Verb Patterns
The markers, endings, and logic that connect every Spanish conjugation
How Endings Build Together
(we were speaking / we used to speak)
Universal Person Markers
These patterns appear across almost all tenses
Theme Vowels
Combined with person markers to form endings
Present Indicative
No special tense marker — just the theme vowel (A, E, I) directly combined with person markers.
| -AR | -ER | -IR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | -o | -o |
| tú | -as | -es | -es |
| él/ella | -a | -e | -e |
| nosotros | -amos | -emos | -imos |
| vosotros | -áis | -éis | -ís |
| ellos | -an | -en | -en |
Preterite
Unique stressed endings that replace theme vowels entirely. -AR uses á/ó accents, -ER/-IR use í/ió.
| -AR | -ER/-IR | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -é | -í |
| tú | -aste | -iste |
| él/ella | -ó | -ió |
| nosotros | -amos | -imos |
| vosotros | -asteis | -isteis |
| ellos | -aron | -ieron |
Imperfect
Super regular! -AR verbs use -aba-, while -ER/-IR verbs use -ía-, then add person markers.
| -AR | -ER/-IR | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -aba | -ía |
| tú | -abas | -ías |
| él/ella | -aba | -ía |
| nosotros | -ábamos | -íamos |
| vosotros | -abais | -íais |
| ellos | -aban | -ían |
Future
Attach stressed endings to the FULL INFINITIVE. Same for all verb types! Based on present tense of haber.
| ALL verbs | |
|---|---|
| yo | -é |
| tú | -ás |
| él/ella | -á |
| nosotros | -emos |
| vosotros | -éis |
| ellos | -án |
Conditional
Same as imperfect -ER/-IR endings, but attached to full infinitive. Uses same stems as future.
| ALL verbs | |
|---|---|
| yo | -ía |
| tú | -ías |
| él/ella | -ía |
| nosotros | -íamos |
| vosotros | -íais |
| ellos | -ían |
Present Subjunctive
THE FLIP! Take the yo form, drop -o, then add OPPOSITE theme vowel. -AR gets E, -ER/-IR get A.
| -AR → uses E | -ER/-IR → uses A | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -e | -a |
| tú | -es | -as |
| él/ella | -e | -a |
| nosotros | -emos | -amos |
| vosotros | -éis | -áis |
| ellos | -en | -an |
The Subjunctive Vowel Flip
Imperfect Subjunctive
Take 3rd person plural preterite, drop -ron, add -ra endings. Alternative: -se endings.
| ALL verbs (-ra) | |
|---|---|
| yo | -ra |
| tú | -ras |
| él/ella | -ra |
| nosotros | -ramos |
| vosotros | -rais |
| ellos | -ran |
Non-finite Forms
Gerund (Present Participle)
-AR verbs use -ando, while -ER/-IR verbs use -iendo
Past Participle
-AR verbs use -ado, while -ER/-IR verbs use -ido
Key Insights
- Simple tenses (present, preterite, imperfect) are built from: stem + tense marker + person
- Future and conditional are unique: they attach to the full infinitive
- Subjunctive present uses the opposite theme vowel — this is the famous “vowel flip”
- Subjunctive imperfect is derived from the preterite 3rd person plural
- Person markers (-s, -mos, -is, -n) appear consistently across most tenses
Ready to see these patterns in real verbs?
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