Module 3: Exploring the Past, Present, and Future Tenses

In this module, we will dive into verb conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses. Understanding these tenses will help you talk about actions that have already happened, are happening now, or will happen in the future. This module is key for expanding your ability to express yourself in Spanish beyond basic phrases.

Lesson 1: Present Tense (Conjugating Regular Verbs)

Regular -ar Verbs:

Hablar – to speak

yo hablo – I speak
tú hablas – you speak
él/ella/usted habla – he/she/you (formal) speak
nosotros/as hablamos – we speak
vosotros/as habláis – you all speak (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes hablan – they/you all speak

Estudiar – to study

yo estudio – I study
tú estudias – you study
él/ella/usted estudia – he/she/you (formal) study
nosotros/as estudiamos – we study
vosotros/as estudiáis – you all study (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes estudian – they/you all study

Trabajar – to work

yo trabajo – I work
tú trabajas – you work
él/ella/usted trabaja – he/she/you (formal) work
nosotros/as trabajamos – we work
vosotros/as trabajáis – you all work (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes trabajan – they/you all work

Note: In conversation, when the subject is implied by the verb conjugation, the pronoun is not necessary. For example, Trabajo means “I work”. The pronoun Yo is not typically used. We would simply say, Trabajo mucho. I work a lot.

Regular -er Verbs:

Comer – to eat

yo como – I eat
tú comes – you eat
él/ella/usted come – he/she/you (formal) eat
nosotros/as comemos – we eat
vosotros/as coméis – you all eat (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes comen – they/you all eat

Beber – to drink

yo bebo – I drink
tú bebes – you drink
él/ella/usted bebe – he/she/you (formal) drink
nosotros/as bebemos – we drink
vosotros/as bebéis – you all drink (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes beben – they/you all drink

Leer – to read

yo leo – I read
tú lees – you read
él/ella/usted lee – he/she/you (formal) read
nosotros/as leemos – we read
vosotros/as leéis – you all read (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes leen – they/you all read

Regular -ir Verbs:

Vivir – to live

yo vivo – I live
tú vives – you live
él/ella/usted vive – he/she/you (formal) live
nosotros/as vivimos – we live
vosotros/as vivís – you all live (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes viven – they/you all live

Escribir – to write

yo escribo – I write
tú escribes – you write
él/ella/usted escribe – he/she/you (formal) write
nosotros/as escribimos – we write
vosotros/as escribís – you all write (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes escriben – they/you all write

Abrir – to open

yo abro – I open
tú abres – you open
él/ella/usted abre – he/she/you (formal) open
nosotros/as abrimos – we open
vosotros/as abrís – you all open (Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes abren – they/you all open

Lesson 2: Past Tense – Preterite (Simple Past) and Imperfect

Regular -ar Verbs in the Preterite and Imperfect

The Preterite and Imperfect Tenses are two ways to express actions that happened in the past. Here are some examples:

Hablar (to speak)

Preterite:

yo hablé – I spoke
tú hablaste – you spoke (informal)
él/ella/usted habló – he/she/you (formal) spoke
nosotros/nosotras hablamos – we spoke
vosotros/vosotras hablasteis – you all spoke (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes hablaron – they/you all spoke

Imperfect:

yo hablaba – I was speaking / I used to speak
tú hablabas – you were speaking / you used to speak (informal)
él/ella/usted hablaba – he/she/you (formal) was speaking / used to speak
nosotros/nosotras hablábamos – we were speaking / we used to speak
vosotros/vosotras hablabais – you all were speaking / you all used to speak (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes hablaban – they/you all were speaking / used to speak

Estudiar (to study)

Preterite:

yo estudié – I studied
tú estudiaste – you studied (informal)
él/ella/usted estudió – he/she/you (formal) studied
nosotros/nosotras estudiamos – we studied
vosotros/vosotras estudiasteis – you all studied (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes estudiaron – they/you all studied

Imperfect:

yo estudiaba – I was studying / I used to study
tú estudiabas – you were studying / you used to study (informal)
él/ella/usted estudiaba – he/she/you (formal) was studying / used to study
nosotros/nosotras estudiábamos – we were studying / we used to study
vosotros/vosotras estudiabais – you all were studying / used to study (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes estudiaban – they/you all were studying / used to study

Trabajar (to work)

Preterite:

yo trabajé – I worked
tú trabajaste – you worked (informal)
él/ella/usted trabajó – he/she/you (formal) worked
nosotros/nosotras trabajamos – we worked
vosotros/vosotras trabajasteis – you all worked (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes trabajaron – they/you all worked

Imperfect:

yo trabajaba – I was working / I used to work
tú trabajabas – you were working / you used to work (informal)
él/ella/usted trabajaba – he/she/you (formal) was working / used to work
nosotros/nosotras trabajábamos – we were working / we used to work
vosotros/vosotras trabajabais – you all were working / used to work (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes trabajaban – they/you all were working / used to work

Regular -er Verbs in the Preterite and Imperfect

Comer (to eat)

Preterite:

yo comí – I ate
tú comiste – you ate (informal)
él/ella/usted comió – he/she/you (formal) ate
nosotros/nosotras comimos – we ate
vosotros/vosotras comisteis – you all ate (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes comieron – they/you all ate

Imperfect:

yo comía – I was eating / I used to eat
tú comías – you were eating / you used to eat (informal)
él/ella/usted comía – he/she/you (formal) was eating / used to eat
nosotros/nosotras comíamos – we were eating / we used to eat
vosotros/vosotras comíais – you all were eating / you all used to eat (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes comían – they/you all were eating / used to eat

Beber (to drink)

Preterite:

yo bebí – I drank
tú bebiste – you drank (informal)
él/ella/usted bebió – he/she/you (formal) drank
nosotros/nosotras bebimos – we drank
vosotros/vosotras bebisteis – you all drank (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes bebieron – they/you all drank

Imperfect:

yo bebía – I was drinking / I used to drink
tú bebías – you were drinking / you used to drink (informal)
él/ella/usted bebía – he/she/you (formal) was drinking / used to drink
nosotros/nosotras bebíamos – we were drinking / we used to drink
vosotros/vosotras bebíais – you all were drinking / you all used to drink (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes bebían – they/you all were drinking / used to drink

Leer (to read)

Preterite:

yo leí – I read
tú leíste – you read (informal)
él/ella/usted leyó – he/she/you (formal) read
nosotros/nosotras leímos – we read
vosotros/vosotras leísteis – you all read (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes leyeron – they/you all read

Imperfect:

yo leía – I was reading / I used to read
tú leías – you were reading / you used to read (informal)
él/ella/usted leía – he/she/you (formal) was reading / used to read
nosotros/nosotras leíamos – we were reading / we used to read
vosotros/vosotras leíais – you all were reading / you all used to read (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes leían – they/you all were reading / used to read

Regular -ir Verbs in the Preterite and Imperfect

Vivir (to live)

Preterite:

- yo viví – I lived
- tú viviste – you lived (informal)
- él/ella/usted vivió – he/she/you (formal) lived
- nosotros/nosotras vivimos – we lived
- vosotros/vosotras vivisteis – you all lived (informal, Spain)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes vivieron – they/you all lived

Imperfect:

- yo vivía – I was living / I used to live
- tú vivías – you were living / you used to live (informal)
- él/ella/usted vivía – he/she/you (formal) was living / used to live
- nosotros/nosotras vivíamos – we were living / we used to live
- vosotros/vosotras vivíais – you all were living / you all used to live (informal, Spain)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes vivían – they/you all were living / used to live

Escribir (to write)

Preterite:

- yo escribí – I wrote
- tú escribiste – you wrote (informal)
- él/ella/usted escribió – he/she/you (formal) wrote
- nosotros/nosotras escribimos – we wrote
- vosotros/vosotras escribisteis – you all wrote (informal, Spain)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes escribieron – they/you all wrote

Imperfect:

- yo escribía – I was writing / I used to write
- tú escribías – you were writing / you used to write (informal)
- él/ella/usted escribía – he/she/you (formal) was writing / used to write
- nosotros/nosotras escribíamos – we were writing / we used to write
- vosotros/vosotras escribíais – you all were writing / you all used to write (informal, Spain)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes escribían – they/you all were writing / used to write

Abrir (to open)

Preterite:

- yo abrí – I opened
- tú abriste – you opened (informal)
- él/ella/usted abrió – he/she/you (formal) opened
- nosotros/nosotras abrimos – we opened
- vosotros/vosotras abristeis – you all opened (informal, Spain)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes abrieron – they/you all opened

Imperfect:

yo abría – I was opening / I used to open
tú abrías – you were opening / you used to open (informal)
él/ella/usted abría – he/she/you (formal) was opening / used to open
nosotros/nosotras abríamos – we were opening / we used to open
vosotros/vosotras abríais – you all were opening / you all used to open (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes abrían – they/you all were opening / used to open

Lesson 3: Future Tense – Simple Future

Regular Verbs in the Simple Future Tense:

Hablar (to speak)

- yo hablaré – I will speak
- tú hablarás – you will speak (informal)
- él/ella/usted hablará – he/she/you (formal) will speak
- nosotros/nosotras hablaremos – we will speak
- vosotros/vosotras hablaréis – you all will speak (informal, Spain)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes hablarán – they/you all will speak

Comer (to eat)

- yo comeré – I will eat
- tú comerás – you will eat (informal)
- él/ella/usted comerá – he/she/you (formal) will eat
- nosotros/nosotras comeremos – we will eat
- vosotros/vosotras comeréis – you all will eat (informal, Spain)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes comerán – they/you all will eat

Vivir (to live)

yo viviré – I will live
tú vivirás – you will live (informal)
él/ella/usted vivirá – he/she/you (formal) will live
nosotros/nosotras viviremos – we will live
vosotros/vosotras viviréis – you all will live (informal, Spain)
ellos/ellas/ustedes vivirán – they/you all will live

Lesson 4: Irregular Verbs in the Preterite and Future Tenses

Common Irregular Verbs in the Preterite:

Ser (to be) – Fui (I was)
Ir (to go) – Fui (I went)
Tener (to have) – Tuve (I had)
Hacer (to do / make) – Hice (I did)
Estar (to be) – Estuve (I was)

Common Irregular Verbs in the Future:

Tener (to have) – Tendré (I will have)
Hacer (to do / make) – Haré (I will do)
Poder (to be able to) – Podré (I will be able to)
Decir (to say) – Diré (I will say)
Venir (to come) – Vendré (I will come)

Click here for a full list of common irregular verbs

Lesson 5: Asking Questions and Negative Sentences

Forming Questions:

¿Qué? – What?
¿Quién? – Who?
¿Dónde? – Where?
¿Cuándo? – When?
¿Por qué? – Why?
¿Cómo? – How?

Example:

¿Dónde vives? – Where do you live?
¿Qué hiciste ayer? – What did you do yesterday?

Negative Sentences:

No – No
No quiero – I don’t want
No entiendo – I don’t understand

Example:

No hablé – I didn’t speak
No voy a comer – I’m not going to eat

Lesson 6: Expressing Preferences and Opinions

Expressing Likes and Dislikes:

Me gusta – I like
No me gusta – I don’t like
Me encanta – I love
No me gusta nada – I don’t like it at all

Examples:

Me gusta helado – I like ice cream
No me gusta personas malas – I don’t like bad people
Me encanta la música

Expressing Preferences:

Prefiero – I prefer
Me gustaría – I would like
Me parece bien – It seems good to me

Examples:

Prefiero el té – I prefer tea
Me gustaría ir al cine – I would like to go to the movies

End of Module 3: Review

By the end of this module, you will have gained a solid understanding of how to use the present, past (preterite), and future tenses in Spanish. This will allow you to talk about a wider range of topics and express actions happening now, in the past, or in the future.