The Present Tense of Irregular Verbs

THE PRESENT TENSE OF IRREGULAR VERBS

The following verbs have an irregular first personsingular form in the present tense. All otherforms are regular. -G- verbs, these are, verbsthat have an unexpected -g- in the yo form.

VERBS WITH –go• hacer – hago• poner – pongo• salir – salgo• caer – caigo• traer – traigo • valer – valgo

Verbs conjugated like poner: componer (to compose), imponer (toimpose), proponer (to propose), suponer (to suppose), amongothers.Verbs conjugated like traer: distraer (to distract), atraer (to attract)among others.

Other Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense

The following -g- verbs are irregular in other persons also:

1. venir – vengo, vienes, viene, venimos, vienen2. tenir – tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen3. decir – digo, dices, dice, decimos, dicen4. oír – oigo, oyes, oye, oímos, oyen5. decir – digo, dices, dice, decimos, dicen

OTHER IRREGULAR VERBSThese verbs have irregular ‘yo’ forms in the present tense:1. saber – sé2. ver – veo3. dar – doy4. caber – quepo

The verb ir (to go) is also irregular:voy, vas, va, vamos, van

VERBS WITH SPELLING CHANGES

IN THE PRESENT TENSE

Verbs with –zco (infinitives in -cir, -cer)

Many verbs ending in –cir and –cer have an irregular firstperson singular form (the ‘c’ changes to ‘zc’) in the presenttense. All other forms are regular.

EXAMPLES OF VERBS ENDING WITH –CERmerecer merezcodesaparecer desaparezcoconocer conozcoobedecer obedezco

EXAMPLES OF VERBS ENDING WITH –CIRconducir conduzcoproducir produzcotraducir traduzco

VERBS IN -jo (infinitives in -ger, gir)

Many verbs ending in –ger and –gir have an irregular firstperson (yo) form in the present tense – the ‘g’ changes to‘j’.

EXAMPLES OF VERBS WITH –ger ENDINGScoger cojoescoger escojoproteger protejo

EXAMPLES OF VERBS WITH –gir ENDINGSdirigir dirijoexigir exijo

VERBS ENDING IN -guirVerbs that end with –guir change the ‘gu’ to ‘g’ before ‘o’ inthe yo form of the present tense.

Distinguir (to distinguish)distingo, distingues, distingue, distinguimos, distinguen

Extinguir (to extinguish)extingo, extingues, extingue, extinguimos, extinguen

VERBS ENDING IN -guirThe verb seguir patterns distinguir, but the e in theStem changes to i in all forms, except the nosotros.

Seguir (to follow/continue)sigo, sigues, sigue, seguimos, siguen

This pattern also applies to verbs that end with –seguir. Example: perseguir (to persecute) persigo, persigues, persigue, perseguimos, persiguen

Example: proseguir (to proceed)prosigo, prosigues, prosigue, proseguimos, prosiguen

Activities

1. Find 5 verbs that are conjugated like traer, poner, merecer, conducir, coger and dirigir. Are there other irregular verbs in the present tense? Make a list of them.

2. Choose fifteen of the irregular verbs and use them to write a paragraph about a topic or issue that interests you. You can incorporate regular verbs as well.

3. Make a list, in Spanish, of the things you do regularly.4. Write an email to a friend in which you tell him the different

times of the year that members of your family go to different countries in Latin America.