Spanish Verb Master Sheet
Conjugations, Irregularities, and Usage Rules
Present Indicative
When to use
- Facts, general truths, and current states.
- Habits and routines (I walk every day).
- Actions happening near the future (I leave tomorrow).
-AR
yoo
túas
él/ellaa
nos.amos
vos.áis
ellosan
-ER
yoo
túes
él/ellae
nos.emos
vos.éis
ellosen
-IR
yoo
túes
él/ellae
nos.imos
vos.ís
ellosen
- Stem-changing: e→ie (quiero), o→ue (duermo), e→i (pido). (Boot verbs: no change in nosotros/vosotros).
- Yo-irregular: tengo, hago, pongo, salgo, conozco.
- Highly Irregular: ser, estar, ir, haber.
Preterite (Past)
When to use
- Completed actions in the past.
- Actions that happened at a specific time.
- A sequence of events (I woke up, ate, and left).
- Interruptions to ongoing actions.
-AR
yoé
túaste
él/ellaó
nos.amos
vos.asteis
ellosaron
-ER / -IR
yoí
túiste
él/ellaió
nos.imos
vos.isteis
ellosieron
Irregular Stems (No accents):
estar → estuv-tener → tuv-poder → pud-poner → pus-hacer → hic- (3s: hizo)querer → quis-venir → vin-decir → dij- (3p: -eron)
Ser/Ir: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron.
Imperfect (Past)
When to use
- Ongoing past actions (was walking).
- Past habits (used to walk).
- Descriptions (age, weather, feelings, appearance).
- Setting the scene for a story.
-AR
yoaba
túabas
él/ellaaba
nos.ábamos
vos.abais
ellosaban
-ER / -IR
yoía
túías
él/ellaía
nos.íamos
vos.íais
ellosían
Only 3 Irregulars!
- Ser: era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran
- Ir: iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban
- Ver: veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veíais, veían
Future Indicative
When to use
- Actions that will happen (I will go).
- Solemn commands (You shall not pass).
- Probability/Wonder in the present (It must be 5 PM / ¿Qué hora será?).
Infinitive + Ending
All Verbs (-AR/-ER/-IR)
yoé
túás
él/ellaá
nos.emos
vos.éis
ellosán
Irregular Stems:
Add endings to these stems instead of infinitive.
Hacer → har-Decir → dir-Tener → tendr-Poner → pondr-Salir → saldr-Venir → vendr-Poder → podr-Saber → sabr-Querer → querr-Haber → habr-
Conditional Indicative
When to use
- Hypothetical actions (I would go).
- Politeness (Could you help me?).
- Probability/Wonder in the past (It must have been 5 PM / ¿Qué hora sería?).
Infinitive + Ending
All Verbs (-AR/-ER/-IR)
yoía
túías
él/ellaía
nos.íamos
vos.íais
ellosían
Same Irregulars as Future!
Use the same stems (har-, tendr-, dir-, etc.) but add the conditional endings.
Ex: haría, tendría, diría.
Present Subjunctive
When to use
- W.E.I.R.D.O: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá.
- Subject change usually required (I want YOU to go).
- Negative commands (No comas).
-AR
yoe
túes
él/ellae
nos.emos
vos.éis
ellosen
-ER / -IR
yoa
túas
él/ellaa
nos.amos
vos.áis
ellosan
Formation: Start with Yo form of present indicative, drop 'o', add opposite ending.
DISHES (Irregulars):
Dar (dé), Ir (vaya), Ser (sea), Haber (haya), Estar (esté), Saber (sepa).
Imperative (Commands)
When to use
- Giving direct orders or instructions.
- Giving advice.
- Granting permission.
Tú (Informal)
Affirmative3rd Person Ind.habla, come
NegativeSubjunctiveno hables
Irregular (+): di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven.
Usted / Nosotros / Vosotros
- Ud/Uds/Nos: Use Subjunctive form.
- Vosotros (+): Infinitive - 'r' + 'd' (Hablad).
Progressive Tenses
When to use
- Actions happening at this exact moment.
- Emphasizing the ongoing nature of an action.
- Never used for future (unlike English).
Estar + Gerund
-AR-ando
-ER / -IR-iendo
- Double Vowels: leer → leyendo, traer → trayendo.
- Stem-changing -IR: dormir → durmiendo, pedir → pidiendo.
Perfect Tenses
When to use
- Present Perfect: 'Have done' (relevant to now).
- Past Perfect: 'Had done' (before another past action).
- Future Perfect: 'Will have done'.
Haber + Participle
-AR-ado
-ER / -IR-ido
Irregular Participles:
abierto (abrir)muerto (morir)dicho (decir)puesto (poner)escrito (escribir)roto (romper)hecho (hacer)visto (ver)vuelto (volver)cubierto (cubrir)