Everyday sentences
Choosing a present-tense ending
Regular present-tense endings
For a regular present-tense verb, remove -ar, -er or -ir and add the ending for the subject.
Endings refresher
Present
Remove -ar, -er or -ir, then add the ending for the person.
| Person | -ar ending | -er ending | -ir ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | -o | -o |
| tú | -as | -es | -es |
| él / ella / usted | -a | -e | -e |
| nosotros / nosotras | -amos | -emos | -imos |
| vosotros / vosotras | -áis | -éis | -ís |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | -an | -en | -en |
hablar → habl- + -o → yo hablo
- These are regular endings. Some verbs change their stem or have a special yo form, such as hago or tengo.
- These charts use tú. Vosotros / vosotras is mainly used in Spain; ustedes uses the final row. Vos forms vary by region.
The pattern
- Yo: hablo, como, vivo. Tú: hablas, comes, vives.
- Él/ella/usted: habla, come, vive. Nosotros: hablamos, comemos, vivimos.
- Ellos/ustedes: hablan, comen, viven. Vosotros (mainly Spain): habláis, coméis, vivís.
Hablo con mi abuela.
I talk with my grandmother.
Why it works: Hablar loses -ar and takes -o for yo.
Notice the difference
Hablamos con mi abuela.
We talk with my grandmother.
Why it works: For nosotros, the ending is -amos.
One thing to watch for
Keep the verb family straight: comemos (-er), but vivimos (-ir).