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Commonly Used Spanish verbs

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by William Reid
25.10.2022

It is intended to educate you in Spanish verbs but not sure where to begin. It’s normal to feel frustrated by the sheer volume of new information presented at once by a foreign language’s grammar rules, pronunciation, and vocabulary. It’s okay, and it happens to the best of us. Start with the most common terms, like Spanish verbs, so you don’t get discouraged and give up. They are ubiquitous, easy to learn, and immediately applicable.

Ready? View the most frequently used Spanish verbs, conjugated in the present tense, and a sample phrase utilizing each verb. To begin, here is a handy infographic showing the most often-used verbs in Spanish.

Spanish verbs

If you’re interested in learning Spanish, here are 69 of the most often-used verbs:

  • 1. Ser (to be)
  • 2. Estar (to be)
  • 3. Tener (to have)
  • 4. Hacer (to make or do)
  • 5. Poder (to be able to)
  • 6. Decir (to say)
  • 7. Ir (to go)
  • 8. Ver (to see)
  • 9. Comer (to eat)
  • 10. Tomar (to take)
  • 11. Amar (to love)
  • 12. Andar (to walk)
  • 13. Aprender (to learn)
  • 14. Ayudar (to help)
  • 15. Beber (to drink)
  • 16. Buscar (to look for)
  • 17. Cambiar (to change)
  • 18. Cocinar (to cook)
  • 19. Comprar (to buy)
  • 20. Comprender (to understand)
  • 21. Conducir (to drive)
  • 22. Conocer (to know)
  • 23. Creer (to believe)
  • 24. Dar (to give)
  • 25. Deber (to have to)
  • 26. Decidir (to decide)
  • 27. Descansar (to rest)
  • 28. Dormir (to sleep)
  • 29. Empezar (to begin)
  • 30. Encontrar (to find)
  • 31. Entender (to understand)
  • 32. Escribir (to write)
  • 33. Escuchar (to listen)
  • 34. Esperar (to wait)
  • 35. Estudiar (to study)
  • 36. Ganar (to win)
  • 37. Gustar (to like)
  • 38. Haber (to have)
  • 39. Hablar (to speak)
  • 40. Jugar (to play)
  • 41. Lavar (to wash)
  • 42. Limpiar (to clean)
  • 43. Llamar (to call)
  • 44. Leer (to read)
  • 45. Llegar (to arrive)
  • 46. Mirar (to look)
  • 47. Morir (to die)
  • 48. Mover (to move)
  • 49. Necesitar (to need)
  • 50. Oír (to hear)
  • 51. Pagar (to pay)
  • 52. Pensar (to think)
  • 53. Poner (to put)
  • 54. Preguntar (to ask)
  • 55. Quedar (to remain)
  • 56. Querer (to want)
  • 57. Recibir (to receive)
  • 58. Regresar (to return)
  • 59. Saber (to know)
  • 60. Salir (to leave)
  • 61. Sentirse (to feel)
  • 62. Trabajar (to work)
  • 63. Traducir (to translate)
  • 64. Traer (to bring)
  • 65. Usar (to use)
  • 66. Venir (to arrive)
  • 67. Viajar (to travel)
  • 68. Vivir (to live)
  • 69. Volver (to return)

Word Order in Spanish Verbs

To begin, you should understand that there are three distinct categories for Spanish verbs:

The first set includes – AR verbs, the second set comprises -ER verbs, and the third one has IR verbs. By categorizing them this way, it’s simple to remember which verb ends go with which. You’ll need to learn verb conjugation in each language you study.

Spanish tenses:

  • Present
  • Simple future
  • Conditional
  • Perfect
  • Imperative
  • Present subjunctive and imperfect subjunctive
  • Imperfect
  • Pluperfect

Learning the Basic Verbs

Every language learner should begin with the most frequently used verbs, whether with a Superprof coach or by practising conjugation exercises online. In any language, “to be” and “to have” are the building blocks. However, in Spanish, there are two verbs for each of these: “Ser” (to be) and “Estar” (to be), and “Haber” and “Tener” (to have and to possess) (to have). Ser indicates something permanent, while Estar represents anything only around for a short time.

In Spanish, the auxiliary verb is replaced by the common word Haber, which means to have. The phrase ‘hay queue (followed by the subjunctive) implies ‘it is required that..’ and uses this verb to produce the perfect tense. Having in the meaning of “possession” is similarly conveyed by the Spanish word tener. You can use it to say things like, “I’m twenty years old,” “I’m thirsty,” “I’m hungry,” “I’m tired,” “I’m sure,” “I’m hot,” “I’m chilly,” and “I have the hankering to…”

When first starting, it’s crucial to learn the most important terms. Vocabulary words that are used frequently should be remembered. It doesn’t matter how many words you know if you can’t communicate even the most basic thoughts. These five posts will address the most frequently used and practically common Spanish verbs. Were you travelling to a Spanish-speaking country? These verbs will be handy even if you don’t speak a language lick. A few of the essential Spanish verbs are as follows, in no particular order:

Poder – the capacity to

If you know all conjugations of this verb, you can indicate your ability to seek assistance, make requests, express possibilities, and convey your potential lack thereof—to perform an action. If you merely need help with something simple, like carrying a bag, repairing a flat tire, or placing an order for a meal, you can use the common Spanish verb “Puedes” and an appropriate motion if you only know a small part of the language. Of course, you will need to acquire more words if you necessitate assistance with something more complicated.

Querer: to desire

You may begin to take care of your fundamental hierarchical requirements once you express your desire. For instance, you may say querer and make a food-eating gesture if you are hungry. You might make a sipping gesture if you need water. This simplest of interactions would convey the message. You might feel the need for relaxation, sleep, or refuge. When you are familiar with Querer, you can use it to inform any local of what you require at any time.

Hablar “to speak

Use this to let someone know you don’t speak their language. If you haven’t studied Spanish, you might assume it’s evident that you can’t communicate a notion. You might be shocked at how frequently people presume that your Spanish is enough to comprehend them despite your apparent lack of skills. They might even be aware, on some level, that you cannot understand them. Yet, for some reason, they keep talking to you quickly in their native language.

“No hablo español” should take care of the issue; it can’t hurt to remind somebody that you cannot comprehend them occasionally.

Tener: to possess

Using this, you can let people know what you have and don’t have if you lack money, a place to stay, a bus ticket, or a cigarette lighter. You might say either is or What you have or don’t have can be expressed. Just say “no” to the verb to indicate that you don’t have what you’re asking for. “No tengo dinero” is a straightforward way to avoid haggling.

Necesitar – To need

There is a slight distinction between “querer” and “necesitar.” Additionally, Querer will typically do the trick. But if the scenario you are in calls for a higher rate of urgency, then being able to communicate your needs is crucial. You might require medical care or be in the wrong spot and immediately need assistance. You could use “Poder” to ask for help, but it won’t convey the same sense of urgency as “Necesitar.” You are considerably more likely to receive a relevant response if you can obtain a higher degree of significance for your problem.

Learning Spanish Verbs: How to Learn?

When my friends ask me for ideas on how to learn Spanish verbs, I frequently offer them the following suggestions:

1. Get to know their pronunciation, context, and spelling.

2. Study Spanish verb conjugation.

3. Use each verb you want to learn in a tale or a meaningful illustration. You can get more practice with their conjugation and understand how to use them.

Extra Tips for Learning Spanish Verbs

Even if it can be challenging, keep trying to memorize them all! You’ll eventually succeed. Try testing yourself to see where you stand. Write down every verb you can make an idea of on a sheet of blank paper. Then conjugate them in each of the known tenses. You might also do online exams to assess how much memory you have.

There are several websites where you may play the games to help you recall the many conjugations of Spanish. It’s important to remember that many irregular verbs don’t maintain the same patterns as other verbs, so knowing the most frequently used verbs is an excellent place to start. Some verbs that include diphthongs—two vowels in the same syllable—are totally out of the ordinary.

Consider the verb pensar, for instance (to think). In this instance, the ‘e’ changes to an ‘i.e.,’ and the verb is conjugated in the present tense: piensan, pensais, pensamos. It would be beneficial to learn Spanish if you made a list of irregular verbs and their conjugations. You can get lists of the most frequently used irregular verbs on several websites. Find Spanish courses close to me here.

Spanish verbs

Conclusion

The fundamentals of saying hello, thank you, and goodbye are covered in many travel guides. Don’t ever get me mistaken; greetings are essential for establishing rapport. But if you’re trying to accomplish something, you need assistance or have a goal. These top 5 verbs will be very handy when you visit a Spanish-speaking nation.

Extending your knowledge of Spanish well beyond these proper verbs would be beneficial. But keep in mind to return to what is most fundamental, communicating the most basic of ideas, if you are beginning out or have lost focus.

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