Regular -AR Conjugation

The -AR verb group is the largest and most common family of verbs in Spanish. Once you master the -AR conjugation pattern, you will be able to conjugate hundreds of verbs correctly in the present tense.

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How -AR Conjugation Works

Every regular -AR verb follows the same simple process:

1. Remove the -ar ending from the infinitive
2. Add the appropriate present tense ending for the subject

For example, with the verb hablar (to speak):

• Infinitive: hablar
• Stem: habl-
• Conjugated: yo hablo, tu hablas, etc.

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The -AR Present Tense Endings

Subject Pronoun	Ending	Example with hablar	Translation
yo	-o	hablo	I speak
tu	-as	hablas	you speak
el / ella / usted	-a	habla	he/she speaks, you (formal) speak
nosotros / nosotras	-amos	hablamos	we speak
vosotros / vosotras	-ais	hablais	you all speak
ellos / ellas / ustedes	-an	hablan	they speak, you all (formal) speak

Tip: The yo form always ends in -o for all regular verbs in the present tense, regardless of whether the verb is -AR, -ER, or -IR.

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Common Regular -AR Verbs

Here are some of the most frequently used regular -AR verbs:

Infinitive	English	Example Sentence
hablar	to speak	Yo hablo espanol.
caminar	to walk	Nosotros caminamos al parque.
trabajar	to work	Ella trabaja en un hospital.
estudiar	to study	Tu estudias matematicas.
comprar	to buy	Ellos compran frutas frescas.
cocinar	to cook	Mi madre cocina muy bien.
necesitar	to need	Necesito un vaso de agua.
llamar	to call	Llamo a mi amigo por telefono.
mirar	to watch / to look at	Miramos la television por la noche.
escuchar	to listen	Ella escucha musica clasica.
llevar	to carry / to wear	Llevo una chaqueta azul.
tomar	to take / to drink	Tomo cafe por la manana.

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Full Conjugation Tables

hablar (to speak)

	Singular	Plural
1st person	yo hablo	nosotros/as hablamos
2nd person	tu hablas	vosotros/as hablais
3rd person	el/ella/usted habla	ellos/ellas/ustedes hablan

trabajar (to work)

	Singular	Plural
1st person	yo trabajo	nosotros/as trabajamos
2nd person	tu trabajas	vosotros/as trabajais
3rd person	el/ella/usted trabaja	ellos/ellas/ustedes trabajan

estudiar (to study)

	Singular	Plural
1st person	yo estudio	nosotros/as estudiamos
2nd person	tu estudias	vosotros/as estudiais
3rd person	el/ella/usted estudia	ellos/ellas/ustedes estudian

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Pronunciation Notes

• The stress in most conjugated forms falls on the second-to-last syllable: HAB-lo, ha-BLA-mos
• The vosotros form has the stress on the last syllable of the ending: ha-BLAIS

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Practice Sentences

Translate the following sentences into Spanish using the correct -AR conjugation:

1. I study every day. (Yo estudio todos los dias.)
2. She works in a restaurant. (Ella trabaja en un restaurante.)
3. We walk to school. (Nosotros caminamos a la escuela.)
4. They buy bread at the market. (Ellos compran pan en el mercado.)
5. You (informal) cook dinner. (Tu cocinas la cena.)
6. I need help. (Yo necesito ayuda.)
7. We listen to the teacher. (Nosotros escuchamos al profesor.)
8. You all (Spain) speak Spanish. (Vosotros hablais espanol.)

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Do not forget to remove the -ar before adding the ending. It is hablo, not hablaro.
• Subject pronouns are often omitted in Spanish because the verb ending tells you who the subject is. Hablo espanol is more natural than Yo hablo espanol in everyday speech.
• Usted uses the same verb form as el/ella, and ustedes uses the same form as ellos/ellas. The context or the pronoun itself clarifies the meaning.

Tip: Practice conjugating a new -AR verb every day. Start with the ones you use most often and build outward. The -AR pattern is your foundation for all of Spanish conjugation.

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Key Takeaways

• Regular -AR verbs are the most common verb group in Spanish
• Remove -ar from the infinitive to find the stem
• Add the endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -ais, -an
• Subject pronouns are optional in Spanish because the endings convey the subject
• Master this pattern and you can conjugate hundreds of verbs