Lesson 13: Regular -AR Verbs (Present Tense)

¡Hola, estudiantes! (Hello, students!)

Welcome to Lesson 13, where we learn to conjugate our first group of regular verbs! In Lesson 11, you learned about subject pronouns (yo, tú, él, ella, etc.). In Lesson 12, you learned about SER and ESTAR. Now it's time to learn how to conjugate REGULAR verbs so you can express thousands of actions!

Spanish verbs are organized into three groups based on their infinitive endings: -AR, -ER, and -IR. Today we're focusing on -AR verbs, which are the most common verb group in Spanish. Once you understand this pattern, you'll be able to conjugate hundreds of verbs!

Part 1: What is an Infinitive?

An infinitive is the "base form" of a verb - the form you find in the dictionary.

In English:

• to speak
• to study
• to work

In Spanish, infinitives end in THREE ways:

• -AR: hablar (to speak)
• -ER: comer (to eat) - Lesson 14
• -IR: vivir (to live) - Lesson 15

Today we're focusing on -AR verbs only!

Part 2: How Verb Conjugation Works

In English, verbs hardly change:
- I speak, you speak, we speak, they speak
- Only changes for "he/she": he speaks

In Spanish, the verb ending changes for EACH subject pronoun:
- yo hablo (I speak)
- tú hablas (you speak)
- él habla (he speaks)
- nosotros hablamos (we speak)
- ellos hablan (they speak)

Why? The verb ending tells you WHO is doing the action!

Part 3: The -AR Verb Pattern

To conjugate regular -AR verbs, follow this pattern:

STEP 1: Remove the -AR ending → hablar → habl-
STEP 2: Add the new ending for each pronoun

The -AR Endings (Present Tense)

Memory Trick: o-as-a-amos-áis-an (sing it like a song!)

Part 4: HABLAR - Complete Conjugation

Let's look at hablar (to speak) in detail:

Practice Sentences:
- Yo hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
- Tú hablas inglés. (You speak English.)
- Nosotros hablamos por teléfono. (We speak on the phone.)

Part 5: Common -AR Verbs You Need to Know

Here are the most useful -AR verbs for beginners:

Communication Verbs

Study Verbs

Daily Life Verbs

Activity Verbs

💡 Teacher's Tip: There are over 300 common -AR verbs in Spanish! Learn these first, and you can express most daily activities.

Part 6: Conjugating Any -AR Verb

Let's practice with ESTUDIAR (to study):

Step 1: Remove -AR → estudiar → estudi-
Step 2: Add endings

Examples:
- Yo estudio español. (I study Spanish.)
- Ella estudia medicina. (She studies medicine.)
- Nosotros estudiamos juntos. (We study together.)

Part 7: More Practice - TRABAJAR (to work)

Step 1: Remove -AR → trabajar → trabaj-
Step 2: Add endings

Examples:
- Yo trabajo en un hospital. (I work in a hospital.)
- ¿Dónde trabajas? (Where do you work?)
- Ellos trabajan mucho. (They work a lot.)

Part 8: Using -AR Verbs with Time Expressions

Present Tense Uses

Spanish present tense can mean THREE things in English:

1. Simple present: Yo hablo = I speak
2. Present continuous: Yo hablo = I am speaking
3. Habitual action: Yo hablo = I do speak

Examples:
- Yo estudio español. = I study Spanish / I am studying Spanish / I do study Spanish

Common Time Expressions

In Sentences:
- Yo estudio español todos los días. (I study Spanish every day.)
- Ella trabaja siempre. (She always works.)
- Nunca bailamos. (We never dance.)

Part 9: Negative Sentences

To make a negative sentence, put NO before the verb:

Formula: NO + verb

Examples:
- Yo no hablo francés. (I don't speak French.)
- Él no estudia hoy. (He doesn't study today.)
- Nosotros no trabajamos los domingos. (We don't work on Sundays.)

💡 Teacher's Tip: In Spanish, you NEVER use "don't" or "doesn't" - just put "no" before the verb!

Part 10: Questions with -AR Verbs

Three ways to ask questions in Spanish:

Method 1: Intonation (voice goes up)

Just raise your voice at the end:
- Tú hablas español. (You speak Spanish.) - statement
- ¿Tú hablas español? (Do you speak Spanish?) - question

Method 2: Inversion (flip subject and verb)

• ¿Hablas tú español?
• ¿Estudia ella medicina?

Method 3: Question word + verb

• ¿Dónde trabajas? (Where do you work?)
• ¿Cuándo estudias? (When do you study?)
• ¿Por qué cantas? (Why do you sing?)

Examples:
- ¿Hablas inglés? (Do you speak English?)
- ¿Dónde trabajan ellos? (Where do they work?)
- ¿Estudias español? (Do you study Spanish?)

Part 11: Complete Conversations

Conversation 1: Daily Routine

A: ¿Estudias español? (Do you study Spanish?)
B: Sí, estudio español todos los días. (Yes, I study Spanish every day.)
A: ¿Dónde estudias? (Where do you study?)
B: Estudio en la biblioteca. (I study in the library.)

Conversation 2: Work

A: ¿Trabajas? (Do you work?)
B: Sí, trabajo en un restaurante. (Yes, I work in a restaurant.)
A: ¿Cocinas? (Do you cook?)
B: No, no cocino. Limpio las mesas. (No, I don't cook. I clean the tables.)

Conversation 3: Hobbies

A: ¿Qué necesitas? (What do you need?)
B: Necesito estudiar. (I need to study.)
A: ¿Estudias español? (Do you study Spanish?)
B: Sí, y también practico todos los días. (Yes, and I also practice every day.)

Part 12: Verbs Used with Infinitives

Some -AR verbs are often followed by infinitives (another verb in base form):

NECESITAR + infinitive (to need to...)

• Yo necesito estudiar. (I need to study.)
• Tú necesitas trabajar. (You need to work.)
• Nosotros necesitamos hablar. (We need to talk.)

DESEAR + infinitive (to wish to...)

• Yo deseo viajar. (I wish to travel.)
• Ella desea bailar. (She wishes to dance.)

Pattern: Conjugated verb + infinitive
- subject + conjugated -AR verb + infinitive

Part 13: Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake #1: Using Infinitive Instead of Conjugated Form

• ❌ WRONG: Yo hablar español.
• ✅ CORRECT: Yo hablo español.
• Remember: Conjugate the verb!

❌ Mistake #2: Wrong Ending for Subject

• ❌ WRONG: Tú hablo español. (yo ending with tú subject)
• ✅ CORRECT: Tú hablas español.
• Remember: Match the ending to the pronoun!

❌ Mistake #3: Forgetting to Remove -AR First

• ❌ WRONG: Yo hablaro (adding ending without removing -AR)
• ✅ CORRECT: Yo hablo (remove -AR, then add -o)

❌ Mistake #4: Using English "Do/Does"

• ❌ WRONG: "Do you hablas español?"
• ✅ CORRECT: ¿Hablas español?
• Remember: No auxiliary verbs in Spanish!

❌ Mistake #5: Double Negative

• ❌ ENGLISH THINKING: "Yo no hablo no español."
• ✅ CORRECT: Yo no hablo español.
• Remember: One "no" is enough!

Vocabulary Summary: Essential -AR Verbs

Most Common -AR Verbs

The Endings Pattern

Key Takeaways

✅ -AR verbs are the largest verb group in Spanish
✅ Remove -AR, then add endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -an
✅ The ending tells you the subject - pronouns are often optional
✅ NO + verb makes it negative
✅ Three ways to ask questions: intonation, inversion, question words
✅ Present tense = three English meanings: speak/am speaking/do speak
✅ Some verbs use infinitive after: necesito estudiar, deseo bailar
✅ Over 300 common -AR verbs follow this same pattern!

Practice Tips for Success

1. Memorize the endings song: o-as-a-amos-an (repeat 10 times)
2. Practice with 5 verbs daily: Conjugate hablar, estudiar, trabajar, comprar, necesitar
3. Make personal sentences: Yo estudio español. Yo trabajo en...
4. Use time expressions: todos los días, siempre, a veces
5. Practice negatives: No hablo, No estudias, No trabajamos
6. Ask questions: ¿Hablas? ¿Estudias? ¿Trabajas?
7. Write a daily routine: Use 10 different -AR verbs

Ready to Practice!

Congratulations! You now know how to conjugate hundreds of Spanish verbs! The -AR verb pattern is your key to expressing actions, activities, and daily routines. Once you master this pattern, you'll be able to describe almost everything you do in a day.

The 50 exercises ahead will help you master:
- Conjugating -AR verbs for all subjects
- Choosing the correct ending
- Making negative sentences
- Asking questions
- Using verbs with infinitives
- Real-world conversations
- Time expressions with verbs

¡Fantástico! (Fantastic!) You're building real communication skills now! 🎉