2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

ANTE TODO In order to talk about activities, you need to use verbs.

Verbs express actions or states of being.

In English and Spanish, the infinitive is the base form of the verb.

In English, the infinitive is preceded by the word to: to study, to be.

The infinitive in Spanish is a one-word form and can be recognized by its endings: –ar, –er, or –ir.

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

The infinitive

Think of the endings –ar, -er, -ir as translating into the word “to.”

The stem of the verb tells the meaning.estudiar = to study (infinitive) estudi = speak (stem) -ar = to (ending)

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

Conjugation

When we conjugate a verb, we change the infinitive “to” and make it agree with the subject.

• to study (infinitive)

• I study. The boy studies. (conjugated)

*Note: If the subject is a noun, we make it agree with the pronoun. The boy = He

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

In Spanish, we conjugate by dropping the –ar, -er, or –ir ending and adding endings that correspond with the subject.

Just as in English, if the subject is a noun, we choose the verb ending based on the pronoun. La chica = Ella

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

Present tense of estudiar

estudiar (to study)

SINGULAR FORMS

yo estudio I study

tú estudias you study (fam.)

Ud. / él / ella estudia you (form.) / he / she studies

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

Remember that there is no subject pronoun for “it.” Therefore, in Spanish we simply conjugate the verb in the third person, singular.

For –ar verbs, the ending is –a.

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

Present tense of estudiar

nosotros/as estudiamos we study

vosotros/as estudiáis you study (fam.)

Uds. / ellos / ellas estudian you (form.) / they study

estudiar (to study)

PLURAL FORMS

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

Common –ar verbs

bailar to dance desayunar to have breakfast

buscar to look for descansar to rest

caminar to walk desear (+ inf.) to desire; to wish

cantar to sing dibujar to draw

cenar to have dinner enseñar to teach

comprar to buy escuchar to listen (to)

contestar to answer esperar (+ inf.) to wait (for); to hope

conversarto converse, to chat estudiar to study

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

explicar to explain preguntar to ask (a question)

hablar to talk; to speak preparar to prepare

llegar to arrive regresar to return

llevar to carry terminar to end; to finish

mirar to look (at); to watch tomar to take; to drink

necesitar (+ inf.) to need trabajar to work

practicar to practice viajar to travel

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

¡ATENCIÓN! The Spanish verbs buscar, escuchar, esperar, and mirar

do not need to be followed by prepositions as they do in English.

Busco la tarea. Escucho la música.

I’m looking for the homework. I’m listening to the music.

Espero el autobús. Miro la pizarra. I’m waiting for the bus. I’m looking at the blackboard.

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

Compare and contrast

Compare the verbs in the English sentences to the verb in the Spanish equivalent.

Paco trabaja en la cafetería.1. Paco works in the cafeteria.2. Paco is working in the cafeteria.3. Paco does work in the cafeteria.

English uses three sets of forms to talk about the present: 1) the simple present (Paco works),

2) the present progressive (Paco is working),

3) the emphatic present (Paco does work).

In Spanish, the simple present can be used in all three cases. Note: In Spanish, we do not add “do”/ ”does.” Insteady, we simply use the present tense verb.

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

In both Spanish and English, the present tense is also sometimes used to express future action.

Marina viaja a Madrid mañana.1. Marina travels to Madrid tomorrow.2. Marina will travel to Madrid tomorrow.3. Marina is traveling to Madrid tomorrow.

Compare and contrast

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

In Spanish, as in English, when two verbs are used together with no change of subject, the second verb is generally in the infinitive.

Deseo hablar con don Francisco.

I want to speak with Don Francisco.

Necesitamos comprar cuadernos.

We need to buy notebooks.

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

To make a sentence negative in Spanish, the word no is placed before the conjugated verb.

In this case, no means not.

Ellos no miran la televisión. They don’t watch television.

Alicia no desea bailar ahora.Alicia doesn’t want to dance now.

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

Spanish speakers often omit subject pronouns because the verb endings indicate who the subject is.

In Spanish, subject pronouns are used for emphasis, clarification, or contrast.

Clarification / Contrast

—¿Qué enseñan ellos? —Ella enseña arte y él enseña física. What do they teach? She teaches art, and he teaches physics.

Emphasis

—¿Quién desea trabajar hoy? —Yo no deseo trabajar hoy.Who wants to work today? I don’t want to work today.

2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

¡INTÉNTALO! Provide the present tense forms of these verbs.

(hablar)

1. Yo ____ español. 2. Ellos ____ español. 3. Inés ____ español.4. Nosotras ____ español. 5. Tú ____ español.6. Los estudiantes ____ español.7. Usted ____ español.8. Javier y yo ____ español.

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2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

¡INTÉNTALO! Provide the present tense forms of these verbs.

(trabajar)

1. Ustedes ____ mucho.2. Juanita y yo ____ mucho.3. Nuestra profesora ____ mucho.4. Tú ____ mucho.5. Yo ____ mucho.6. Las chicas ____ mucho.7. Él ____ mucho.8. Tú y Álex ____ mucho.

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2.1 Present tense of –ar verbs

¡INTÉNTALO! Provide the present tense forms of these verbs.

(desear)

1. Usted ___ viajar.2. Yo ___ viajar.3. Nosotros ___ viajar.4. Lourdes y Luz ___ viajar.5. Tú ___ viajar.6. Ella ___ viajar.7. Marco y yo ___ viajar.8. Ustedes ___ viajar.

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