the perfect which is the present tense of haber + past participle. This tense is more common in Spain than in Latin America but it is an easy tense to conjugate and remember -. some of the past participles are irregular but you will soon remember them and while you are improving your skills gives you a genuine past tense to use.
Tackle haber early on. It is used in a number of compound tenses.
Most people then learn the preterite and imperfect which are the two main past tenses followed by the conditional tense.
As your knowledge of tenses improves you will see there is a natural progression and some of the tenses require you to know for example the first person indicative as your start point so a good grounding is useful. You also need to remember where tildes are used as they change the stress so that habló (he spoke) is pronounced with the stress on the o but hablo (I speak) has the stress on the first syllable.
Now add the future tense and then the imperative (commands) The benefit of the imperative is that culturally Spanish speakers use commands far more than for example British speakers who wrap it up in lots of would and could and secondly some imperatives are made the same way as the present subjunctive so you have a foothold on the subjunctive mood.
I love listening to music and it is a painless way of improving your knowledge of verbs plus it helps you get the correct rythym. For example Manu Chao has a catchy tune using gustar.
The site Spanish study.com has good information about verb forms.
As your knowledge improves you will add compound verbs (as mentioned by Daniela) and increase your understanding of when to use the subjunctive.
By the way at an early stage learn about indirect and direct objects and where they are placed.
I'm on my tablet I will try and add some songs later.
Buena suerte
edit
Here are a few songs
- Me gustas tu Mano Chao He spent sometime in France so uses some French as well, but I assume you understand some basic French. This video does not have the words but they are readily available on the net Manu Chao
2.Cafe Tacvba Eres
This is a Mexican group. They do use dime which is the imperative of decir but otherwise it is mainly present tense.
- Ojalá que llueva cafe Juan Guerra
I have added this as it is a happy song. However, it is using the subjunctive 'Ojalá' literally God willing is followed by the subjunctive
I also posted this for you , look on Q A.
