Lesson 15: Regular -IR Verbs (Present Tense)

¡Excelente! (Excellent!)

Welcome to Lesson 15! You've already mastered -AR verbs (Lesson 13) and -ER verbs (Lesson 14). Today, you're learning the THIRD and final regular verb group: -IR verbs!

The amazing news? -IR verbs are almost identical to -ER verbs! Once you finish this lesson, you'll be able to conjugate ALL three types of regular Spanish verbs. This is a huge milestone in your Spanish journey!

Part 1: The Three Verb Groups - Complete!

Let's review all three Spanish infinitive endings:

-IR verbs are the smallest of the three groups, but they include many essential verbs for daily communication.

Part 2: The -IR Verb Pattern

To conjugate regular -IR verbs, follow this pattern:

STEP 1: Remove the -IR ending → vivir → viv-
STEP 2: Add the new ending for each pronoun

The -IR Endings (Present Tense)

Memory Trick: o-es-e-imos-en (Almost identical to -ER, except nosotros!)

Part 3: Comparing All Three Verb Types

Here's the key insight - look at how similar they are:

Key Observation:
- -ER and -IR are IDENTICAL except for nosotros and vosotros forms!
- -ER nosotros: comemos
- -IR nosotros: vivimos

💡 Teacher's Tip: If you know -ER verbs, you almost know -IR verbs! Only 2 forms are different!

Part 4: VIVIR - Complete Conjugation

Let's look at vivir (to live) in detail:

Practice Sentences:
- Yo vivo en California. (I live in California.)
- ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
- Nosotros vivimos en una casa. (We live in a house.)

Part 5: Common -IR Verbs You Need to Know

Place/Movement Verbs

Communication Verbs

General Action Verbs

💡 Teacher's Tip: There are far fewer -IR verbs than -AR or -ER verbs, but they're used constantly in everyday Spanish!

Part 6: ESCRIBIR (to write) - Full Conjugation

Step 1: Remove -IR → escribir → escrib-
Step 2: Add endings

Examples:
- Yo escribo cartas. (I write letters.)
- ¿Escribes en español? (Do you write in Spanish?)
- Nosotros escribimos emails. (We write emails.)

Part 7: ABRIR (to open) - Full Conjugation

Step 1: Remove -IR → abrir → abr-
Step 2: Add endings

Examples:
- Yo abro la puerta. (I open the door.)
- Tú abres la ventana. (You open the window.)
- Nosotros abrimos el libro. (We open the book.)

Part 8: Using -IR Verbs in Context

RECIBIR (to receive)

DECIDIR (to decide)

Part 9: CUMPLIR - Special Verb (to turn [age] / to fulfill)

Cumplir has two important uses:

Use 1: To Turn (Age)

• Yo cumplo 20 años hoy. (I turn 20 years old today.)
• ¿Cuántos años cumples? (How old are you turning?)
• Mi hermana cumple 15 años. (My sister turns 15.)

Pattern: cumplir + [number] + años

Use 2: To Fulfill/Complete

• Yo cumplo mi promesa. (I fulfill my promise.)
• Tú cumples tus obligaciones. (You fulfill your obligations.)

Part 10: Mixing All Three Verb Types

Now you can use -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs together:

Example 1: Daily Routine
- Yo trabajo (AR) en una oficina.
- Como (ER) en un restaurante.
- Vivo (IR) cerca del trabajo.

Example 2: Describing Someone
- Mi amigo habla (AR) español.
- Lee (ER) muchos libros.
- Escribe (IR) poemas.

Example 3: Activities
- Nosotros estudiamos (AR) español.
- Comprendemos (ER) la gramática.
- Escribimos (IR) ejercicios.

Part 11: Negative Sentences with -IR Verbs

Same pattern: NO + verb

Examples:
- Yo no vivo en España. (I don't live in Spain.)
- Él no escribe en inglés. (He doesn't write in English.)
- Nosotros no abrimos los domingos. (We don't open on Sundays.)

Part 12: Questions with -IR Verbs

Three ways (same as -AR and -ER):

Method 1: Intonation

• ¿Vives aquí? (Do you live here?)
• ¿Escribes en español? (Do you write in Spanish?)
• ¿Abren la tienda? (Do they open the store?)

Method 2: Inversion

• ¿Vive ella en México? (Does she live in Mexico?)
• ¿Escriben ellos libros? (Do they write books?)

Method 3: Question Words

• ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
• ¿Qué escribes? (What do you write?)
• ¿Cuándo abres? (When do you open?)

Part 13: Complete Conversations

Conversation 1: Where You Live

A: ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
B: Vivo en Los Angeles. (I live in Los Angeles.)
A: ¿Vives en una casa o un apartamento? (Do you live in a house or apartment?)
B: Vivo en un apartamento. (I live in an apartment.)

Conversation 2: Writing

A: ¿Escribes en español? (Do you write in Spanish?)
B: Sí, escribo emails en español. (Yes, I write emails in Spanish.)
A: ¿Qué más escribes? (What else do you write?)
B: También escribo mensajes de texto. (I also write text messages.)

Conversation 3: Daily Activities

A: ¿A qué hora abres la tienda? (What time do you open the store?)
B: Abro a las 9 de la mañana. (I open at 9 in the morning.)
A: ¿Recibes muchos clientes? (Do you receive many customers?)
B: Sí, recibo muchos clientes todos los días. (Yes, I receive many customers every day.)

Part 14: Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake #1: Using -ER Endings on -IR Verbs (nosotros)

• ❌ WRONG: Nosotros vivemos. (-ER ending)
• ✅ CORRECT: Nosotros vivimos. (-IR ending)

❌ Mistake #2: Wrong Ending for Subject

• ❌ WRONG: Tú vivo aquí. (yo ending with tú subject)
• ✅ CORRECT: Tú vives aquí.

❌ Mistake #3: Confusing -ER and -IR

• ❌ For yo, tú, él, ellos: They're the SAME! (corro = correr, vivo = vivir)
• ✅ For nosotros: Different! (corremos vs vivimos)

❌ Mistake #4: Using Infinitive

• ❌ WRONG: Yo vivir en Texas.
• ✅ CORRECT: Yo vivo en Texas.

Vocabulary Summary: Essential -IR Verbs

Most Common -IR Verbs

The Endings Pattern

Comparing -ER vs -IR

Key Takeaways

✅ -IR verbs follow same pattern as -ER except nosotros/vosotros
✅ Endings: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -en
✅ All three verb types use -o for yo form
✅ Nosotros is the KEY difference: -amos (AR) vs -emos (ER) vs -imos (IR)
✅ Fewer -IR verbs than -AR or -ER, but very important ones
✅ Cumplir años = to turn (age) - special expression
✅ You now know ALL three regular verb patterns!

Practice Tips for Success

1. Focus on nosotros: This is the ONLY difference from -ER verbs
2. Memorize 5 key -IR verbs: vivir, escribir, abrir, recibir, decidir
3. Use ¿Dónde vives?: Practice this essential question
4. Mix all three types: Yo hablo, como, y vivo en California
5. Practice cumplir: Cumplir 20 años (to turn 20)
6. Write about yourself: Yo vivo en..., Yo escribo..., Yo recibo...
7. Compare -ER and -IR: Notice how similar they are!

Ready to Practice!

¡FELICIDADES! (Congratulations!) This is a HUGE milestone! You now know how to conjugate ALL THREE types of regular Spanish verbs: -AR, -ER, and -IR. This means you can conjugate thousands of verbs and express countless actions, thoughts, and activities.

The 50 exercises ahead will help you master:
- Conjugating -IR verbs correctly
- Distinguishing -ER from -IR (especially nosotros)
- Using all three verb types together
- Essential -IR verbs for daily communication
- Questions about where you live
- Describing what you write and receive

¡Increíble trabajo! (Incredible work!) You've completed the regular verb trilogy! 🎊