Irregular verbs (present) (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Irregular verbs (present)
Understanding irregular verbs
Irregular verbs don't follow the standard conjugation patterns you learned for regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. In the present tense, these verbs have unique forms that you need to memorise individually. Some verbs are completely irregular, whilst others only have irregular forms in certain persons.
Unlike regular verbs that follow predictable patterns, irregular verbs have unique conjugations that don't conform to the standard rules. This means each irregular verb must be learned as a separate case, making them more challenging but essential for Spanish fluency.
Key irregular verbs: ir and tener
Two of the most important irregular verbs in Spanish are ir (to go) and tener (to have). These verbs are used constantly in everyday conversation, so it's essential to learn their conjugations thoroughly.
Ir and tener are among the most frequently used verbs in Spanish. Since they appear in countless everyday expressions and are completely irregular, mastering their conjugations is crucial for basic communication.
Conjugation of ir (to go)
| Person | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| I | voy | I go |
| you (singular) | vas | you go |
| he/she/it | va | he/she/it goes |
| we | vamos | we go |
| you (plural) | vais | you go |
| they | van | they go |
Conjugation of tener (to have)
| Person | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| I | tengo | I have |
| you (singular) | tienes | you have |
| he/she/it | tiene | he/she/it has |
| we | tenemos | we have |
| you (plural) | tenéis | you have |
| they | tienen | they have |
Worked Examples: Using ir and tener in context
Using ir:
- Voy al colegio todos los días. (I go to school every day.)
- Mis padres van al supermercado. (My parents go to the supermarket.)
Using tener:
- Tengo que hacer los deberes y luego voy al cine. (I have to do my homework and then I'm going to the cinema.)
- Mi hermana tiene diecisiete años. (My sister is seventeen years old.)
Other common irregular verbs
Several other frequently used verbs are also irregular in the present tense. Here are three important ones to learn:
Conjugations of decir, oír, and venir
| Person | decir (to say) | oír (to hear) | venir (to come) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | digo | oigo | vengo |
| you | dices | oyes | vienes |
| he/she/it | dice | oye | viene |
| we | decimos | oímos | venimos |
| you (plural) | decís | oís | venís |
| they | dicen | oyen | vienen |
These verbs show different types of irregularities - decir changes its stem, oír adds a 'g' in some forms, and venir has both stem changes and consonant changes.
Irregular 'I' forms only
Some verbs are only irregular in the yo (I) form, whilst following regular patterns for all other persons. This type of irregularity is quite common in Spanish.
| Infinitive | English | Yo form |
|---|---|---|
| conocer | to know/meet | conozco |
| dar | to give | doy |
| hacer | to make/do | hago |
| poner | to put | pongo |
| sabre | to know | sé |
| salir | to go out | salgo |
| traer | to bring | traigo |
Notice that many of these yo forms end in -go. This is a common pattern that can help you remember them: hago, pongo, salgo, traigo all follow this -go ending pattern.
Pronunciation-based irregularities
Some verbs change their spelling in certain forms to maintain correct pronunciation. This happens when the regular conjugation would create an awkward sound combination.
Spelling Changes for Pronunciation
Spanish maintains consistent pronunciation by changing spelling when necessary. The 'g' changes to 'j' before the vowel 'o' to keep the soft 'g' sound consistent with the infinitive form.
Examples:
- proteger (to protect) → protejo (I protect)
- coger (to take) → cojo (I take)
Practice exercise
Worked Practice: Complete and Translate
Complete these sentences with the correct present tense form of the verb in brackets, then translate them into English:
Questions:
- Yo _______ a las siete y media para ir al concierto. (salir)
- Mis primos _______ los ojos azules y son rubios. (tener)
- Me gusta mucho ir a la playa pero no _______ nadar. (saber)
- Siempre _______ el autobús cuando voy al instituto. (coger)
- Mis amigos _______ los deberes en la biblioteca pero yo los _______ en casa. (hacer)
Solutions:
- salgo - I leave at half past seven to go to the concert.
- tienen - My cousins have blue eyes and are blonde.
- sé - I really like going to the beach but I don't know how to swim.
- cojo - I always take the bus when I go to school.
- hacen, hago - My friends do their homework in the library but I do it at home.
Key Points to Remember:
- Ir and tener are completely irregular and must be memorised
- Many verbs are only irregular in the yo form, often ending in -go
- Some spelling changes occur to maintain correct pronunciation
- Regular practice with these irregular forms is essential for fluency
- These verbs appear frequently in GCSE exam questions, so learn them well