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Verb conjugationsEvery tense, every ending, the irregulars
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Verb conjugations
Conjugating means changing the end of a verb to show who is doing it and when.
In English the verb barely changes: I talk, you talk, she talks. In Spanish the ending changes for every person. Once you know the endings, you can build almost any verb yourself.
Step 1: every verb starts as one word
In the dictionary, every Spanish verb ends in ‑ar, ‑er or ‑ir. This form means “to ___”.
hablar to talkcomer to eatvivir to live
Step 2: chop off the last two letters
What’s left is the stem. It carries the meaning.
habl–com–viv–
Step 3: add an ending for the person
The ending tells you who. So habl + o = hablo, “I talk”.
The six people
| Spanish | means |
|---|---|
| yo | I |
| tú | you (a friend, family, someone your age) |
| él / ella / usted | he / she / you (polite: a teacher, a stranger) |
| nosotros | we |
| vosotros | you all (only in Spain; you can skip it) |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | they / you all |
Usted uses the same ending as él and ella, and ustedes the same as ellos. That’s why they share a row.
You can usually leave out yo, tú and the rest, because the ending already says who: Hablo español = I speak Spanish.
Which tense do I need?
| If you mean… | use |
|---|---|
| I talk / I am talking | |
| I talked (it’s over) | |
| I used to talk / I was talking | |
| I have talked | |
| I will talk |
Irregular verbs are the ones that don’t follow the endings exactly. They’re listed at the bottom of each tense, sorted into groups that change the same way, so you learn a pattern instead of one verb at a time.
In English: “I talk”, “I am talking”, “I do talk”.
Use it for
- Things happening right now. Hablo con mi madre.
- Things you do regularly. Como a las seis.
- Things that are just true. Vivo en Colorado.
How to make it
- Take the verb: hablar.
- Chop off -ar, -er or -ir: habl-.
- Add the ending for the person from the table: habl + o = hablo.
- -er and -ir use the same endings except for nosotros and vosotros.
| hablar | comer | vivir | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablo | como | vivo |
| tú | hablas | comes | vives |
| él / ella / usted | habla | come | vive |
| nosotros | hablamos | comemos | vivimos |
| vosotros | habláis | coméis | vivís |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablan | comen | viven |
Examples
Hablo español. I speak Spanish.
¿Comes carne? Do you eat meat?
Vivimos cerca. We live nearby.
Irregular verbs
Most irregular verbs in the present follow one of four patterns. Learn the pattern and you know the whole group.
1 · Fully irregular: memorize these four
They don’t follow any pattern, and they’re the four most used verbs in Spanish.
ser to be (who/what)
- yosoy
- túeres
- éles
- nosotrossomos
- vosotrossois
- ellosson
estar to be (how/where)
- yoestoy
- túestás
- élestá
- nosotrosestamos
- vosotrosestáis
- ellosestán
ir to go
- yovoy
- túvas
- élva
- nosotrosvamos
- vosotrosvais
- ellosvan
haber to have (done)also hay = there is
- yohe
- túhas
- élha
- nosotroshemos
- vosotroshabéis
- elloshan
2 · Stem changers (“boot” verbs)
The vowel in the middle of the stem changes in every form except nosotros and vosotros. Draw a line around the forms that change and it looks like a boot. The endings stay regular.
querer e → ie · to want
- yoquiero
- túquieres
- élquiere
- nosotrosqueremos
- vosotrosqueréis
- ellosquieren
poder o → ue · can
- yopuedo
- túpuedes
- élpuede
- nosotrospodemos
- vosotrospodéis
- ellospueden
pedir e → i · to ask for
- yopido
- túpides
- élpide
- nosotrospedimos
- vosotrospedís
- ellospiden
jugar u → ue · to play
- yojuego
- tújuegas
- éljuega
- nosotrosjugamos
- vosotrosjugáis
- ellosjuegan
Same as querer (e → ie): pensar (pienso), empezar (empiezo), entender (entiendo), cerrar (cierro), sentir (siento), preferir (prefiero), perder (pierdo).
Same as poder (o → ue): dormir (duermo), volver (vuelvo), encontrar (encuentro), contar (cuento), recordar (recuerdo), morir (muero), costar (cuesta).
Same as pedir (e → i): servir (sirvo), repetir (repito), seguir (sigo).
3 · “Yo-go” verbs
Only the yo form is strange: it ends in -go. Everything else is regular, unless the verb is also a stem changer.
hacer to do / make
- yohago
- túhaces
- élhace
- nosotroshacemos
- vosotroshacéis
- elloshacen
poner to put
- yopongo
- túpones
- élpone
- nosotrosponemos
- vosotrosponéis
- ellosponen
salir to leave
- yosalgo
- túsales
- élsale
- nosotrossalimos
- vosotrossalís
- ellossalen
tener to have · also e → ie
- yotengo
- tútienes
- éltiene
- nosotrostenemos
- vosotrostenéis
- ellostienen
venir to come · also e → ie
- yovengo
- túvienes
- élviene
- nosotrosvenimos
- vosotrosvenís
- ellosvienen
decir to say · also e → i
- yodigo
- túdices
- éldice
- nosotrosdecimos
- vosotrosdecís
- ellosdicen
Also yo-go: traer (traigo), caer (caigo), oír (oigo, oyes, oye, oímos, oís, oyen).
4 · Odd yo only
Again only yo is different, but not with -go. The rest is regular.
saber to know (a fact)
- yosé
- túsabes
- élsabe
- nosotrossabemos
- vosotrossabéis
- ellossaben
conocer to know (a person/place)
- yoconozco
- túconoces
- élconoce
- nosotrosconocemos
- vosotrosconocéis
- ellosconocen
dar to give
- yodoy
- túdas
- élda
- nosotrosdamos
- vosotrosdais
- ellosdan
ver to see
- yoveo
- túves
- élve
- nosotrosvemos
- vosotrosveis
- ellosven
Same as conocer (-zco): conducir (conduzco), parecer (parezco), ofrecer (ofrezco), traducir (traduzco).
Ser or estar? Both mean “to be”. Use ser for what something is (name, job, where you’re from, what it’s like). Use estar for how it is right now and where it is. Soy de Colorado. Estoy cansado. Estoy en casa.
In English: “I talked”, “I ate”. One finished action.
Use it for
- Something that happened once and is over. Ayer comí pizza.
- Something with a clear start or end. Viví allí dos años.
- A list of events, one after another. Llegué, comí y salí.
- Words that often go with it: ayer, anoche, el año pasado, una vez.
How to make it
- Take the verb: comer.
- Chop off the ending: com-.
- Add the ending: com + í = comí.
- -er and -ir verbs share exactly the same endings here.
- Watch the accents: hablo = I talk, habló = he talked.
| hablar | comer | vivir | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablé | comí | viví |
| tú | hablaste | comiste | viviste |
| él / ella / usted | habló | comió | vivió |
| nosotros | hablamos | comimos | vivimos |
| vosotros | hablasteis | comisteis | vivisteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablaron | comieron | vivieron |
Examples
Ayer hablé con ella. Yesterday I talked to her.
¿Comiste? Did you eat?
Vivieron en México. They lived in Mexico.
Irregular verbs
The preterite has the most irregular verbs. They fall into five groups.
1 · Fully irregular
Ser and ir are exactly the same in the preterite. You tell them apart by context: Fui al cine (I went) vs Fue difícil (it was). Dar and ver use the regular -er/-ir endings, without accents.
ser / ir to be / to go
- yofui
- túfuiste
- élfue
- nosotrosfuimos
- vosotrosfuisteis
- ellosfueron
dar to give
- yodi
- túdiste
- éldio
- nosotrosdimos
- vosotrosdisteis
- ellosdieron
ver to see
- yovi
- túviste
- élvio
- nosotrosvimos
- vosotrosvisteis
- ellosvieron
2 · New stem + special endings
These verbs get a new stem, then all take the same endings: -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron. No accents at all.
tener stem tuv-
- yotuve
- tútuviste
- éltuvo
- nosotrostuvimos
- vosotrostuvisteis
- ellostuvieron
estar stem estuv-
- yoestuve
- túestuviste
- élestuvo
- nosotrosestuvimos
- vosotrosestuvisteis
- ellosestuvieron
poder stem pud-
- yopude
- túpudiste
- élpudo
- nosotrospudimos
- vosotrospudisteis
- ellospudieron
poner stem pus-
- yopuse
- túpusiste
- élpuso
- nosotrospusimos
- vosotrospusisteis
- ellospusieron
saber stem sup-
- yosupe
- túsupiste
- élsupo
- nosotrossupimos
- vosotrossupisteis
- ellossupieron
hacer stem hic-hizo with z
- yohice
- túhiciste
- élhizo
- nosotroshicimos
- vosotroshicisteis
- elloshicieron
querer stem quis-
- yoquise
- túquisiste
- élquiso
- nosotrosquisimos
- vosotrosquisisteis
- ellosquisieron
venir stem vin-
- yovine
- túviniste
- élvino
- nosotrosvinimos
- vosotrosvinisteis
- ellosvinieron
Same group: haber (hubo), andar (anduve).
3 · J-stems
Same idea as group 2, but the stem ends in j, and ellos ends in -eron (not -ieron).
decir stem dij-
- yodije
- túdijiste
- éldijo
- nosotrosdijimos
- vosotrosdijisteis
- ellosdijeron
traer stem traj-
- yotraje
- tútrajiste
- éltrajo
- nosotrostrajimos
- vosotrostrajisteis
- ellostrajeron
Same group: conducir (conduje), traducir (traduje).
4 · Spelling change in yo only
Verbs ending in -car, -gar, -zar change one letter in the yo form, just to keep the sound the same. Everything else is regular.
buscar c → qu
- yobusqué
- túbuscaste
- élbuscó
- nosotrosbuscamos
- vosotrosbuscasteis
- ellosbuscaron
llegar g → gu
- yollegué
- túllegaste
- élllegó
- nosotrosllegamos
- vosotrosllegasteis
- ellosllegaron
empezar z → c
- yoempecé
- túempezaste
- élempezó
- nosotrosempezamos
- vosotrosempezasteis
- ellosempezaron
Same: tocar (toqué), sacar (saqué), jugar (jugué), pagar (pagué), almorzar (almorcé).
5 · Changes in él and ellos only
-ir stem changers change in él/ella/usted and ellos only: e → i, o → u. And verbs like leer swap the i for a y in those same two forms.
pedir e → i
- yopedí
- túpediste
- élpidió
- nosotrospedimos
- vosotrospedisteis
- ellospidieron
dormir o → u
- yodormí
- túdormiste
- éldurmió
- nosotrosdormimos
- vosotrosdormisteis
- ellosdurmieron
leer i → y
- yoleí
- túleíste
- élleyó
- nosotrosleímos
- vosotrosleísteis
- ellosleyeron
Like pedir: sentir (sintió), preferir (prefirió), servir (sirvió), repetir (repitió), seguir (siguió).
Like dormir: morir (murió).
Like leer: creer (creyó), oír (oyó), caer (cayó).
Stem changers in the present aren’t in the preterite. -ar and -er verbs that change in the present (pensar, poder, querer) are regular or in group 2 here. Only -ir ones carry a change over, in group 5.
In English: “I used to talk”, “I was talking”. The past, with no clear end.
Use it for
- Habits in the past. De niño, jugaba fútbol.
- Something in progress in the past. Leía cuando llamaste.
- Describing the past: time, age, weather, feelings. Eran las tres. Tenía diez años.
How to make it
- Take the verb: hablar.
- Chop off the ending: habl-.
- -ar verbs add -aba endings; -er and -ir verbs add -ía endings.
- yo and él use the same form, so add the person if it’s unclear: yo hablaba, ella hablaba.
| hablar | comer | vivir | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablaba | comía | vivía |
| tú | hablabas | comías | vivías |
| él / ella / usted | hablaba | comía | vivía |
| nosotros | hablábamos | comíamos | vivíamos |
| vosotros | hablabais | comíais | vivíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablaban | comían | vivían |
Examples
Cuando era niño, hablaba mucho. When I was a kid, I used to talk a lot.
Comíamos juntos los domingos. We used to eat together on Sundays.
Irregular verbs
Only three verbs are irregular in the imperfect. Every other verb in Spanish follows the table above, even the ones that are irregular everywhere else.
The only three
Memorize these and you know the whole tense.
ser to be
- yoera
- túeras
- élera
- nosotroséramos
- vosotroserais
- elloseran
ir to go
- yoiba
- túibas
- éliba
- nosotrosíbamos
- vosotrosibais
- ellosiban
ver to seekeeps the e
- yoveía
- túveías
- élveía
- nosotrosveíamos
- vosotrosveíais
- ellosveían
Also: hay (there is) becomes había (there was / there were).
Preterite or imperfect? Think of a movie. The imperfect is the background scene; the preterite is the thing that suddenly happens. Llovía (scene) cuando llegué (event). It was raining when I arrived.
In English: “I have talked”, “I have eaten”. Two words, just like English.
Use it for
- Things that have happened up to now. He comido.
- Experiences: have you ever…? ¿Has visto el mar?
- Things done today or this week. Hoy he trabajado mucho.
How to make it
- Pick the right form of haber (“to have”) for the person: he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han.
- Make the second word, the participle: -ar → -ado (hablado), -er and -ir → -ido (comido, vivido).
- Put them together: he + hablado = he hablado.
- The participle never changes, whoever is talking.
| haber | hablar | comer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | he | he hablado | he comido |
| tú | has | has hablado | has comido |
| él / ella / usted | ha | ha hablado | ha comido |
| nosotros | hemos | hemos hablado | hemos comido |
| vosotros | habéis | habéis hablado | habéis comido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han | han hablado | han comido |
Examples
He hablado con él. I have talked to him.
¿Has comido? Have you eaten?
Nunca hemos vivido allí. We have never lived there.
Irregular verbs
The haber part is always the same. Only the participle can be irregular.
1 · Irregular participles
These don’t end in -ado or -ido. They’re worth memorizing because they’re all common.
-to: abrir → abierto · escribir → escrito · morir → muerto · poner → puesto · romper → roto · ver → visto · volver → vuelto · cubrir → cubierto · resolver → resuelto
-cho: decir → dicho · hacer → hecho
2 · Accent on the í
When the stem ends in a vowel, -ido gets an accent: -ído.
leer → leído · creer → creído · oír → oído · traer → traído · caer → caído
Nothing goes between the two words. Not even no: No he comido, never he no comido.
In English: “I will talk”.
Use it for
- Things that will happen. Mañana hablaré con ella.
- Guesses about now. ¿Dónde estará? I wonder where he is.
How to make it
- Don’t chop anything off. Keep the whole verb: hablar.
- Add the ending: hablar + é = hablaré.
- -ar, -er and -ir verbs all use the same endings.
- Every form has an accent except nosotros: hablaremos.
| hablar | comer | vivir | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablaré | comeré | viviré |
| tú | hablarás | comerás | vivirás |
| él / ella / usted | hablará | comerá | vivirá |
| nosotros | hablaremos | comeremos | viviremos |
| vosotros | hablaréis | comeréis | viviréis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablarán | comerán | vivirán |
Examples
Viviremos en Madrid. We will live in Madrid.
¿Comerás con nosotros? Will you eat with us?
Irregular verbs
A few verbs use a shorter stem instead of the whole verb. The endings never change.
1 · Drop the e
The e before the r disappears.
poder stem podr-
- yopodré
- túpodrás
- élpodrá
- nosotrospodremos
- vosotrospodréis
- ellospodrán
saber → sabré · querer → querré · haber → habrá (there will be)
2 · Swap the vowel for a d
The vowel before the r becomes a d.
tener stem tendr-
- yotendré
- tútendrás
- éltendrá
- nosotrostendremos
- vosotrostendréis
- ellostendrán
poner → pondré · salir → saldré · venir → vendré · valer → valdré
3 · Short and odd
Just two. Memorize them.
hacer stem har-
- yoharé
- túharás
- élhará
- nosotrosharemos
- vosotrosharéis
- ellosharán
decir stem dir-
- yodiré
- túdirás
- éldirá
- nosotrosdiremos
- vosotrosdiréis
- ellosdirán
The easy way: in everyday speech people often say ir a + verb instead. Voy a hablar con ella = I’m going to talk to her. It only needs ir in the present, which you already know.
Why Vela
You spent years learning Spanish. Vela makes sure you keep it.
3–6 yrsafter your last class is when school Spanish fades fastest. What survives them lasts decades.
1 summeroff was enough for more than half of students in a 2025 study to lose vocabulary.
~6 yrsyounger: how bilingual brains looked in a 2026 scan study of 728 people.
You forget on a schedule
Learn a word today and most of it is gone within days. That isn’t a flaw in you, it’s how memory works, and it’s been measured since 1885. But every time you pull a word back up just as it’s slipping, it fades more slowly the next time. A few well-timed reviews and it stays put.
Reviewed at each dot Seen once and never again
An illustration of the idea, not your data.
When a word comes back
Every time you get a word right, Vela waits longer before asking again:
Day 1first time
Day 2next day
Day 53 days later
Day 12a week later
Day 282 weeks later
~2 months
~5 months
~10 months
Every yearafter that
Miss one? It comes back tomorrow, and you don’t lose everything you’d built up. If Vela was about to wait a month, a miss means it checks again tomorrow, then about two weeks later, and keeps building from there.
How it works
- The words are already loaded. No making decks. The vocabulary from years of Spanish class is ready on day one.
- Both directions. First you see the Spanish and give the English. Next time it flips: you see the English and have to come up with the Spanish yourself, which is what talking actually takes.
- Vela does the scheduling. Tap Start Today and it hands you the words that are due, plus a few new ones.
- A few minutes a day. Once your words have settled in, keeping about 3,500 of them takes around 10 cards a day.
What’s different
Built for keepingMost apps teach beginners. Vela is for people who already learned and don’t want to lose it.
No guiltNo lost streaks, no lives, no cartoon nagging. Missing a day costs you nothing.
Honest numbers“Mastered” means you’ve remembered it both ways over weeks, and it can go back down if you forget.
Goes with youOn your phone and offline. Your paper flashcards can’t follow you abroad.
Sources
- Li, H. H., Feng, Y., Bao, C., & Bai, Y. (2025). Interactions between attained proficiency and length of exposure to lexical attrition of English as a second language. Frontiers in Psychology. 58 of 110 students lost vocabulary over a two-month summer.
- Amoruso, L., et al. (2026). Multilingualism and brain ageing, presented at the FENS Forum, Barcelona. Summary (ScienceDaily). A conference result, and a link, not proof that languages cause it.
- Bahrick, H. P. (1984). Semantic memory content in permastore: Fifty years of memory for Spanish learned in school. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 113(1).
- Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. The first measured forgetting curve.
- Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3). A review of hundreds of experiments: spreading practice out beats cramming.
- Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319. Testing yourself, not rereading, is what makes words stick.
- Kornell, N. (2009). Optimising learning using flashcards: Spacing is more effective than cramming. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23. Spacing won for most learners, even though cramming felt more effective.
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