Verbs for beginners - where to start

by Alba Castro

Today I want to give you a list of verbs in Spanish that I find useful for beginners, so in case you're wondering what actions you should start learning, this is my answer.

Also, I've included if they are irregular in any verbal tense, just to give you an idea and a heads up!

I included a few reflexive verbs, specially in the daily activities section, so check out this grid and theory on reflexive and pronominal verbs if you want to understand those more. I'll put an (R) next to them.

If you're wondering, they are exactly 142 verbs. I didn't want to aim for a certain number, it's guided by how often you'll need them, and I feel you need these ones in your arsenal to conquer your first Spanish step.

If I were you I'd start with 10 each week, and even maybe print this out and use highlighter pens.

¡Buena suerte!/ Good luck!

List of essential verbs

Day to day activities

  • Dormir: To sleep (irregular in present tense and preterite).

  • Trabajar: to work

  • Vivir - to live

  • Comer: To eat

  • Beber: To drink

  • Limpiar: To clean

  • Lavar: To wash / lavarse: to wash onself (R)

  • Cocinar: To cook

  • Comprar - to buy

  • Peinarse - to brush one's hair (R)

  • Ducharse - to shower (R)

  • Levantarse - to get up/stand up (R)

  • Despertarse - to wake up (R) (Irregular in present tense)

  • Acostarse - to go to bed (R) (Irregular in present tense)

  • Vestirse - to get dressed (R) (Irregular in present tense and preterite)

  • Desvestirse - to get undressed (R) (Same as "vestirse")

  • Tomar - to have food/drinks

  • Mirar - to look

  • Esperar: To wait, expect or hope

Moving around

  • Poner: to put (irregular in present tense, preterite, simple future, perfect tense and conditional) / ponerse: to put on

  • Quitar- to remove / quitarse: to take off

  • Meter: to put in

  • Sacar - to take out

  • Subir - to go up

  • Bajar - to go down

  • Entrar - to get/go in

  • Salir - to get out / go out (irregular in present tense, simple future, conditional )

  • Ir- to go (irregular in all tenses but simple future, conditional, perfect tense and near future, including present subjunctive)

  • Irse - to leave (R) (same irregularities than "ir")

  • Quedarse - to stay (R)

  • Quedar con - to meet with

  • Sentarse - to sit down (R) (Irregular in present tense)

  • Levantarse - to stand up, already mentioned before (R)

  • Tumbarse - to lay down (R)

  • Venir - to come (irregular in present tense, simple future, conditional and preterite)

  • Volver - to come back (irregular in present tense and perfect tense)

  • Caminar -to walk

  • Pasear -to go for a walk / to walk (a dog)

  • Abrir - to open (irregular in perfect tense)

  • Cerrar - to close (irregular in present)

  • Traer - to bring (irregular in present tense and preterite)

  • Conducir - to drive (irregular in present tense and preterite)

  • Llegar - to arrive

  • Moverse - to move

  • Mudarse- To move house

Passing the time

  • Leer: To read (irregular in preterite)

  • Ver: To see/watch (irregular in present, preterite, perfect tense and imperfect)

  • Practicar: To practice

  • Hacer: To do or make (irregular in all tenses apart from imperfect and near future)

  • Jugar: To play (sports)

  • Estudiar - to study

  • Correr - to run

  • Tocar: To play (instruments)

  • Escuchar: To listen to

  • Entrenar- To train / ensayar: to rehearse

  • Pintar - to paint

  • Dibujar - to draw

  • Cantar - to sing

  • Bailar - to dance

  • Visitar -to visit

  • Viajar -to travel

Internal actions

  • Recordar: to remember (irregular in present tense)

  • Soñar: To dream (irregular in present tense)

  • Sentirse: To feel (feelings) (R) (Irregular in present tense and preterite)

  • Preocuparse - to worry (R)

  • Alegrarse - to get happy/glad about something (R)

  • Enfadarse - to get angry (R)

  • Disfrutar - to enjoy

  • Sufrir - to suffer

  • Imaginar - to imagine

  • Pensar - to think (irregular in present tense)

  • Creer - to believe (irregular in preterite)

  • Aceptar - to accept

  • Suponer - to suppose

Communicating and relationships

  • Entender (irregular in present tense)/comprender - to understand

  • Explicar - to explain

  • Hablar - to talk

  • Decir - to say (irregular in all tenses but imperfect and near future)

  • Llamar - to call / name

  • Conocer - to know / meet for the first time (irregular in present tense)

  • Preguntar - to ask a question

  • Pedir - to ask for something /order (irregular in present tense, preterite)

  • Contar- to tell /count

  • Gritar - to yell /scream

  • Confirmar - to confirm

  • Enfatizar - to emphasize

  • Escribir - To write (irregular in perfect tense)

  • Discutir - to argue

  • Debatir - to debate

  • Negociar - to negotiate

  • Querer - to want / love someone (irregular in present tense, simple future and conditional)

  • Gustar - to like

  • Encantar - to love (something or to do something)

  • Besar - to kiss

  • Abrazar - to hug

  • Dar - To give (irregular in all tenses but both futures, perfect tense and conditional)

  • Recibir - to receive

  • Ofrecer - to offer

Other verbs

  • Empezar /comenzar - to start (irregular in present tense)

  • Terminar -to finish

  • Seguir - to continue / keep doing / follow (irregular in present tense and preterite)

  • Coger - to catch/ take / grab (irregular in present tense)

  • Ser/ estar - to be (irregular in all tenses, including present subjunctive, apart from simple future, near future, perfect tense and conditional. Also "estar" is not irregular in imperfect)

    Check out this blogpost to understand when to use "ser" and when "estar".

  • Saber - to know (irregular in present tense, preterite, simple future, present subjunctive and conditional).

  • Poder - to be able to /can (irregular in presente tense and preterite)

  • Romper -to break (irregular in perfect tense)

  • Arreglar - to fix /tidy up

  • Oír - to hear (irregular in present tense and preterite)

  • Morir - to die (irregular in present tense, preterite and perfect tense)

  • Ayudar (a)- to help

  • Cambiar - to change

  • Necesitar - to need

  • Dirigir - to direct (irregular in present tense)

  • Nacer -to be born (irregular in present tense)

  • Usar/utilizar -to use

  • Intentar- to try

  • Descubrir - to discover

  • Aparecer - to appear / show up (irregular in present tense)

  • Conseguir - to achieve /get (irregular in present and preterite)

  • Crear - to create

  • Guardar - to keep /save /to storage

  • Mantener -to maintain

  • Regalar - to give a gift

  • Observar - to observe

  • Doler - to hurt (irregular in present tense)

  • Tener - to have /own (irregular in all tenses but perfect tense, imperfect, near future and subjunctive)

  • Parecer - to seem or look

  • Ganar - to earn / win

  • Gastar -to spend

  • Pagar- to pay

  • Pasar - to pass /spend time

  • Perder - to lose (irregular in present tense)

  • Decorar - to decorate

  • Buscar - to look for

  • Encontrar - to find (irregular in present tense)

  • Dejar - to leave / let see all different meanings of "dejar"

  • Decidir - to decide

  • Elegir - to choose (irregular in present and preterite)

  • Llevar: To wear / bring / take time Read this blogpost to understand better the meanings of "llevar"

  • Tardar: To take time This blogpost explains when to use "tardar" and when "llevar"with this meaning

  • Haber - to exist /auxiliar tense - From here we have "hay" (there is/are),"había" (there was/were"), "habrá" (there will be)...

That is it! ¡Eso es todo!

Hope I've given you a point to start from and it all goes peachy with your Spanish! :D

¡Hasta luego!