The _presente de indicativo_ (similar to the present simple in English) in Spanish is the first tense you will learn in a Spanish class. Knowing this simple tense is very useful as it is the first step to communicating actions, thoughts and ideas. The _presente de indicativo_ can be used used to describe an action happening at the moment or in the very near future, to describe a routine or repeated actions, or to allude to stable and permanent situations.

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Use of presente de indicativo

The presente de indicativo is used to express:

  • Facts
    Ella se llama Juanita. (She is called Juanita.)
    Tiene pelo rubio. (She has blonde hair.)

  • Actions in the present
    Yo como una manzana. (I eat an apple.)

  • Routines or frequent actions
    Cada viernes juega al tenis. (Every Friday, she plays tennis.)

  • Characteristics or general truths
    ex: Los mexicanos hablan español. (Mexicans speak Spanish.)
    Los perros ladran. (Dogs bark.)

  • The amount of time an action has been taking place
    Ella vive aquí desde hace tres anos. (She has lived here for three years.)

  • Future actions accompanied by a time expression
    El tren llega a las dos de la tarde. (The train arrives at two in the afternoon.)

Conjugation of presente de indicativo

There are three endings to Spanish verbs: -AR, -ER, or -IR. To make presente indicativo, we remove the ending of the verb and add the appropriate ending according to pronoun.

-AR hablar-ER comer-IR vivir
yohablocomovivo
hablascomesvives
él/ella/ustedhablacomevive
nosotros/-ashablamoscomemosvivimos
vosotros/-ashabláiscoméisvivís
ellos/ellas/ustedeshablancomenviven

Common irregular verbs

These are some of the most common Spanish verbs that you will most likely be using on a daily basis. The best thing is to memorize them as soon as you can: ser (to be), estar (to be), ir (to go), oir (to hear), oler (to smell).

SERESTARIROIROLER
yosoyestoyvoyoigohuelo
eresestásvasoyeshueles
él/ella/ustedesestávaoyehuele
nosotros/-assomosestamosvamosoímosolemos
vosotros/-assoisestáisvaisoísoléis
ellos/ellas/ustedessonestánvanoyenhuelen

Once you remember the endings, conjugating the present can be quite easy! If you’re looking to learn even more, take a look at the Spanish courses we offer.

September 9th, 2018

Posted in Learn Spanish

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