8.Regular Verbs: Part I

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Regular Verbs: Part I

All Spanish verbs are either "regular" or "irregular." In this lesson we will look at three completely regular verbs:

• hablar (to speak)
  comer (to eat)
  vivir (to live)

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Notice the last two letters of each verb.

• hablar (to speak)
  comer (to eat)
  vivir (to live)

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There are three categories of verbs:

• -ar verbs (like hablar)
  -er verbs (like comer)
  -ir verbs (like vivir)

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All three categories are infinitives. You will recall from a previous lesson that infinitives are the base form of the verb, equivalent in English to: to speak, to eat, to live, etc. In Spanish, all infinitives end in -ar, -er, or -ir.

• -ar verb
  hablar (to speak)
  
  -er verb
  comer (to eat)
  
  -ir verb
  vivir (to live)

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Remember what it means to conjugate a verb:

• to speak
  
  I speak
  you speak
  he speaks
  she speaks
  we speak
  you-all speak
  they speak

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In this lesson, you will learn to conjugate our model verbs for I, you (formal), we, and you-all (formal).

• yo hablo
  I speak
  
  usted habla
  you speak
  
  nosotros/as hablamos
  we speak
  
  ustedes hablan
  you-all speak
  
  
  
  yo como
  I eat
  
  usted come
  you eat
  
  nosotros/as comemos
  we eat
  
  ustedes comen
  you-all eat
  
  
  
  yo vivo
  I live
  
  usted vive
  you live
  
  nosotros/as vivimos
  we live
  
  ustedes viven
  you-all live

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Look for a pattern in the yo form.

• yo hablo
  yo como
  yo vivo

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If the subject is I (yo), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -o.

• yo hablo (hablar - ar + o = hablo)
  yo como (comer - er + o = como)
  yo vivo (vivir - ir + o = vivo)

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Look for a pattern in the usted form.

• usted habla
  usted come
  usted vive

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If the subject is you formal (usted) drop the ending and add either -a or -e. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -a. If it is an -er or -ir verb, add -e.

• usted habla (hablar - ar + a = habla)
  usted come (comer - er + e = come)
  usted vive (vivir - ir + e = vive)

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Look for a pattern in the nosotros/as form.

• nosotros/as hablamos
  nosotros/as comemos
  nosotros/as vivimos

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If the subject is we (nosotros/as), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -amos, -emos, or -imos. Notice that the ending of the infinitive determines which is used: -ar verbs add -amos, -er verbs add -emos, -ir verbs add -imos.

• nosotros/as hablamos
  (hablar - ar + amos = hablamos)
  
  nosotros/as comemos
  (comer - er + emos = comemos)
  
  nosotros/as vivimos
  (vivir - ir + imos = vivimos)

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Look for a pattern in the ustedes form.

• ustedes hablan
  ustedes comen
  ustedes viven

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If the subject is you-all (ustedes), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -an or -en. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -an. If it is an -er or an -ir verb, add -en.

• ustedes hablan
  (hablar - ar + an = hablan)
  
  ustedes comen
  (comer - er + en = comen)
  
  ustedes viven
  (vivir - ir + en = viven)

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Present tense (indicative) in Spanish means three things.

• Yo hablo inglés:
  
  I speak English.
  I do speak English.
  I am speaking English.
  
  
  Yo como pan:
  
  I eat bread.
  I do eat bread.
  I am eating bread.
  
  
  Yo vivo en Buenos Aires:
  
  I live in Buenos Aires.
  I do live in Buenos Aires.
  I am living in Buenos Aires.

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It is vital that you continue with your collection of verb flashcards. This will be your key to success in mastering the Spanish verbs. Continue by creating 4 additional cards, writing the words in bold on one side and the conjugations on the other side:

Verb Flashcards

2. Present Indicative
   
   I speak
   I do speak
   I am speaking
   
   
3. hablar (to speak)
   
   hablo
   
   habla
   
   hablamos
   
   hablan
   
   
4. comer (to eat)
   
   como
   
   come
   
   comemos
   
   comen
   
   
5. vivir (to live)
   
   vivo
   
   vive
   
   vivimos
   
   viven