Presente de los verbos en -ar: videolección

Spanish verbs fall into three groups according to their ending: -ar, -er and -ir. In this first video of the series, Pilar explains how to conjugate the regular present tense of verbs ending in -ar.

Learn the basics about the Spanish verbs in this free Spanish lesson brought to you by Tilde Madrid Spanish school in Madrid

Key points

Spanish verbs are grouped by their ending: -ar (cantar), -er (comer) and -ir (vivir).
Present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an: hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, habláis, hablan.
The present is used for habits and routines, for what is happening now and for the near future.
It also expresses facts and general truths.

Frequent doubts

Do I need to say the subject pronoun (yo, tú…)?

Usually not: the ending already shows the person. Hablo español is enough; yo hablo español adds emphasis or contrast.

Are all -ar verbs regular?

Most are, but some change their stem, such as pensar (pienso) or contar (cuento), and a few are irregular, such as estar (estoy) or dar (doy).

How do I make a sentence negative?

Put no before the verb: No trabajo los sábados.

Part of Spanish Sessions, the YouTube channel of the teachers at Tilde Madrid — more than 3 million views.

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Los verbos (I): el presente de los verbos en -ar

Key points

Frequent doubts

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