Common irregular verbs
Tener, ir, hacer, decir and the -go verbs.
The commonest verbs are irregular, and worth learning first.
| tener have | ir go | hacer do, make | decir say | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | tengo | voy | hago | digo |
| tú | tienes | vas | haces | dices |
| él, ella, usted | tiene | va | hace | dice |
| nosotros | tenemos | vamos | hacemos | decimos |
| vosotros | tenéis | vais | hacéis | decís |
| ellos, ellas, ustedes | tienen | van | hacen | dicen |
ser and estar are on their own page, Ser and estar.
Irregular "I" forms
Many verbs are irregular only in the "I" form, and regular after it:
| Verb | "I" form |
|---|---|
| poner put | pongo |
| salir go out, leave | salgo |
| venir come | vengo (vienes, viene...) |
| traer bring | traigo |
| oír hear | oigo (oyes, oye...) |
| saber know | sé |
| dar give | doy |
| ver see | veo |
| conocer know, meet | conozco |
| conducir drive | conduzco |
Most verbs ending in a vowel + -cer or -cir take -zco like conocer: parecer, parezco; traducir, traduzco. hacer and decir are exceptions.
Tener
tener says "have", and also much of what English says with "be":
| Spanish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| tener... años | to be... years old |
| tener hambre | to be hungry |
| tener sed | to be thirsty |
| tener frío, calor | to be cold, hot |
| tener sueño | to be sleepy |
| tener miedo | to be afraid |
| tener razón | to be right |
| tener prisa | to be in a hurry |
| tener que + infinitive | to have to |
- I'm twenty years old.
- Are you hungry?
- You're right.
Saber and conocer
Both mean "know". saber is for facts and skills; conocer is for people, places and things you're familiar with.
- I don't know his name.
- Can you swim?literally "do you know how to swim?"
- I know your brother.
- Have you been to Barcelona?literally "do you know Barcelona?"
Cards from this guide
11 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs cards.
What's the 'I' form of tener (to have)?
tengo
What are the present forms of ir (to go)?
voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van
What's the 'I' form of hacer (to do, make)?
hago
What's the 'I' form of saber (to know)?
sé
What's the 'I' form of conocer (to know)?
conozco
Saber or conocer: which says you know a person?
conocer: Conozco a Pedro.
How do you say 'Can you swim?', meaning do you know how?
¿Sabes nadar?
How do you say 'I'm hungry'?
Tengo hambre.
How do you say 'you're right'?
Tienes razón.
What's the 'he' form of venir (to come)?
viene
What's the 'I' form of dar (to give)?
doy