Grammar in context: Present tense
The present tense in context covers the regular -ar, -er and -ir endings, the three families of stem-changing verbs (querer, poder, pedir), commonly tested irregular yo forms (tengo, hago, salgo, pongo, conozco, sé, veo, doy, digo), and the irregular verbs ser, estar, ir and haber.
Before you start
No specific prerequisites - this is a good place to start.
Method
- Identify the verb's infinitive ending (-ar, -er or -ir) to choose the correct set of endings.
- Learn the six regular endings for each group: -ar (hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, habláis, hablan); -er (como, comes, come, comemos, coméis, comen); -ir (vivo, vives, vive, vivimos, vivís, viven).
- Check whether the verb is a stem-changer: e-ie (querer -> quiero, quieres, quiere, queremos, queréis, quieren), o-ue (poder -> puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, podéis, pueden), e-i (pedir -> pido, pides, pide, pedimos, pedís, piden). The nosotros/vosotros forms never change.
- Learn the irregular yo forms that exam boards test heavily: tengo, hago, salgo, pongo, conozco, sé, veo, doy, digo - these verbs are irregular only in the yo form, the rest of the verb is regular.
- Memorise the fully irregular verbs ser, estar, ir and haber, since none of their forms follow a predictable pattern.
- Use the present tense not only for facts and habits (vivo en Londres, como carne los domingos) but also for a fixed future arrangement (el tren sale a las ocho) and, with hace...que or desde hace, for an action that started in the past and is still happening.
- Watch subject-verb agreement with plural or compound subjects (mi hermano y yo vamos, mis padres trabajan), since a mismatched ending is a common accuracy error.
Worked example
Complete each verb in brackets with the correct present-tense form: Todos los días yo (levantarse) a las siete, (vestirse) rápidamente y (salir) de casa. Mi hermano (preferir) quedarse en la cama, pero mis padres siempre (decir) que tenemos que ser puntuales.
- levantarse is a regular reflexive -ar verb (unlike acostarse, it has no stem change), so the yo form is me levanto.
- vestirse is an e-i stem-changer, so the yo form is me visto, not me vesto.
- salir has an irregular yo form, salgo, even though it is otherwise a regular -ir verb.
- preferir is an e-ie stem-changer, and since the subject is mi hermano (él/ella), the form is prefiere.
- decir is irregular in the yo form (digo), but here the subject is mis padres, so the correct plural form is the irregular dicen.
- Full answer: Todos los días yo me levanto a las siete, me visto rápidamente y salgo de casa. Mi hermano prefiere quedarse en la cama, pero mis padres siempre dicen que tenemos que ser puntuales.
Practice questions
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Q1Give the yo form of hacer in the present tense.Show answer
Answer: Hago.
Q2Complete: Nosotros ___ (vivir) en una casa grande.Show answer
Answer: Vivimos.
Q3Which stem change does querer follow, and what is the tú form?Show answer
Answer: e-ie; the tú form is quieres.
Q4Correct the error: 'Yo tengo quince años y vivo en Madrid, pero mis amigos vive en Barcelona.'Show answer
Answer: Vive should be viven, since the plural subject mis amigos needs the -en ending: mis amigos viven en Barcelona.
Q5Translate into Spanish: 'She plays tennis every Saturday.'Show answer
Answer: Ella juega al tenis todos los sábados (jugar is a u-ue stem-changer).
Q6What is the ellos/ellas form of pedir?Show answer
Answer: Piden.
Q7Translate: 'We are going to the cinema tonight', using the present tense for a fixed plan.Show answer
Answer: Vamos al cine esta noche.
Q8Give the present-tense yo form of conocer.Show answer
Answer: Conozco.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a GCSE Spanish exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Translate into Spanish: 1) I usually get up at seven o'clock. 2) My sister prefers to study in her bedroom. 3) We eat dinner at nine o'clock every night. 4) They know the city very well.
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Lee el texto y contesta a las preguntas en inglés. Texto: Me llamo Carlos y tengo diecisiete años. Vivo con mi familia en un piso pequeño en el centro de Valencia. Todos los días voy al instituto en autobús porque el instituto está bastante lejos de mi casa. Mis padres trabajan mucho: mi madre es dependienta en una tienda de ropa y mi padre trabaja como electricista. Los fines de semana suelo jugar al fútbol con mis amigos, aunque a veces prefiero quedarme en casa y jugar a videojuegos. (a) How does Carlos travel to school, and why? (b) What is Carlos's mother's job? (c) What does Carlos usually do at weekends? (d) According to the text, what does Carlos sometimes prefer to do instead?
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See real GCSE Spanish past-paper questions, with official mark schemes →
Free printable worksheet
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