Verb Cheat Sheet (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Irregular verbs
Overview
Irregular verbs are some of the most essential and frequently used verbs in Spanish. Unlike regular verbs that follow predictable patterns, irregular verbs have unique conjugations that don't follow standard rules. These verbs often change their stems, have completely different forms, or follow special patterns that must be memorised individually.
Mastering irregular verbs is absolutely crucial for Spanish fluency as they appear constantly in everyday conversation and writing. In fact, many of the most common Spanish verbs are irregular, making them unavoidable in daily communication.
Rules & formation
Irregular verbs break the standard conjugation patterns in various ways. Some verbs change their stem in certain tenses or persons, whilst others have completely unique forms. The irregularities can occur in different parts of the verb conjugation system.
The main types of irregular verbs include:
- Stem-changing verbs: The root of the verb changes in certain conjugations
- Completely irregular verbs: These have unique forms that don't follow any pattern
- Spelling-change verbs: These maintain pronunciation but change spelling
- Mixed irregular verbs: These combine regular patterns with irregular forms in different tenses
Most irregular verbs show their irregularities primarily in the present tense, preterite tense, and when forming the future and conditional tenses. The imperfect tense tends to be more regular, even for irregular verbs.
Table of key forms
Most essential irregular verbs
| Infinitive | English | Present (yo) | Present (él/ella) | Preterite (yo) | Preterite (él/ella) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ser | to be (permanent) | soy | es | fui | fue |
| estar | to be (temporary) | estoy | está | estuve | estuvo |
| tener | to have | tengo | tiene | tuve | tuvo |
| hacer | to do/make | hago | hace | hice | hizo |
| ir | to go | voy | va | fui | fue |
| venir | to come | vengo | viene | vine | vino |
| decir | to say | digo | dice | dije | dijo |
| poder | to be able to | puedo | puede | pude | pudo |
| poner | to put | pongo | pone | puse | puso |
| saber | to know (facts) | sé | sabe | supe | supo |
Present tense irregular patterns
SER (to be - permanent characteristics)
- yo soy / I am
- tú eres / you are
- él/ella es / he/she is
- nosotros somos / we are
- vosotros sois / you are (plural)
- ellos/ellas son / they are
TENER (to have)
- yo tengo / I have
- tú tienes / you have
- él/ella tiene / he/she has
- nosotros tenemos / we have
- vosotros tenéis / you have (plural)
- ellos/ellas tienen / they have
Example sentences
Worked Example: Using SER (to be)
Soy estudiante / I am a student
Step 1: Identify the subject - "yo" (I) - first person singular Step 2: Choose the correct irregular form - soy (not the regular form "so") Step 3: This uses ser to describe a permanent characteristic or identity
Worked Example: Using TENER (to have)
Tengo hambre / I am hungry (literally: I have hunger)
Explanation: This shows how tener is used to express states and conditions in Spanish. Notice the irregular first person form tengo instead of the expected regular form "teno".
Worked Example: Using HACER (to do/make)
Hago los deberes / I do the homework
Key point: The irregular hago form is used in the first person present tense, following the common "-go" pattern for many irregular verbs.
Additional examples showing common irregular patterns:
- Ir (to go): Voy al colegio / I go to school - This demonstrates the completely irregular present tense form voy
- Estar (to be): Está en casa / He/she is at home - Estar is used for temporary states and locations
- Poder (can/to be able to): Puedo ayudarte / I can help you - This shows the stem change from "pod-" to pued- in the present tense
Common mistakes & tips
Confusing ser and estar: Both mean "to be" but ser describes permanent characteristics whilst estar describes temporary states or locations. Remember: ser for identity, estar for condition and location.
Forgetting stem changes: Many students forget that verbs like tener change to tengo in the first person, not "teno". Practice these irregular first person forms regularly as they're the most unpredictable.
Preterite vs imperfect confusion: Irregular verbs often have completely different forms in the preterite. For example, ir and ser both use "fue" in the preterite, which can be confusing for learners.
Additional tips for mastering irregular verbs:
Present tense first person irregularities: Many irregular verbs add -go to the stem in the first person present (tengo, vengo, pongo, hago). Watch out for this pattern as it's very common among irregular verbs.
Accent marks: Don't forget accent marks on irregular forms like sé (I know) vs "se" (reflexive pronoun), or dé (give - subjunctive) vs "de" (of/from). These accent marks change the meaning completely.
Memorisation strategy: Focus on learning the most common irregular verbs first (ser, estar, tener, hacer, ir) as these appear in almost every conversation. Practice them in complete sentences rather than just memorising conjugation tables.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Irregular verbs don't follow standard patterns and must be memorised individually
- Focus on the most essential verbs first: ser, estar, tener, hacer, ir, venir
- Many irregular verbs show their irregularities primarily in the present and preterite tenses
- Practice irregular verbs in context through complete sentences rather than isolated conjugations
- The first person singular (yo) form often shows the most dramatic irregularities in the present tense
- Look for patterns like the -go ending in first person present tense forms