Irregular Present Tense Verbs: ir, tener, hacer and More
The most common irregular Spanish verbs and the patterns that make them easier to remember.
Some of the most useful Spanish verbs are irregular. Fortunately, they follow patterns.
Ir (to go)
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | voy |
| tú | vas |
| él / ella | va |
| nosotros | vamos |
| vosotros | vais |
| ellos | van |
Tener (to have)
- tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen
Hacer (to do, make)
- hago, haces, hace, hacemos, hacéis, hacen
Ser and estar (to be)
- ser: soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son
- estar: estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están
The "yo-go" verbs
Several verbs have a -go ending in the first person:
| Verb | Yo form |
|---|---|
| tener | tengo |
| hacer | hago |
| poner (to put) | pongo |
| salir (to leave) | salgo |
| venir (to come) | vengo |
| decir (to say) | digo |
Other irregulars
- saber (to know a fact): sé
- conocer (to know a person or place): conozco
- dar (to give): doy
- ver (to see): veo
Useful expressions with tener
Spanish uses tener for many states that English expresses with "to be":
- Tengo hambre. I'm hungry.
- Tengo frío. I'm cold.
- Tengo veinte años. I'm twenty years old.
- Tengo prisa. I'm in a hurry.
Ir a + infinitive
Voy a estudiar. I'm going to study.
Tips
- Learn ir, tener and hacer first.
- Notice the -go pattern.
- Use the dictionary to check irregular forms.
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