Language/Catalan/Grammar/Introduction-to-verb-conjugation
As a beginner in Catalan, one of the most important topics to learn is verb conjugation. In this lesson, we will explore the present tense of regular verbs and the most common irregular verbs.
Regular verbs in the present tense
Regular verbs in Catalan are relatively simple to conjugate in the present tense. To conjugate a regular verb in the present tense, take the infinitive form of the verb and add the appropriate ending based on the subject pronoun.
Here are the endings for the present tense of regular verbs in Catalan:
| Subject pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| Jo (I) | -o |
| Tu (You) | -es |
| Ell/Ella/Vostè (He/She/You formal) | -a |
| Nosaltres (We) | -em |
| Vosaltres (You all) | -eu |
| Els/Elles/Vostès (They/You all formal) | -en |
Note that these endings are added to the stem of the present tense, which is usually the infinitive form minus the -r ending. For example, the stem of the verb 'parlar' (to speak) is 'parl-', so the present tense conjugations would be:
- Jo (I) parlo - Tu (You) parles - Ell/Ella/Vostè (He/She/You formal) parla - Nosaltres (We) parlem - Vosaltres (You all) parleu - Els/Elles/Vostès (They/You all formal) parlen
Here are some examples of regular verbs in the present tense:
- escoltar (to listen):
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| escolto | es-ˈkolt-o | I listen |
| escoltes | es-ˈkolt-es | you listen (informal) |
| escolta | es-ˈkolt-a | he/she/you (formal) listen |
| escoltem | es-ˈkolt-em | we listen |
| escolteu | es-kol-ˈtew | you all listen |
| escolten | es-ˈkolt-en | they/you (formal) listen |
- comprar (to buy):
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| compro | kum-ˈpro | I buy |
| compres | kum-ˈpres | you buy (informal) |
| compra | ˈkɔm.pɾə | he/she/you (formal) buy |
| comprem | kum-ˈpɾem | we buy |
| compreu | kum-ˈpɾew | you all buy |
| compren | kum-ˈpɾen | they/you (formal) buy |
Irregular verbs in the present tense
Irregular verbs in the present tense do not follow the regular conjugation pattern described above. Instead, they have slight changes to the stem or entirely different conjugations altogether.
Here are some of the most common irregular verbs in Catalan:
- ser (to be):
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| sóc | sɔk | I am |
| ets | ets | you are (informal) |
| és | ɛs | he/she/you (formal) are |
| som | sum | we are |
| sou | sow | you all are |
| són | son | they/you (formal) are |
- anar (to go):
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| vaig | vain | I go |
| vas | βəs | you go (informal) |
| va | βa | he/she/you (formal) go |
| anem | əˈnem | we go |
| aneu | əˈnɛw | you all go |
| van | βən | they/you (formal) go |
- dir (to say/tell):
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dic | dik | I say |
| dius | diws | you say (informal) |
| diu | diw | he/she/you (formal) say |
| diem | ˈdi.jəm | we say |
| dieu | diˈew | you all say |
| diuen | ˈdi.ən | they/you (formal) say |
By mastering the present tense of regular and irregular verbs, you will be able to communicate basic information about yourself and your surroundings in Catalan. Keep practicing and learning, and you will soon be ready to move on to more advanced tenses and topics!
- Remember to take note of new vocabulary and verbs to add them to your repertoire.
- Practice conjugating common verbs frequently to help cement it in your mind.