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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the present indicative of regular Spanish verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir. This lesson introduces conjugation patterns, usage without personal pronouns, and practical examples for everyday communication, ideal for A1 level learners.
  1. In Spanish, all verbs end in -ar, -er, -ir, the three conjugations.
ContactarDeberCumplir
(Yo) contacto ((I) contacto)(Yo) debo ((I) debo)(Yo) cumplo ((I) cumplo)
(Tú) contactas ((You) contactas)(Tú) debes ((You) debes)(Tú) cumples ((You) fulfils)
(Él / Ella / Usted) contacta ((He / She / You) contacts)(Él / Ella / Usted) debe ((He / She / You) must must)(Él / Ella / Usted) cumple ((He / She / You) fulfils)
(Nosotros / Nosotras) contactamos ((We) contactamos)(Nosotros / nosotras) debemos ((We) should)(Nosotros / nosotras) cumplimos  ((We) fulfilir)
(Vosotros / Vosotras) contactáis  ((You all) contactáis)(Vosotros / Vosotras) debéis  ((You) must)(Vosotros / Vosotras) cumplís  ((You all) cumplís)
(Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes) contactan  ((They) contactan )(Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes) deben ((They) must)(Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes) cumplen ((They / You) fulfilen)

Exceptions!

  1. Normally, you do not need to use a pronoun because the verb ending makes it clear who or what performs the action.

Exercise 1: Presente de indicativo: los verbos regulares

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

trabaja, cumplen, apellidan, estudio, escribir, dice, contacta, viven

1.
Vivir: Ellos ... en España.
(Live: They live in Spain.)
2.
Trabajar: El hombre ... en un piso cerca de la familia.
(Work: The man works on a flat near the family.)
3.
Contactar: El hombre ... a la mujer con el móvil.
(Contact: The man contacts the woman using the mobile phone.)
4.
Estudiar: Yo ... el número de la tarjeta de crédito.
(I study the credit card number.)
5.
Apellidarse: Ellas se ... García.
(To be surnamed: Their surname is García.)
6.
Cumplir: Ellos ... cuarenta años.
(To turn forty: They turn forty years old.)
7.
Decir: Él ... su fecha de nacimiento.
(Say: He says his date of birth.)
8.
Escribir: Tú ... tu lugar de nacimiento al profesor.
(Write: You write your place of birth to the teacher.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Si __________ la arroba en el correo electrónico, el email es válido.

(If __________ the at sign in the email, the email is valid.)

2. Tú __________ con tus amigos por el móvil.

(You __________ your friends by mobile.)

3. Si __________ español, practicas nuevas palabras.

(If __________ Spanish, you practice new words.)

4. Ellos __________ con sus obligaciones en el trabajo.

(They __________ their obligations at work.)

5. Nosotros __________ por correo electrónico.

(We __________ by email.)

6. Si __________ diez menos cinco, tienes cinco.

(If __________ ten minus five, you have five.)

Present Indicative: Regular Verbs in Spanish

This lesson focuses on the present indicative tense for regular verbs, a fundamental part of basic Spanish grammar at the A1 level. The present indicative is primarily used to describe actions that happen currently or regularly.

Verb Groups and Conjugation

Spanish regular verbs fall into three categories based on their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. This lesson covers the conjugation patterns for each ending with practical examples such as:

  • Contactar (to contact) – "yo contacto"
  • Deber (to owe, should) – "yo debo"
  • Cumplir (to fulfill, comply) – "yo cumplo"

How to Use Pronouns

Unlike English, personal pronouns in Spanish (yo, tú, él/ella, nosotros, vosotros, ellos) are often optional because verb endings clearly indicate the subject. For example, "contacto" already implies "I contact," so saying "yo contacto" is optional.

Conjugation Overview

Each verb ending follows a consistent pattern to form the present tense for six grammatical persons. For example, the verb contactar conjugates as contacto, contactas, contacta, contactamos, contactáis, contactan. Similarly, deber and cumplir follow their regular patterns.

Practical Phrases and Tips

Being comfortable with these conjugations helps you form everyday sentences, such as:

  • "Si escribes la arroba en el correo electrónico, el email es válido." (If you type the at symbol in the email, the email is valid.)
  • "Tú contactas con tus amigos por el móvil." (You contact your friends by mobile.)
  • "Ellos cumplen con sus obligaciones en el trabajo." (They fulfill their obligations at work.)

Key Differences with English

In Spanish, verb endings carry information about who is performing the action, reducing the need for explicit pronouns. English always requires pronouns as subjects. For example, where English says "I contact," Spanish simply says "contacto." Also, Spanish verbs are categorized clearly by their endings (-ar, -er, -ir), affecting their conjugation patterns, which English verbs do not have.

Useful Spanish terms include yo (I), tú (you), él/ella (he/she), nosotros (we), and verb endings like -o, -as, -a, which signal the subject.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 29/05/2025 15:34