If you’re learning Spanish, the present tense (presente del indicativo) will soon become your daily companion.
You use it to talk about your life, your habits, your thoughts, and the things that are true for you right now — even if they’re not happening this exact second.
Think about it: every time you introduce yourself, describe your routine, or share what you like, you’re already using the present tense.
Let’s explore how it works ✨
💬 When to use the present tense
In Spanish, we use the presente del indicativo for everyday life — not just for actions happening right now.
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| 🕗 Talking about habits or routines | Mi mamá cocina muy bien. |
| 🌎 Talking about general truths | Los perros ladran. |
| 💭 Expressing thoughts, feelings, or present actions | ¿Qué piensas? / Quiero descansar. |
💡 Note:
Many English speakers confuse the Spanish present tense with the “present continuous.”
In Spanish:
- Trabajo en casa → I work from home (general fact).
- Estoy trabajando en casa → I’m working from home (action happening now).
So, don’t worry — you’ll use the simple present much more often than in English.
✍️ Regular verbs: the foundation
Spanish verbs are grouped by their endings: -ar, -er, and -ir.
Once you learn the pattern, you can conjugate dozens of verbs easily.
| Type | Ending | Verb | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella/Usted | Nosotros/as | Ellos/as/Ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ First group | -ar | hablar | hablo | hablas | habla | hablamos | hablan |
| 2️⃣ Second group | -er | comer | como | comes | come | comemos | comen |
| 3️⃣ Third group | -ir | vivir | vivo | vives | vive | vivimos | viven |
Examples:
Hablo español todos los días.
Comes muy saludable.
Vivimos en una ciudad pequeña.
💡 Tip:
Learning these endings is like having a master key — once you know them, you can unlock hundreds of verbs.
🚿 Reflexive verbs: talking about yourself
Reflexive verbs describe actions you do to yourself — like me levanto (I get up) or me visto (I get dressed).
They use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, se) before the verb.
| Verb | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella | Nosotros/as | Ellos/as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lavarse | me lavo | te lavas | se lava | nos lavamos | se lavan |
🧴 Common reflexive verbs:
ducharse, vestirse, levantarse, acostarse, peinarse, afeitarse, prepararse.
Examples:
Me levanto temprano todos los días.
Nos acostamos tarde los fines de semana.
💡 Tip:
In English, you don’t always say “myself,” but in Spanish, it’s essential. Think of me levanto as “I lift myself up.”
🌸 Stem-changing verbs (irregular in the root)
Some verbs change their internal vowel in certain forms — these are called stem-changing verbs. They change in all forms except “nosotros/as”.
| Type of change | Verb | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella/Usted | Nosotros/as | Ellos/as/Ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| o → ue | volver | vuelvo | vuelves | vuelve | volvemos | vuelven |
| e → ie | querer | quiero | quieres | quiere | queremos | quieren |
| e → i | pedir | pido | pides | pide | pedimos | piden |
| u → ue | jugar | juego | juegas | juega | jugamos | juegan |
Examples:
Yo vuelvo a casa temprano.
Tú quieres aprender español.
Ellos piden ayuda en clase.
Nosotros jugamos los domingos.
💡 Tip:
You can remember it easily — the stem vowel changes only when it’s stressed.
⚡ Totally irregular verbs
Some verbs don’t follow any pattern — but don’t panic!
You’ll hear and use them often, so you’ll remember them naturally.
| Verb | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella | Nosotros/as | Ellos/as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ir | voy | vas | va | vamos | van |
| oír | oigo | oyes | oye | oímos | oyen |
| oler | huelo | hueles | huele | olemos | huelen |
| huir | huyo | huyes | huye | huimos | huyen |
Examples:
Voy al gimnasio todos los días.
Oigo música cuando estudio.
Huelo las flores del jardín.
💡 Tip:
These verbs appear everywhere — in songs, conversations, and movies. Pay attention and you’ll start recognizing them easily.
💬 SER and ESTAR — the two “to be” verbs
In Spanish, we have two verbs that mean “to be”: ser and estar.
They’re small words with a big personality — and knowing when to use each will make your Spanish sound much more natural.
| Verb | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella | Nosotros/as | Ellos/as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ser | soy | eres | es | somos | son |
| estar | estoy | estás | está | estamos | están |
Ser is for who you are — your identity, profession, or permanent traits:
👉 Soy profesora.
👉 Somos amigos desde la infancia.
Estar is for how you feel or where you are right now:
👉 Estoy cansada.
👉 Estamos en casa.
💡 Remember:
Ser = what you are.
Estar = how you are.
📚 Want to master them?
Check out my full article 👉 SER vs ESTAR: cómo usarlos sin confundirte. It includes simple rules, examples, and a free practice sheet to help you finally feel confident with both verbs.
📝 Your turn!
Now it’s time to practice.
Write five sentences about yourself using the presente del indicativo:
1️⃣ A daily habit
2️⃣ A general truth
3️⃣ A thought or desire
4️⃣ A reflexive verb
5️⃣ An irregular verb
Example:
Me levanto temprano, tomo café y trabajo desde casa. ☕
💡 Tip:
Writing about your real life is one of the best ways to remember new verbs — because every word means something to you.
✨ In short
The present tense is everywhere — in your routines, your thoughts, and your daily conversations. It’s your key to expressing yourself in Spanish naturally and confidently.
Remember: Poco a poco, tu español mejora.
📚 Free download
👉 Download your free Presente del indicativo study sheet with examples and conjugations:
Presente del indicativo – PDF gratuito
Learning Spanish, poco a poco 