El Presente — Verbos Regulares
Patterns for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs
Regular verbs in the present tense follow a predictable stem-and-ending pattern. Drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add the appropriate ending for the subject.
How it works
Identify the stem by removing the last two letters of the infinitive. The stem stays constant; only the ending changes with the subject. -ar verbs use -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an; -er verbs use -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en; -ir verbs use -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en.
When to use it
Use the present for habitual actions, general truths, and ongoing situations. Spanish also uses the present where English would use the present continuous: 'hablo' = 'I speak' or 'I am speaking'.
Ejemplos
"Hablo español todos los días."
I speak Spanish every day.
"¿Comes carne?"
Do you eat meat?
"Vivimos en Barcelona desde 2019."
We've lived in Barcelona since 2019.