Language/Spanish/Grammar/El-tiempo-presente

In today's lesson, we will teach you the present tenses in Spanish.

Present tenses on regular verbs have the same ending, the only thing we have to look at is the conjugations:

• If the infinitive verb ends with "-ar" it's a 1st conjugation verb. For example cantar (sing)
• If the infinitive verb ends with "-er" it's a 2nd conjugation verb. For example correr (run)
• If the infinitive verb ends with "-ir" it's a 3rd conjugation verb. For example existir (exist)

Every conjugation in its regular form follows the same model and only the ending changes, in order to find out which part of the verb does not change, we have to separate the lexeme from the ending...

"How do we separate the lexeme from the ending in Spanish?"

Easy:

• We have the verb CANTAR
• We know it is a first conjugation verb because it ends with -AR
• Now we have to separate the conjugation from the verb. Like this: CANT - AR
• Now, we know CANT- is the lexeme and it is the part of the word that doesn't change when we conjugate the verb

Now, let's start with the present tenses with the 1st conjugation.

Remember, regular verbs follow the same model:

CANTAR

• Yo canto
• Tu cantas
• Él/ella canta
• Nosotros cantamos
• Vosotros cantáis / Ustedes cantan
• Ellos/ellas cantan

Now let's continue with the 2nd conjugation.

CORRER

• Yo corro
• Tu corres
• Él/ella corre
• Nosotros corremos
• Vosotros corréis / Ustedes corren
• Ellos/ellas corren

Lastly, the 3rd conjugation.

EXISTIR

• Yo existo
• Tu existes
• Él/ella existe
• Nosotros existimos
• Vosotros existís / Ustedes existen
• Ellos/ellas existen

Related Lessons

• Questions
• Simple Present Tense
• The Articles
• El Verboide
• Los pronombres personales
• Future Tense
• Pronouns
• Simple Past Tense
• The word that cannot be written
• Interrogation signs