Spanish Verbs Explained with Clear Examples

Spanish verbs are one of the most powerful parts of the language. They tell you what is happening, when it’s happening, and who is doing it — all in a single word.

Once you understand how verbs work, Spanish sentences become much easier to build and understand.

This post breaks verbs into simple patterns you can use right away.

What is a verb?

A verb is a word that expresses an action or a state of being.

A verb in Spanish is el verbo.

What is the definition of verb in Spanish?

Un verbo expresa una acción o un estado de ser.

Examples:

• hablar — to speak
• comer — to eat
• vivir — to live

Sentence Example:

Ella vive aquí. — She lives here.

Many learners think verbs are complicated because of conjugation charts. But once you learn to recognize the basic patterns — who is acting and when — Spanish verbs become surprisingly predictable.

Now that you know what verbs are, let’s look at the structure behind almost every verb in Spanish.

Verbs are one of the eight parts of speech.

Verb Form

Spanish verbs are conjugated. What does this mean?

Conjugation simply means the verb ending changes to show:

• who is doing the action
• when the action happens (the tense)

One verb can have dozens of forms, but the patterns repeat.

👉 hablar → hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, hablaron, hablaré…

You don’t need to memorize every form at once – just recognize that the ending changes the meaning.

Now that you know verbs can take many forms, let’s look at the different ways verbs can act inside a sentence.

When to Use Infinitives

Before verbs can be conjugated, they start in their base form — the infinitive. In Spanish these are the forms ending in -ar, -er, -ir (hablar, comer, vivir).

Infinitives are used when:

• The verb comes after another verb
  Quiero estudiar. — I want to study.
  Necesito descansar. — I need to rest.
• The verb follows a preposition
  Antes de salir. — Before leaving.
  Para aprender. — In order to learn.
• The verb is used as a noun
  Leer es divertido. — Reading is fun.

Once you recognize where infinitives naturally appear, you’ll spot patterns everywhere. And these patterns make conjugation feel lighter, not heavier.

Now that you know when verbs appear in their base form, let’s look at how to locate the stem — the part that stays the same when you conjugate.

How to Find the Verb Stem (Simple Rule)

Every Spanish verb has two parts:

• the stem (unchanging base)
• the ending (-ar, -er, or -ir)

To find the stem:

👉 Remove the final -ar, -er, or -ir

Examples:
hablar → habl-
comer → com-
vivir → viv-

All regular conjugations are built from this stem. Irregular verbs may change their stem (quiero, puedo, duermo), but the idea is the same — you’re still attaching endings to the base.

Now let’s zoom out and look at the three verb groups that guide all regular and many irregular conjugations.

Spanish Verb Types

So now you can confidently tell someone what a verb is in Spanish — a word that expresses an action or a state of being. (Or even better, you can say: “Es una palabra que expresa acción o un estado de ser.”)

And you already know the three big verb categories:

• action verbs
• linking verbs
• helping verbs

👏 High five — that’s a solid foundation already!

Let’s take a closer look at how these verbs behave inside real sentences.

There are four kinds of main verbs (the verbs that can stand alone): intransitive verbs, transitive verbs, and linking verbs.

Helping verbs must combine with a main verb to form a verb phrase.

1. Intransitive Verbs (verbos intransitivos)

Intransitive verbs show action, but the action does not transfer to a receiver. The action is complete on its own.

In Spanish, intransitive verbs are called verbos intransitivos.

Example:
La luz brilla. — The light shines.

La luz brilla.

Brilla is an intransitive verb. Nobody or nothing receives the action brilla.

Now let’s look at the opposite — verbs that do transfer an action.

2. Transitive Verbs in Active Voice (verbos transitivos activos)

These verbs transfer action to someone or something — the direct object. They act in either the active voice or the passive voice. Let’s look at the active voice first.

In Spanish, transitive active verbs are called verbos transitivos activos.

Example:
Mi hermana apagó la luz. — My sister turned off the light.

Mi hermana apagó la luz.

apagó is a transitive verb.
luz receives the action → it is the direct object.

Every transitive verb must have a direct object.

But transitive verbs can also appear in another form — the passive voice.

3. Transitive Verbs in Passive Voice (verbos transitivos pasivos)

In passive voice, the receiver of the action becomes the subject.

In Spanish, transitive passive verbs are called verbos transitivos pasivos.

Examples:
La luz fue apagada por mi hermana. — The light was turned off by my sister.
El pez fue capturado. — The fish was captured.

La luz fue apagado por mi hermana.

luz is the direct object.
hermana is the subject.

Sometimes the doer is unknown or optional:

El pez fue capturado.

el pez is the direct object.
There is no subject.

To identify the subject, turn the statement into a question. ¿Quién capturó el pez? (Who captured the fish?) The answer to this question tells us who the subject is.

Now, let’s look at the only type of verb that expresses no action.

4. Linking Verbs (verbos copulativos)

Linking verbs describe the state of being of the subject. They connect the subject with a noun or adjective.

Example:
La sombra es oscura. — The shade is dark.

La sombra es oscurro.

Es is a linking verb.
In this sentence, es links the subject with the condition of the subject.

A linking verb acts like an equal sign between the subject and its description.

Finally, let’s look at the verbs that “help” the others work.

5. Helping Verbs (verbos auxiliares)

Helping verbs cannot stand alone. They must pair with a main verb to form a verb phrase.

In Spanish, helping verbs are called verbos auxiliares.

Examples of Helping Verbs:
Podemos acabar. — We can finish.

Podemos acabar.

Podemos is a helping verb.
acabar is the main verb.

Click here to see a list of the Spanish helping verbs.

Some verbs can act as either main verbs or helping verbs — but never both at the same time in the same sentence.

Now that you know the five major verb types, you’re ready to learn how Spanish verbs change through conjugation and tenses — the patterns behind real conversation.

The Three Verb Groups: -ar, -er, -ir

Spanish verbs (infinitive) end in -ar, -er, or -ir.
These endings tell you which pattern the verb follows.

Examples:

• hablar (to speak) → -ar
• comer (to eat) → -er
• vivir (to live) → -ir

These groups are important because they determine how the verb will change when you conjugate it.

A Simple Visual of the Three Verb Groups

Spanish has three verb families. Every infinitive belongs to one:

Why this matters: The ending tells you which conjugation pattern the verb follows.

• -ar verbs are the most predictable
• -er and -ir share similarities
• Irregular verbs still use these endings as their base categories

Once you know a verb’s group, you know which chart or pattern it belongs to — even before you memorize anything.

Now you’re ready for the big idea behind all Spanish verb forms: conjugation.

What Is Conjugation? (Simple Explanation)

Conjugation is how the verb changes to show:

• who is doing the action
• when the action happens

In English we do this too:

• I eat
• she eats
• they ate

Spanish shows this information in the ending of the verb.

Example with hablar (to speak):

You don’t need huge charts to get started — focus on the patterns you use most.

Learn more about verb conjugation here.

Now let’s look at the verbs you’ll use constantly from Day 1.

High-Frequency Verbs You Must Know

Some verbs appear in almost every conversation. Learning these first gives you instant confidence.

Essential Beginners’ Verbs:

ser — to be
estar — to be (location & condition)
tener — to have
ir — to go
hacer — to do/make
querer — to want
poder — to be able to
vivir — to live

Examples:

Estoy cansada. — I’m tired.
Tengo un perro. — I have a dog.
Quiero aprender español. — I want to learn Spanish.

I once had a class that tried to memorize verb charts before they ever practiced using real sentences. When we switched to high-frequency verbs and plug-and-play patterns, their confidence skyrocketed — and they started speaking more naturally.

Let’s use these important verbs in real patterns.

Helpful Verb Patterns Beginners Love

These patterns work for almost every verb and unlock fast, practical communication.

1. I want to + verb

Quiero comer. — I want to eat.
Quiero estudiar. — I want to study.

2. I need to + verb

Necesito ir. — I need to go.
Necesito descansar. — I need to rest.

3. I am + doing (present progressive)

Estoy leyendo. — I’m reading.
Estoy cocinando. — I’m cooking.

4. I’m going to + verb (near future)

Voy a practicar. — I’m going to practice.
Vamos a viajar. — We’re going to travel.

Now let’s go deeper into how verbs behave inside sentences.

Regular vs. Irregular Verbs

Regular verbs follow predictable patterns:

Regular:
hablar → hablo, hablas, habla
comer → como, comes, come

Irregular verbs break the pattern but are usually common verbs, so you see them often:

Irregular:
ser → soy, eres, es
ir → voy, vas, va

Even irregular verbs follow patterns and have special groups.

Next, let’s talk about when actions happen.

Verb Tenses: When the Action Happens

Spanish uses verb endings to show time.

Most useful tenses for beginners:

• Present (presente): actions you do now
  Vivo aquí. — I live here.
• Near future (ir a + infinitive): what you’re going to do
  Voy a estudiar. — I’m going to study.
• Preterite (pretérito): completed actions
  Comí temprano. — I ate early.
• Imperfect (imperfecto): ongoing past actions
  Vivíamos en Perú. — We used to live in Peru.

Start with the present, then add tenses as you need them.

Let’s look at a few special verb patterns.

Other Important Verb Types

Spanish has a few special verb categories you’ll see often:

• Reflexive verbs (me levanto, se llama)
• Stem-changing verbs (quiero, puedo, duermo)
• Gustar-type verbs (me gusta, te encanta)
• Periphrastic patterns (verb + infinitive: ir a, tener que, poder + infinitive)

These patterns help you express daily routines, preferences, obligations, and abilities.

Now let’s bring it all together.

Putting It All Together: Verbs in Real Sentences

Here are a few everyday examples using what you’ve learned:

Quiero aprender español. — I want to learn Spanish.
Estoy estudiando ahora. — I’m studying now.
Voy a viajar mañana. — I’m going to travel tomorrow.
Comí temprano. — I ate early.
Ella puede ayudar. — She can help.

The more you see verbs in context, the faster they make sense.

In summary, Spanish verbs become much simpler once you understand that they show who is doing the action and when it happens.

Start small:

• learn the present tense
• focus on high-frequency verbs
• use real sentence patterns

With these basics in place, you’re ready for the next step: diving deeper into conjugation with visual guides.

Spanish conjugation becomes clear, visual, and surprisingly simple.

Want Conjugation to Feel Easy?✨

If conjugation feels confusing or hard to use when you speak, you’ll love the Instant Spanish Conjugation Kit.

The Instant Spanish Conjugation Kit shows you exactly how to organize verbs from real input and turn them into usable forms—without memorizing giant charts.

You’ll learn how to conjugate verbs into all 6 forms, build them into the tenses you need, spot patterns instantly, and review them on a spaced schedule so they finally stick.

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