Learn Spanish · Module 20
Present-Tense Foundations
I can understand and use the regular present-tense pattern with common -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
What you will learnSee how regular Spanish verbs move from infinitive → stem + person ending across -ar, -er, and -ir.
What you are learningPredict forms from the person and verb type instead of memorizing isolated sentences.
What you will showDescribe who does several known actions in different situations and use in a new situation the regular pattern to new regular verbs in step-by-step practice.
Important for now:Module 20 establishes the regular present-tense pattern. Irregular present forms are not learned here. One important note is explicit:cerraris learned as an infinitive but is not treated as a regular verb on this page because You will learn its special pattern later.
Lesson 1 · I can talk about a few common things I do using first-person present forms.
First-Person Everyday Verbs
Spanish ↔ English:English often keeps the same visible verb shape across several subjects. Spanish changes the verb ending. Start with paired examples:trabajar → trabajoandestudiar → estudio, while recalling knownhablar/habloandvivir/vivo.
New Spanish
trabajar
to work
Pronunciation:trah-bah-HAR
Infinitive: trabajarends in-ar. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
trabajo
I work
Pronunciation:trah-BAH-hoh
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
estudiar
to study
Pronunciation:eh-stoo-DYAR
Infinitive: estudiarends in-ar. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
estudio
I study
Pronunciation:eh-STOO-dyoh
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
como
I eat
Pronunciation:KOH-moh
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-erverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
Build & Connect:use the pattern in changed prompts before moving on.
What you learned:I can talk about a few common things I do using first-person present forms.
Lesson 2 · I can recognize the -ar, -er, and -ir Infinitive Types.
-AR, -ER & -IR Infinitives
Spanish ↔ English:the infinitive is the unconjugated “to…” form. Spanish regular infinitives end in-ar, -er, or -ir; that final infinitive ending tells you which present-ending set to use.
Build & Connect:use the pattern in changed prompts before moving on.
What you learned:I can recognize the -ar, -er, and -ir Infinitive Types.
Lesson 3 · I can understand how regular present-tense endings communicate who is acting.
Stem + Person Ending
Build & Connect:regular present forms can be read asstem + person/number ending. Because the ending often identifies who is acting, Spanish can omit a subject pronoun when the subject remains clear.
Build & Connect:use the pattern in changed prompts before moving on.
What you learned:I can understand how regular present-tense endings communicate who is acting.
I can predict regular present forms from pronoun + verb type.
Pronoun + Verb Ending Color Map
Visual grammar:connectsubject/personto theverb ending. You should predict the form instead of recalling one memorized sentence.
Build & Connect:use the pattern in changed prompts before moving on.
What you learned:I can predict regular present forms from pronoun + verb type.
Lesson 4 · I can use selected regular -ar present forms with singular subjects.
Regular Present: -AR
-AR singular map:yo-otú-asusted/él/ella-a. Use only the selected verbs learned here.
New Spanish
trabajas
you work — familiar singular
Pronunciation:trah-BAH-hahs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
trabaja
you work — respectful singular / he/she works
Pronunciation:trah-BAH-hah
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
estudias
you study — familiar singular
Pronunciation:eh-STOO-dyahs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
estudia
you study — respectful singular / he/she studies
Pronunciation:eh-STOO-dyah
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
hablas
you speak — familiar singular
Pronunciation:AH-blahs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
habla
you speak — respectful singular / he/she speaks
Pronunciation:AH-blah
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
What you learned:I can use selected regular -ar present forms with singular subjects.
Lesson 5 · I can use selected regular -er and -ir present forms with singular subjects.
Regular Present: -ER/-IR
-ER/-IR singular map:yo-otú-esusted/él/ella-e. -ER and -IR share these singular endings.
New Spanish
comes
you eat — familiar singular
Pronunciation:KOH-mehs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-erverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
come
you eat — respectful singular / he/she eats
Pronunciation:KOH-meh
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-erverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
vives
you live — familiar singular
Pronunciation:BEE-behs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-irverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
vive
you live — respectful singular / he/she lives
Pronunciation:BEE-beh
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-irverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
What you learned:I can use selected regular -er and -ir present forms with singular subjects.
Lesson 6 · I can use selected regular -ar forms with nosotros, ustedes, and ellos/ellas.
Regular Present Plural: -AR
-AR plural map:nosotros/nosotras-amosustedes/ellos/ellas-an. Mexican Spanish usesustedesactively for plural “you.”
New Spanish
trabajamos
we work
Pronunciation:trah-bah-HAH-mohs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
trabajan
you all work / they work
Pronunciation:trah-BAH-hahn
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
estudiamos
we study
Pronunciation:eh-stoo-DYAH-mohs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
estudian
you all study / they study
Pronunciation:eh-STOO-dyahn
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
hablamos
we speak
Pronunciation:ah-BLAH-mohs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
hablan
you all speak / they speak
Pronunciation:AH-blahn
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-arverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
What you learned:I can use selected regular -ar forms with nosotros, ustedes, and ellos/ellas.
Lesson 7 · I can use selected regular -er and -ir forms with nosotros, ustedes, and ellos/ellas.
Regular Present Plural: -ER/-IR
-ER/-IR plural map:-ER uses nosotros-emos, while -IR uses nosotros-imos; both use-enfor ustedes/ellos/ellas.
New Spanish
comemos
we eat
Pronunciation:koh-MEH-mohs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-erverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
comen
you all eat / they eat
Pronunciation:KOH-mehn
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-erverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
vivimos
we live
Pronunciation:bee-BEE-mohs
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-irverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
New Spanish
viven
you all live / they live
Pronunciation:BEE-behn
Present form:connect this form to the Module 20-irverb type and person-ending chart. Do not memorize it as an isolated sentence.
What you learned:I can use selected regular -er and -ir forms with nosotros, ustedes, and ellos/ellas.
I can use in a new situation the ending map to guided regular verbs instead of memorizing one sentence.
Regular Present use in a new situation
use in a new situation—not memorization:apply the regular map to the learned verbs for giving, showing, sending, or telling.cerraris a special case in this course: its infinitive is learned here, but its present forms are not built as regular forms.
New Spanish
mirar
to look at / watch
Pronunciation:mee-RAHR
Infinitive: mirarends in-ar. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
usar
to use
Pronunciation:oo-SAHR
Infinitive: usarends in-ar. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
llamar
to call
Pronunciation:yah-MAHR
Infinitive: llamarends in-ar. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
terminar
to finish / end
Pronunciation:tehr-mee-NAHR
Infinitive: terminarends in-ar. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
cerrar
to close
Pronunciation:seh-RRAHR
Important note: cerraris introduced here as “to close,” but its present forms are not built with the regular map on this page. You will learn its special pattern later, so this avoids teaching a false regular form.
New Spanish
leer
to read
Pronunciation:leh-EHR
Infinitive: leerends in-er. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
abrir
to open
Pronunciation:ah-BREER
Infinitive: abrirends in-ir. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
New Spanish
escribir
to write
Pronunciation:eh-skree-BEER
Infinitive: escribirends in-ir. Keep the infinitive intact in its Practice It Five Ways sequence.
Build & Connect:use the pattern in changed prompts before moving on.
What you learned:I can use in a new situation the ending map to guided regular verbs instead of memorizing one sentence.
I can use organize ↔ organizar to introduce a true verb cognate pattern.
Building Blocks: -ize/-ise → -izar
Cognate discovery:Learn only the exampleorganizar↔ organize first. After the pattern has been learned, later Practice Rolls may ask you to figure out one true unseen cognate at a time.
Cognate example
organizar
to organize
Pronunciation:or-gah-nee-SAHR
Building Block:English-ize / -iseoften maps to Spanish-izarverbs. This introduces a cognate pattern after the example; it is not permission to guess arbitrary words.
What you learned:I can use organize ↔ organizar to introduce a true verb cognate pattern.
I can use identify ↔ identificar to introduce a true verb cognate pattern.
Building Blocks: -ify → -ificar
Cognate discovery:Learn only the exampleidentificar↔ identify first. After the pattern has been learned, later Practice Rolls may ask you to figure out one true unseen cognate at a time.
Cognate example
identificar
to identify
Pronunciation:ee-dehn-tee-fee-KAHR
Building Block:English-ifyoften maps to Spanish-ificarverbs. This introduces a cognate pattern after the example; it is not permission to guess arbitrary words.
What you learned:I can use identify ↔ identificar to introduce a true verb cognate pattern.
Review & Reuse · 50 Practice Rolls
Recall the pattern across different situations
The first 35 Review Rolls are matching extra practice in new situations for the 35 Practice It Five Ways sets. Later practice Recall use in a new situation, person endings, and the two newly introduced cognate patterns.
Combined Practice · 6 Practice Rolls
Practice regular-present skills
Move among -ar, -er, -ir, person choice, guided use in a new situation, and cognate working it out using only Spanish you have already learned.
Apply & Communicate · 6 Practice Rolls
Use the regular present to communicate
Perform the Module 20 Can-Do in different situations rather than reciting a conjugation chart.
You Can Now · Show What You Can Do
Build regular present forms instead of guessing
Infinitive TypesRecognize -ar, -er, and -ir and separate a regular verb into stem + ending.
Person endingsUse the practical Mexican-Spanish subject set: yo, tú, usted/él/ella, nosotros/nosotras, ustedes/ellos/ellas.
use in a new situationApply the regular present map to new verbs you have learned and true -izar / -ificar cognate discoveries.
Best way to check yourself: 0 of 6 Apply rolls without help; 0 unresolved unfinished extra practice after using Reveal.
Ready to continue
You are ready for the next module only when you can build the learned regular present forms in different situations with no unresolved unfinished extra practice after Reveal. No irregular-present Spanish is learned on this page.