Welcome to Conjuga.me
Your go-to resource for learning Spanish verb conjugations.
What are moods and tenses?
Moods show the attitude of the speaker (fact, wish, command), and tenses show when something happens (past, present, future).
A Simple Scenario
Imagine you want to tell your friend what you did yesterday, what you are doing now, and what you will do tomorrow. You need different tenses to express each time!
Examples
- Present: Yo como una manzana. (I eat an apple.)
- Past: Ayer comí una manzana. (Yesterday I ate an apple.)
- Future: Mañana voy a comer una manzana. (Tomorrow I am going to eat an apple.)
- Subjunctive: Espero que coma una manzana. (I hope I eat an apple.)
- Imperative: ¡Come la manzana! (Eat the apple!)
Fun Verb Patterns! 🎨
Regular Verb Patterns
Most Spanish verbs follow one of three regular patterns, based on their infinitive endings:
Tip: Just drop the ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add the correct ending for each subject!
The "I" Special Verbs
These verbs change only for "I" (yo):
- Hacer (to do/make) - "Yo hago" (I do)
- Poner (to put) - "Yo pongo" (I put)
- Salir (to leave) - "Yo salgo" (I leave)
The Spelling Change Verbs
These verbs change their spelling to keep the sound:
- Empezar (to start) - "Yo empiezo" (I start)
- Jugar (to play) - "Yo juego" (I play)
- Pensar (to think) - "Yo pienso" (I think)
Stem-Changing Verbs (E→IE)
The 'e' in the stem changes to 'ie' in stressed syllables:
- Querer (to want) - "Yo quiero"
- Entender (to understand) - "Yo entiendo"
- Preferir (to prefer) - "Yo prefiero"
Stem-Changing Verbs (O→UE)
The 'o' in the stem changes to 'ue' in stressed syllables:
- Poder (to be able) - "Yo puedo"
- Volver (to return) - "Yo vuelvo"
- Dormir (to sleep) - "Yo duermo"
Stem-Changing Verbs (E→I)
The 'e' in the stem changes to 'i' in stressed syllables:
- Pedir (to ask for) - "Yo pido"
- Servir (to serve) - "Yo sirvo"
- Repetir (to repeat) - "Yo repito"
Verbs Ending in -UIR
Add a 'y' before the ending in all forms except nosotros/vosotros:
- Construir (to build) - "Yo construyo"
- Incluir (to include) - "Yo incluyo"
Verbs Ending in -CER/-CIR
Change 'c' to 'zc' in the 'yo' form:
- Conocer (to know/meet) - "Yo conozco"
- Conducir (to drive) - "Yo conduzco"
Irregular "Go" Verbs
These verbs add "-go" in the "yo" form:
- Decir (to say) - "Yo digo"
- Tener (to have) - "Yo tengo"
- Venir (to come) - "Yo vengo"
Irregular "OY" Verbs
These verbs end in "-oy" in the "yo" form:
- Ser (to be) - "Yo soy"
- Estar (to be) - "Yo estoy"
- Dar (to give) - "Yo doy"
Irregular First Person Only
Only the "yo" form is irregular:
- Saber (to know) - "Yo sé"
- Ver (to see) - "Yo veo"
- Cabir (to fit) - "Yo quepo"
Verb Moods - How Verbs Feel! 😊
Indicative Mood
This is for telling true stories and facts, just like when you tell your mom what you did at school!
Examples:
1. "Yo como manzanas" (I eat apples) - A fact!
2. "Tú juegas fútbol" (You play soccer) - Something that's true!
3. "Ella estudia español" (She studies Spanish) - A real action!
Subjunctive Mood
This is for wishes and dreams, like when you hope for something!
Examples:
1. "Espero que tú seas feliz" (I hope you are happy) - A wish!
2. "Quiero que comas verduras" (I want you to eat vegetables) - A desire!
3. "Ojalá que llueva" (I hope it rains) - A hope!
Verb Tenses - When Things Happen! ⏰
Present Tense
This is for things happening right now or things you do every day!
Examples:
1. "Yo como una manzana" (I eat an apple) - Right now!
2. "Tú juegas con tus amigos" (You play with your friends) - Every day!
3. "Él estudia en la escuela" (He studies at school) - Every day!
4. "Nosotros cantamos canciones" (We sing songs) - Right now!
5. "Ellos corren en el parque" (They run in the park) - Every day!
Past Tense (Pretérito)
This is for things that already happened, like yesterday!
Examples:
1. "Yo comí pizza" (I ate pizza) - Yesterday!
2. "Tú jugaste fútbol" (You played soccer) - Last week!
3. "Él estudió mucho" (He studied a lot) - Last night!
4. "Nosotros cantamos en el coro" (We sang in the choir) - Last month!
5. "Ellos corrieron en la carrera" (They ran in the race) - Last year!
Future Tense
This is for things that will happen, like tomorrow!
Examples:
1. "Yo comeré helado" (I will eat ice cream) - Tomorrow!
2. "Tú jugarás videojuegos" (You will play video games) - Later!
3. "Él estudiará medicina" (He will study medicine) - Next year!
4. "Nosotros cantaremos en el concierto" (We will sing in the concert) - Next week!
5. "Ellos correrán en la maratón" (They will run in the marathon) - Next month!
Understanding Spanish Past Tenses: A Complete Guide
1. Pretérito Perfecto (Present Perfect)
The Pretérito Perfecto is used for actions that started in the past but have a connection to the present. It's formed with the present tense of "haber" + past participle.
When to Use:
- Actions completed in the recent past
- Experiences in your life
- Actions that have happened today
- Actions that have a result in the present
Examples:
- "He comido" (I have eaten) - Just finished eating
- "Hemos viajado a España" (We have traveled to Spain) - Life experience
- "¿Has visto la película?" (Have you seen the movie?) - Recent action
- "Han llegado tarde" (They have arrived late) - Present result
2. Pretérito Indefinido (Simple Past)
The Pretérito Indefinido is used for completed actions in the past with no connection to the present. It's perfect for telling stories and describing specific past events.
When to Use:
- Completed actions in the past
- Specific dates or times in the past
- Sequential actions in a story
- Historical events
Examples:
- "Ayer comí pizza" (Yesterday I ate pizza)
- "Nací en 1990" (I was born in 1990)
- "Cristóbal Colón descubrió América" (Christopher Columbus discovered America)
- "El año pasado viajé a México" (Last year I traveled to Mexico)
3. Pretérito Imperfecto (Imperfect Past)
The Pretérito Imperfecto describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It's used for background information, descriptions, and repeated actions.
When to Use:
- Habitual actions in the past
- Background descriptions
- Ongoing actions in the past
- Time and age in the past
Examples:
- "Cuando era niño, jugaba fútbol" (When I was a child, I played soccer)
- "Era una noche oscura" (It was a dark night)
- "Mi abuela cocinaba muy bien" (My grandmother cooked very well)
- "Tenía 10 años cuando aprendí a nadar" (I was 10 years old when I learned to swim)
4. Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto (Past Perfect)
The Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto is used for actions that happened before another past action. It's formed with the imperfect tense of "haber" + past participle.
When to Use:
- Actions that happened before another past action
- Expressing regret about past actions
- Hypothetical situations in the past
- Reporting past events
Examples:
- "Ya había comido cuando llegaste" (I had already eaten when you arrived)
- "Si hubiera estudiado más, habría aprobado" (If I had studied more, I would have passed)
- "Me dijo que había visto la película" (He told me he had seen the movie)
- "Cuando llegamos, ya se habían ido" (When we arrived, they had already left)
Quick Comparison of Spanish Past Tenses
| Tense | When to Use | Example | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretérito Perfecto | Recent past, present relevance | He comido | I have eaten |
| Pretérito Indefinido | Completed past actions | Comí | I ate |
| Pretérito Imperfecto | Ongoing/habitual past | Comía | I was eating/I used to eat |
| Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto | Past before past | Había comido | I had eaten |