CEFR A1
What you will learn
- Separate the infinitive stem from -ar, -er or -ir.
- Select the regular present ending that matches the subject.
- Omit a subject pronoun when the verb form and context identify the subject without contrast.
Before you start
- Recognise a verb infinitive and the persons yo, tú, él/ella, nosotros, vosotros and ellos.
- Distinguish a singular from a plural subject in a short sentence.
The idea
A regular verb combines a stable stem with an ending that marks person and number.
The infinitive ends in -ar, -er or -ir. Remove those two letters to find the stem: cantar → cant-, beber → beb-, vivir → viv-. Then add the ending for the family and person. For example, nosotros + comer makes comemos and vosotros + vivir makes vivís. The written accent in forms such as habláis, coméis and salís is part of the word.
Because the ending usually identifies the subject, Spanish can omit the pronoun in a neutral description: Estudio español. It is expressed to clarify, contrast or emphasise: Yo estudio español, pero ella estudia italiano. This is a context-sensitive choice, not an absolute ban.
Complete regular present
| Person | hablar (-ar) | comer (-er) | vivir (-ir) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablo | como | vivo |
| tú | hablas | comes | vives |
| él / ella / usted | habla | come | vive |
| nosotros / nosotras | hablamos | comemos | vivimos |
| vosotros / vosotras | habláis | coméis | vivís |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablan | comen | viven |
Ustedes always takes the third-person plural form; vosotros/vosotras is Spain's informal plural form.
How it sounds
- Cada mañana canto en casa.Cant- is the stem; -o marks first-person singular.
- Mis amigos comen en casa cada noche.Comen agrees with a third-person plural subject.
- Yo trabajo aquí, pero ella vive lejos.The pronouns make the contrast between two subjects explicit.
Open the infinitiveTry another case
Write the stem and infinitive ending of bailar.
New verb: write the stem and infinitive ending of escribir.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Stem: bail; Ending: -ar
Bailar divides into bail- + -ar.
Answer: Stem: escrib; Ending: -ir
Escribir divides into escrib- + -ir.
Build the formTry another case
Complete with the present of aprender: Lucía y yo ___ juntas.
New subject and family: vosotros ___ la puerta. (abrir)
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Verb form: aprendemos
Aprend- + -emos produces aprendemos.
Answer: Verb form: abrís
Abr- + -ís produces abrís; abris without the accent is not the correct written form.
Pronoun: context, not reflexTry another case
A person continues a neutral routine: “Cada tarde ___ español y descanso”. Choose the most natural option and its reason.
Now there is a contrast: “Marta estudia francés; ___ estudio español”. Choose the option that makes it explicit and its reason.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: estudio: the verb form is enough — The speaker describes their own routine: estudio marks first person singular, and no contrast calls for an explicit yo.
Estudio identifies the speaker; yo would be possible, but here it would add a contrast the context does not call for.
Answer: yo: makes the contrast explicit — The explicit first-person yo places the speaker in contrast with Marta, whose different language is named in the preceding clause.
Yo makes the contrast between Marta and the speaker explicit.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Yo trabajo aquí y yo estudio español y yo vivo cerca.
Right Trabajo aquí, estudio español y vivo cerca.
The repetition is grammatical, but in a neutral description it adds emphasis the context does not call for.
Challenge: a routine across three families
Write one sentence with Lucía y yo and the verbs cocinar, beber and compartir in the present. Do not repeat the pronoun after the named subject.
Answer available without interaction
- Include all three verbs in one sentence while preserving their stems.
- Each form follows its verb family and agrees with the named subject.
- Keep the coordination clear without repeating a pronoun after the subject.
Answer: Cada sábado, Lucía y yo cocinamos, bebemos agua y compartimos la comida.
Cocinamos, bebemos and compartimos agree with Lucía y yo; the subject is named once and governs the whole coordination.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- A1 uses a very basic range of expressions and some basic one-clause structures; the regular present enables short statements about routines and personal details. · CEFR descriptors search
- A1 inventory: regular present paradigms, present actual and durative values, agreement between subject and verb, and normal absence of an unnecessary subject pronoun. · Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes: Gramática, inventario A1-A2
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: You do not say “yo” every timePractise this: “Tú” or “usted”: one English “you”, two Spanish onesEverything agrees: nouns, articles and adjectivesOne English “to be”, three Spanish choicesEssential irregular present forms for A1