Spanish verb conjugator

Every Spanish verb has infinite ending AR, ER or IR. Spanish verbs are conjugated by taking the stem of the infinitive and adding the relevant ending. For example, the stem of the verb correr (to run) is “corr”. The stem of the verb buscar (to look for) is “busc”.

Most verbs are conjugated regularly in one of the three conjugations though there are a significant number of irregular verbs. A Spanish verb has nine indicative tenses with more-or-less direct English equivalents:

  • I walk (present tense)
  • I walked (past or preterite tense)
  • I was walking/I used to walk (the imperfect)
  • I have walked (the present perfect)
  • I had walked (the past perfect)
  • I will walk (future tense)
  • I will have walked (future perfect)
  • I would walk (conditional simple)
  • I would have walked (conditional perfect)

Examples of Spanish verb conjugation

Spanish verbs are conjugated in the first person (yo), second person familiar (tú), second person formal (usted), third person singular (él, ella), first person plural (nosotros), second person plural (vosotros), second person plural formal (ustedes) and third person plural (ellos/ellas).

Let’s take the verb “hablar” – an AR verb meaning to speak/talk – and conjugate it in the present tense.

  • yo hablo (I speak)
  • tú hablas (you speak)
  • él/ella/usted habla (he/she/you formal speak)
  • nosotros/as hablamos (we speak)
  • vosotros/as habláis (you plural speak)
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes hablan (they masculine/they feminine/they formal speak)

Now let’s take the verb “comer”, an ER verb meaning “to eat” and conjugate that in the present tense too, to see the differences in the endings:

  • yo como (I eat)
  • tú comes (you eat)
  • él/ella/usted come (he/she/you formal eat)
  • nosotros/as comemos (we eat)
  • vosotros/as coméis (you plural eat)
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes comen (they masc/they fem/they formal eat)

Finally, the verb “vivir” (to live), an IR verb.

  • yo vivo (I live)
  • tú vives (you live)
  • él/ella/usted vive (he/she/you formal live)
  • nosotros/as vivimos (we live)
  • vosotros/as vivís (you plural live)
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes viven (they masc/they fem/they formal live)