15 Spanish Verbs for Beginners: A PDF List and Conjugations

Our list of Spanish verbs for beginners is perfect for those who are motivated to start speaking Spanish right away. Is that you?

While there are thousands of verbs in Spanish, you’ll be fully equipped to survive in a Spanish conversation after mastering only 15 of them!

This handy list of Spanish verbs for beginners is printable and easy to take on-the-go to assist you in communicating with native Spanish speakers.

As we present the conjugations of each verb on our list, we share links with more details and practical ways to use the verb in conversations (check out these common expressions, too!).

Set yourself up for success by understanding how to become conversant in Spanish and use these Spanish verbs for beginners as a stepping stone to your goal to fluency! 

15 Most Important Spanish Verbs for Beginners

To speak conversational Spanish quickly, these 15 essential Spanish verbs for beginners will give you the heard start you need to survive a conversation completely in Spanish.

In each of the following sections, we only discuss the verb in the present simple tense. Note that the irregularity and conjugations will change for other tenses. 

To learn more about other conjugation forms, click on the link to a free verb lesson at the end of each section.

1. Tener = to have (an object or feeling)

Yo tengo miedo de hablar en público.

I am scared to talk in public. (literally: I have fear)

Ella tiene el documento para ti. 

She has the document for you.

Nosotros tenemos algunas ideas para el proyecto.

We have some ideas for the project. 

Tener is an irregular verb with a stem-change in most conjugations and an irregular yo form. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	tengo
Tú	tienes
Usted	tiene
Él, ella	tiene
Nosotros	tenemos
Ellos, ellas	tienen
Ustedes	tienen

Verbs like contener (to contain), mantener (to maintain), retener (to retain), detener (to stop), and obtener (to obtain) all have the same conjugation forms. 

Get all the details: Tener Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

2. Querer = to want, to love 

Yo quiero viajar a Rusia. 

I want to travel to Russia. 

Él quiere verte pronto.

He wants to see you soon.

Ellos quieren mucho a su hermanita pequeña.

They love their little sister very much. 

Querer is an irregular stem-changing verb. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	quiero
Tú	quieres
Usted	quiere
Él, ella	quiere
Nosotros	queremos
Ellos, ellas	quieren
Ustedes	quieren

Get all the details: Querer Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

3. Hacer = to do, to make

Yo hago todo en la casa.

I do everything around the house.

Usted hace un trabajo impecable.

You do impeccable work. 

Nosotros hacemos pan para mañana.

We’re making bread for tomorrow.

Hacer is only irregular in the yo form. The other conjugations are normal.

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	hago
Tú	haces
Usted	hace
Él, ella	hace
Nosotros	hacemos
Ellos, ellas	hacen
Ustedes	hacen

The verbs deshacer (to undo) and rehacer (to redo) use the same conjugation forms as hacer. 

Get all the details: Hacer Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

4. Pedir = to ask for

Yo te pido un favor. 

I ask you for a favor.

Ella me pide dinero cada mes.

She asks me for money every month.

Nosotros pedimos los documentos de la recepcionista.

We ask for the documents from the receptionist.

Pedir is a stem-changing verb in which -e- changes to an -i- in most forms. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	pido
Tú	pides
Usted	pide
Él, ella	pide
Nosotros	pedimos
Ellos, ellas	piden
Ustedes	piden

Get all the details: Pedir Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

5. Ser = to be (permanent situations)

Hoy es lunes. 

Today is Monday.

Ella es doctora.

She is a doctor. 

Ellos son altos.

They are tall.

Ser is one of the few verbs that is completely irregular. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	soy
Tú	eres
Usted	es
Él, ella	es
Nosotros	somos
Ellos, ellas	son
Ustedes	son

Get all the details: Ser Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

6. Saber = to know (facts and information)

Yo no sé.

I don’t know.

Usted sabe todas las respuestas.

You know all the answers. 

Ellos ya saben lo que pasó.

They already know what happened. 

Saber is only irregular in the yo form. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	sé
Tú	sabes
Usted	sabe
Él, ella	sabe
Nosotros	sabemos
Ellos, ellas	saben
Ustedes	saben

Get all the details: Saber Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

7. Jugar = to play (games and sports)

Yo juego baloncesto.

I play basketball.

Tú juegas ajedrez.

You play chess.

Ellos juegan fútbol juntos.

They play soccer together.

Jugar is a stem-changing verb in which -u- changes to -ue- in most forms.

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	juego
Tú	juegas
Usted	juega
Él, ella	juega
Nosotros	jugamos
Ellos, ellas	juegan
Ustedes	juegan

Get all the details: Jugar Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

8. Dar = to give

Yo te doy la respuesta enseguida.

I’ll give you the answer right away.

Ella da buenas clases.

She gives good classes.

Nosotros le damos un regalo.

We give him a gift.

Dar is only slightly irregular in the yo form. All other conjugations are regular.

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	doy
Tú	das
Usted	da
Él, ella	da
Nosotros	damos
Ellos, ellas	dan
Ustedes	dan

Get all the details: Dar Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

9. Estar = to be (temporary situations)

Yo estoy muy feliz hoy.

I am very happy today.

¿Está usted en el hospital?

Are you at the hospital?

Nosotros estamos cerca. 

We are close.

While estar looks regular, it is actually irregular because of the accent marks in many conjugations. The yo form is also irregular.

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	estoy
Tú	estás
Usted	está
Él, ella	está
Nosotros	estamos
Ellos, ellas	están
Ustedes	están

Get all the details: Estar Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs.

10. Llevar = to take, to carry

Yo llevo la mochila conmigo.

I take my backpack with me.

Ella lleva el perro en sus brazos.

She carries the dog in her arms. 

Ellos llevan el pastel a la fiesta.

They’re taking the cake to the party.

Llevar is a regular verb.

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	llevo
Tú	llevas
Usted	lleva
Él, ella	lleva
Nosotros	llevamos
Ellos, ellas	llevan
Ustedes	llevan

Get all the details: Llevar Conjugation: Free Spanish Class, Exercises, and PDFs.

11. Ir = to go

Yo voy a la biblioteca.

I’m going to the library.

Tú vas con él al supermercado.

You’re going with him to the supermarket.

Ellas van al cine.

They are going to the movie theater.

Ir is an irregular verb. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	voy
Tú	vas
Usted	va
Él, ella	va
Nosotros	vamos
Ellos, ellas	van
Ustedes	van

Get all the details: Ir Conjugation: A Spanish Verb Lesson for Inspired Beginners.

12. Haber = to have (as a helping verb), there is + there are

Hay tres manzanas en la mesa.

There are three apples on the table. 

Hay un perro afuera.

There is a dog outside. 

Yo he estudiado mucho. 

I have studied a lot.

Haber is a unique verb. When you use it as “there is” or “there are,” it has only one irregular form (hay). Meanwhile, as a helping verb, all the conjugations of haber are irregular. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	he
Tú	has
Usted	ha
Él, ella	ha
Nosotros	hemos
Ellos, ellas	han
Ustedes	han

English	Spanish
There is	hay
There are	hay

Get all the details: Haber Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDFs. 

13. Gustar = to please, to like

Me gustan las películas cómicas.

I like funny movies. 

¿Te gusta la comida?

Do you like the food?

Nos gusta ir a la ciudad cada fin de semana.

We like going to the city every weekend.

Gustar is a regular verb, but pay special attention to the sentence structure where the object becomes the subject. 

Instead of saying “yo gusto los perros” (incorrect), you say “me gustan los perros” (which means, “dogs please me”). As such, the third person conjugations gusta and gustan are more common than the others. 

The verb gustar always follows a pronoun (me, te, le, nos). 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	gusto
Tú	gustas
Usted	gusta
Él, ella	gusta
Nosotros	gustamos
Ellos, ellas	gustan
Ustedes	gustan

Disgustar, the opposite of gustar, uses the same conjugations listed above. 

Learn how to use gustar: 21 Verbs like Gustar You Should Start Using in Spanish Conversation.

14. Acabar = to finish, just

Acabo mi curso el siguiente mes.

I finish my course next month.

Ya acaba la presentación.

The presentation is ending soon.

Él acaba de salir.

He just left.

Acabar is a regular verb. Whenever you use it before de + infinitive verb, it translates to “just.”

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	acabo
Tú	acabas
Usted	acaba
Él, ella	acaba
Nosotros	acabamos
Ellos, ellas	acaban
Ustedes	acaban

Get all the details: The Only Guide You Need to Use the Spanish Verb ‘Acabar.’

15. Conocer = to know (to be familiar with, to know people)

Yo no te conozco.

I don’t know you. 

Conocemos España.

We are familiar with Spain.

Ustedes conocen a María.

You all know María. 

Conocer is a regular verb in all forms except the yo form. 

Pronoun	Conjugation
Yo	conozco
Tú	conoces
Usted	conoce
Él, ella	conoce
Nosotros	conocemos
Ellos, ellas	conocen
Ustedes	conocen

The verb desconocer (to not know) has the same conjugation form. 

Learn more about conocer: Saber vs. Conocer: Get to Know These Spanish Verbs

Practice These 15 Key Spanish Verbs for Beginners

Now that you have the complete overview of the 15 most important Spanish verbs for beginners, it’s time to commit them to long-term memory by using them in everyday speech. If you don’t have someone to practice Spanish with, sign up for a free trial class with us!

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