Conjugations

Why and How to make them work

• We start learning verbs in their infinitive forms. In English, almost all infinitives have the word “to” in front of them.

• Remember, of course, that verbs are “action” words.– Examples: To be or not to be, to run, to play,

to call, to see, to dance, to walk.

• Some infinitives don’t have “to” in front.– Examples: Can (to be able), Should (to have

the responsibility)

** These are still verbs! **

In Spanish…

• Infinitives are one word. The “to” is included.

• You can’t go around saying “I to run, he to run”.

• Conjugating = changing the endings of infinitives so they make sense with each pronoun.

• I run, but he runs.

• Verbs are classified according to their endings.

• “Hablar” (to speak) is an –AR verb.

• “Apprender” (to learn) is an –ER verb.

• “Partir” (to leave) is an –IR verb.

• All spanish verbs are either AR, ER, or IR verbs. But not all of them are regular.

Steps for Regular Conjugation

1. List all the pronouns2. Add the stem to each one3. Add appropriate endings

To conjugate, we take the ending off the infinitive. What’s left is the stem.

Ex) Hablar - ar = hablEx) Apprender - er = apprend

STEM!! Important!

AR, ER, and IR verbs have a set of endings for all of their examples

• All regular –AR verbs have the endings

• -O, -AS, -A, -AMOS, -AN

• So…

• Yo– habl

• Tú -habl

• É l-habl

• Nosotros-habl

• Vosotros-habl

• Ellos-habl

o

a

as

amos

aís

an

I speak, I am speaking

You speak, you are speaking

He speaks

We speak

You (all) speak

They speak

HABLAR – to speak

Only *most* verbs work this way.

• Some very common verbs are irregular and you can’t do the stem/ending trick:

– Ser: to be– Dar: to give– Estar: to be– Gustar: to like– Saber: to know– And unfortunately, more.