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Learn Regular -ER in the Spanish present tense

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Regular -ER

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Step 1 · Learn

Understand this topic.

Read the explanation and examples, then continue when the pattern is clear.

Beginner grammar lesson

Regular -ER verbs in the Spanish present tense

The Spanish present tense is essential for everyday communication. You use it to talk about what you eat, drink, read and learn, what you do regularly, and what is true in your life now.

Regular -ER verbs follow a predictable pattern. Once you know the six endings, you can conjugate many useful verbs.

comerto eatbeberto drinkaprenderto learnleerto readvenderto sellcorrerto runresponderto answercomprenderto understanddebershould, must, or to owebarrerto sweepromperto breakprometerto promisedependerto dependcreerto believe
Forming regular -ER verbs

Remove -er, keep the stem and add the ending that agrees with the subject.

Subject or verbPatternExample
yo-ocomo
tú-escomes
él, ella, usted-ecome
nosotros, nosotras-emoscomemos
vosotros, vosotras-éiscoméis
ellos, ellas, ustedes-encomen
1. What is the Spanish present tense used for?

Use the present for habits, current situations, general facts, actions happening now and near-future plans with a clear time expression.

Como fruta en el desayuno.I eat fruit for breakfast.
Bebemos agua durante la comida.We drink water during the meal.
Ella lee antes de dormir.She reads before going to sleep.
Aprendo español.I am learning Spanish.
Vendemos pan en esta tienda.We sell bread in this store.
Ella comprende la pregunta.She understands the question.
Los estudiantes aprenden con la práctica.Students learn through practice.
Los niños cometen errores cuando aprenden.Children make mistakes when they learn.
2. Compare -AR and -ER endings

Check both the subject and the infinitive family. A correct subject with the wrong verb-family ending is still incorrect.

yo: comoCompare regular -AR hablo
tú: comesCompare regular -AR hablas
él, ella, usted: comeCompare regular -AR habla
nosotros: comemosCompare regular -AR hablamos
vosotros: coméisCompare regular -AR habláis
ellos, ellas, ustedes: comenCompare regular -AR hablan
3. Keep adjacent vowels in leer and creer

Leer and creer remain regular, but their stems end in a vowel. Keep both adjacent vowels in the complete form.

ella lee / ellos leenKeep both vowels in leer.
ella cree / ellos creenKeep both vowels in creer.
4. Deber followed by an infinitive

Conjugate deber, but keep the second verb in the infinitive.

Debo estudiar.I should study.
Debemos llegar a tiempo.We must arrive on time.
5. Common mistakes
Yo comer en casa.Yo como en casa.

The infinitive must be conjugated.

Ella coma en casa.Ella come en casa.

A regular -ER verb uses -e, not the -AR ending -a.

Usted bebes café.Usted bebe café.

Usted uses the same form as él and ella.

Ana y Carlos aprende español.Ana y Carlos aprenden español.

Two people require the plural ending -en.

Nosotros comen aquí.Nosotros comemos aquí.

Nosotros and nosotras use -emos.

Nosotros comamos en casa.Nosotros comemos en casa.

Regular -ER verbs use -emos, not the -AR ending -amos.

Vosotros comprendeis la pregunta.Vosotros comprendéis la pregunta.

The ending -éis requires a written accent.

Ella le un libro.Ella lee un libro.

Keep both adjacent vowels in leer.

Ellos cren la historia.Ellos creen la historia.

Keep both adjacent vowels in creer.

Debes llegas temprano.Debes llegar temprano.

Only deber is conjugated; the second verb remains an infinitive.

¿Haces tú comer aquí?¿Comes aquí?

Spanish forms the question directly with the conjugated verb.

6. A reliable method
  1. Confirm that the infinitive ends in -ER.
  2. Identify who performs the action.
  3. Remove -er.
  4. Add the ending that matches the subject.
  5. Read the complete sentence again.

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