Regular Verbs in Spanish: -ar, -er and -ir Conjugation
Learn how Spanish regular verbs work with the three main infinitive endings: -ar, -er and -ir. Start with verbs such as hablar, comer and vivir, then use the same pattern for many other verbs.
Why regular verbs matter
Regular verbs are the foundation of Spanish conjugation. Once you understand how -ar, -er and -ir verbs work, it becomes easier to understand irregular verbs, stem-changing verbs, modal structures, reflexive verbs and tense formation.
How to use this page
Use this page before studying irregular verbs. First learn how to find the verb stem, then practise present-tense endings for -ar, -er and -ir verbs.
Spanish infinitives end in -ar, -er or -ir: hablar, comer, vivir.
hablar → habl-, comer → com-, vivir → viv-.
Use the subject form to choose the ending: hablo, comes, vivimos.
The core system: stem + ending
-ar verbs
Regular -ar verbs use endings such as -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.
hablar → hablo, hablas, habla
-er verbs
Regular -er verbs use endings such as -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.
comer → como, comes, come
-ir verbs
Regular -ir verbs are close to -er verbs, but differ in nosotros and vosotros.
vivir → vivo, vives, vive, vivimos
Spanish regular verbs at a glance
Regular verbs are built by combining a stable stem with predictable endings. The verb ending tells you which pattern to use.
| Verb group | Infinitive | Stem | Yo form | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -ar | hablar | habl- | hablo | Hablo español. |
| -er | comer | com- | como | Como pan. |
| -ir | vivir | viv- | vivo | Vivo en Argentina. |
| -ar | estudiar | estudi- | estudio | Estudio español. |
| -er | aprender | aprend- | aprendo | Aprendo rápido. |
| -ir | escribir | escrib- | escribo | Escribo una carta. |
Present tense of regular Spanish verbs
The present tense is usually the first place to learn Spanish regular verb endings. The three model verbs are hablar, comer and vivir.
| Subject | -ar: hablar | -er: comer | -ir: vivir | English idea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablo | como | vivo | I speak / eat / live |
| tú | hablas | comes | vives | you speak / eat / live |
| él/ella/usted | habla | come | vive | he / she / you speak(s), eat(s), live(s) |
| nosotros | hablamos | comemos | vivimos | we speak / eat / live |
| vosotros | habláis | coméis | vivís | you all speak / eat / live |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablan | comen | viven | they / you all speak, eat, live |
Regular -ar verbs
Regular -ar verbs are the largest and often easiest group. Remove -ar and add the regular present-tense endings.
hablar: hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, habláis, hablan
estudiar: estudio, estudias, estudia, estudiamos, estudiáis, estudian
trabajar: trabajo, trabajas, trabaja, trabajamos, trabajáis, trabajan
Regular -er verbs
Regular -er verbs use a different ending set from -ar verbs. They are especially useful for common actions such as eating, learning, reading and understanding regular patterns.
comer: como, comes, come, comemos, coméis, comen
aprender: aprendo, aprendes, aprende, aprendemos, aprendéis, aprenden
leer: leo, lees, lee, leemos, leéis, leen
Regular -ir verbs
Regular -ir verbs are very similar to -er verbs in most present-tense forms. The main difference is in nosotros and vosotros: -imos and -ís.
vivir: vivo, vives, vive, vivimos, vivís, viven
escribir: escribo, escribes, escribe, escribimos, escribís, escriben
abrir: abro, abres, abre, abrimos, abrís, abren
Regular verbs and the infinitive
The infinitive is the basic form of the verb. Regular infinitives end in -ar, -er or -ir. This form is also used after many modal verbs and expressions.
Quiero estudiar español.
Puedo aprender rápido.
Necesito escribir un texto.
Voy a trabajar mañana.
Learn the infinitive in detail here: Spanish Infinitive.
Regular verbs vs irregular verbs
Regular verbs follow predictable endings. Irregular verbs change the stem, the ending, the yo form, the participle or even larger parts of the verb.
hablar → hablo — regular
comer → como — regular
vivir → vivo — regular
pensar → pienso — stem-changing
tener → tengo — irregular
ser → soy — highly irregular
Continue here when regular patterns are clear: Irregular Verbs.
When to use regular verb patterns
Use -ar verbs
Many everyday verbs are regular -ar verbs.
hablo · estudio · trabajo · practico
Use -er verbs
Regular -er verbs follow a stable ending system.
como · aprendo · leo · comprendo
Use -ir verbs
Regular -ir verbs are close to -er verbs, but not identical.
vivo · escribo · abro · recibo
Related grammar topics
Spanish Verbs
Return to the main Spanish verb overview and connect regular verbs with the full verb system.
Irregular Verbs
Learn what changes when verbs do not follow regular patterns completely.
Stem-changing Verbs
Compare regular forms with verbs such as pienso, puedo and pido.
Highly Irregular Verbs
Learn high-frequency verbs such as ser, estar, ir, haber and tener.
Spanish Infinitive
Understand why hablar, comer and vivir are infinitive forms.
Present Tense
Practise regular present-tense endings with more examples and sentence patterns.
Typical mistakes with Spanish regular verbs
- Keeping the infinitive ending: say hablo español, not hablar español when you need “I speak Spanish”.
- Using the wrong verb group ending: say comemos, not comamos for the regular present of comer.
- Confusing -er and -ir in nosotros: comemos but vivimos.
- Conjugating the second verb after a modal verb: say quiero estudiar, not quiero estudio.
- Assuming all verbs are regular: many common verbs are irregular, such as ser, ir, tener, poder and querer.
Where to go next
After regular verbs, continue with irregular verbs and stem-changing verbs. This keeps the learning path clear: first regular endings, then controlled irregular patterns.
Want personal guidance?
If Spanish verb endings feel confusing, individual guidance can help you practise -ar, -er and -ir patterns clearly before moving on to irregular verbs.
FAQ: Regular verbs in Spanish
What are regular verbs in Spanish?
Regular Spanish verbs are verbs that follow predictable conjugation patterns based on their infinitive ending: -ar, -er or -ir.
What are the three types of regular Spanish verbs?
The three types are -ar verbs such as hablar, -er verbs such as comer, and -ir verbs such as vivir.
How do you conjugate a regular Spanish verb?
Remove the infinitive ending to find the stem, then add the correct ending for the subject: hablar → habl- → hablo.
What are common regular -ar verbs?
Common regular -ar verbs include hablar, estudiar, trabajar, practicar, comprar and escuchar.
What are common regular -er and -ir verbs?
Common regular -er verbs include comer, aprender and leer. Common regular -ir verbs include vivir, escribir, abrir and recibir.
What is the difference between regular and irregular Spanish verbs?
Regular verbs follow predictable endings. Irregular verbs change the stem, ending, yo form, participle or other parts of the conjugation.
MundoDele – Spanish learning for education, work and intercultural understanding
MundoDele connects online Spanish courses, DELE preparation, Business Spanish and cultural context into a personal Spanish learning platform.
Grammar pages are designed to explain Spanish clearly, with practical examples, real sentence logic and connected learning paths.