🎯 Goal
Understand how to use four essential irregular verbs: ser, estar, ir, and tener — and when to choose each one.
🧠 Why You Need This
These verbs are used in almost every sentence: to say who you are, where you are, how you feel, what you have, and where you’re going. Master them now, and conversations get easier fast.
🧠 What Are Irregular Verbs?
Irregular verbs don’t follow the regular –ar, –er, or –ir patterns you learned in Lessons 6 and 7. Their endings change in unique ways, and sometimes the whole verb stem changes.
But the good news? Once you memorize them, you unlock 70% of daily Spanish usage.
🔥 The 4 Must-Know Irregular Verbs:
1. Ser – To be (identity, origin, time, profession)
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | soy |
| tú | eres |
| él/ella/usted | es |
| nosotros/as | somos |
| vosotros/as | sois |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | son |
🧠 Use ser for:
-
Nationality: Soy puertorriqueño. – I’m Puerto Rican.
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Profession: Ella es doctora. – She’s a doctor.
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Telling time: Son las dos. – It’s two o’clock.
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Descriptions: Somos amigos. – We’re friends.
2. Estar – To be (location, emotion, temporary states)
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | estoy |
| tú | estás |
| él/ella/usted | está |
| nosotros/as | estamos |
| vosotros/as | estáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | están |
🧠 Use estar for:
-
Location: Estoy en casa. – I’m at home.
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Emotions: ¿Estás feliz? – Are you happy?
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Conditions: La comida está fría. – The food is cold.
🧠 Quick Trick:
Use ser for what something is, and estar for how something is (location, condition, emotion).
3. Ir – To go
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | voy |
| tú | vas |
| él/ella/usted | va |
| nosotros/as | vamos |
| vosotros/as | vais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van |
🧠 Use ir with “a” to express where someone is going:
-
Voy a la tienda. – I’m going to the store.
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¿Vas al cine? – Are you going to the movies?
4. Tener – To have
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | tengo |
| tú | tienes |
| él/ella/usted | tiene |
| nosotros/as | tenemos |
| vosotros/as | tenéis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | tienen |
🧠 Use tener for:
-
Possession: Tengo un perro. – I have a dog.
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Age: Tengo 30 años. – I’m 30 years old.
-
Expressions:
-
Tener hambre – to be hungry
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Tener sed – to be thirsty
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Tener prisa – to be in a hurry
-
🧠 Extra Tips: Ser vs Estar (the classic confusion)
| Use ser for... | Use estar for... |
|---|---|
| Identity | Feelings |
| Origin | Location |
| Permanent characteristics | Temporary states |
| Telling time | Physical/emotional conditions |
📝 Practice Time
✏️ Part A: Fill in the blanks with the correct verb
-
Yo ______ cansado. (estar)
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Nosotros ______ en casa. (estar)
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Ella ______ maestra. (ser)
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Tú ______ 25 años. (tener)
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Ellos ______ al parque. (ir)
✏️ Part B: Translate to Spanish
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I have a big family.
-
We are friends.
-
They are at the restaurant.
-
You (informal) are tired.
-
She goes to school.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
-
❌ Mixing ser and estar
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❌ Forgetting to add “a” after ir
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❌ Using “tengo años” without “tengo” → Tengo 20 años, not Soy 20 años
📌 Final Tip:
These 4 verbs appear in every conversation. Memorize their present forms cold — you’ll use them in greetings, introductions, questions, and daily talk.
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