Most Common Spanish Verbs: Conjugation, Meaning & Practical Usage

Most Common Spanish Verbs — Conjugation & Practical Usage

Course Objective

By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to recognize, conjugate, and use some of the most common Spanish verbs in practical everyday situations.

The goal is not simply to memorize conjugation tables. Learners will understand how and when each verb is used, with practical examples and reusable sentence patterns.

Throughout this lesson, the focus will remain practical: learners will discover a verb, understand its conjugation, see how it is used, practice it, and finally use it in realistic communication.

Course Structure

1. Introduction — Why These Verbs Matter
2. Ser — to be
3. Estar — to be
4. Tener — to have
5. Hacer — to do / to make
6. Ir — to go
7. Poder — can / to be able to
8. Decir — to say / to tell
9. Querer — to want / to love
10. Saber — to know
11. Ver — to see / to watch
12. Regular High-Frequency Verbs
13. Ser vs. Estar — The Essential Difference
14. How to Conjugate Regular Verbs
15. Common Mistakes
16. Practice Lab
17. Mini Conversation
18. Final Review

Language Setting

Learning language: English

Target language: Spanish

Language code: en

How This Lesson Works

This lesson follows a clear and practical learning sequence:

Verb → Conjugation → Usage → Examples → Practice → Conversation

This approach helps learners move beyond memorizing verb forms. The objective is to understand how Spanish verbs actually work in everyday communication.

By the end of the lesson, learners should be able to recognize common verb forms, understand their meaning in context, and begin using them to create their own sentences.

1. Introduction — Why These Verbs Matter

Verbs are at the heart of communication. They allow us to talk about who we are, what we have, what we do, where we go, what we want, what we know, and what we can do.

When learning Spanish, mastering a relatively small group of very common verbs can immediately make a learner more capable of understanding and producing useful sentences.

For this reason, this lesson focuses on ten particularly useful verbs:

• ser — to be
• estar — to be
• tener — to have
• hacer — to do / to make
• ir — to go
• poder — can / to be able to
• decir — to say / to tell
• querer — to want / to love
• saber — to know
• ver — to see / to watch

These verbs appear in many everyday situations and provide useful building blocks for creating sentences.

Learning Tip

Do not try to memorize everything at once. Learn each verb through its meaning, its most useful forms, and several practical sentences.

Your Learning Path

As you progress through the lesson, you will repeatedly follow the same pattern.

1. Verb
   Discover the meaning and basic role of the verb.
2. Conjugation
   Learn the forms needed for practical communication.
3. Usage
   Understand when and why the verb is used.
4. Examples
   See the verb inside complete Spanish sentences.
5. Practice
   Test your understanding through short exercises.
6. Conversation
   Use several verbs together in realistic communication.

The goal is simple: move from recognizing a verb to actually using it.

What You Will Learn

During this lesson, you will learn how to use essential Spanish verbs to express identity, location, possession, actions, movement, ability, information, desires, knowledge, and perception.

You will also learn how regular Spanish verbs are conjugated and how to recognize common patterns in verbs ending in -AR, -ER, and -IR.

Special attention will be given to the difference between ser and estar, since this is one of the most important distinctions for learners of Spanish.

Let's Begin

Start with the first essential verb: ser.

Do not focus only on remembering its forms. Pay attention to the situations in which Spanish speakers use it and to the sentence patterns that you can reuse with other vocabulary.

Step by step, these verbs will become tools you can use to build real Spanish sentences.

2. Ser — to be

The verb ser is one of the most important verbs in Spanish. It is mainly used to identify people and things, describe essential characteristics, talk about origin and nationality, and state professions or roles.

Learning ser well is essential because it appears constantly in everyday Spanish and is used to build many basic sentences.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of ser:

When Do We Use Ser?

Ser is commonly used to talk about identity, origin, nationality, profession, relationships, and characteristics.

1. Identity

Use ser to say who someone is or what something is.

Soy María.
I am María.

2. Origin and Nationality

Use ser to talk about where someone is from or their nationality.

Soy de España.
I am from Spain.

3. Profession or Role

Ser is also used to describe a person's profession, occupation, or role.

Soy profesor.
I am a teacher.

4. Characteristics

We can use ser to describe characteristics or qualities.

Ella es inteligente.
She is intelligent.

10 Practical Examples with Ser

Study these examples carefully. Notice how the form of ser changes according to the subject.

1. Soy estudiante.

I am a student.

2. Soy de Francia.

I am from France.

3. Tú eres mi amigo.

You are my friend.

4. Ella es profesora.

She is a teacher.

5. Él es español.

He is Spanish.

6. Nosotros somos estudiantes.

We are students.

7. Ustedes son mis amigos.

You are my friends.

8. Ellos son médicos.

They are doctors.

9. Madrid es una ciudad grande.

Madrid is a large city.

10. Este libro es interesante.

This book is interesting.

Common Sentence Patterns

One of the best ways to learn ser is to memorize useful sentence patterns rather than isolated conjugations.

Subject + ser + identity

Soy estudiante.

I am a student.

Subject + ser + origin

Soy de Francia.

I am from France.

Subject + ser + profession

Ella es profesora.

She is a teacher.

Subject + ser + characteristic

Él es inteligente.

He is intelligent.

Practice

Complete each sentence with the correct form of ser.

1. Yo ______ estudiante.
2. Tú ______ mi amigo.
3. Ella ______ profesora.
4. Nosotros ______ estudiantes.
5. Ellos ______ médicos.

Answers

1. soy
2. eres
3. es
4. somos
5. son

Next Step

You now know how ser works in basic Spanish. But Spanish has another essential verb that can also mean “to be”: estar.

Understanding the difference between ser and estar is one of the most important steps toward speaking Spanish accurately.

3. Estar — to be

The verb estar is another essential Spanish verb that means “to be”. It is used differently from ser and is especially important when talking about temporary states, conditions, feelings, and locations.

Understanding estar is essential because choosing between ser and estar can change the meaning of a sentence.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of estar:

When Do We Use Estar?

Estar is mainly used for temporary states, conditions, feelings, and locations.

1. Temporary States and Conditions

Use estar to describe how someone or something is at a particular moment.

Estoy cansado.
I am tired.

2. Feelings and Emotions

Estar is commonly used with feelings and emotional states.

Ella está feliz.
She is happy.

3. Location

Use estar to indicate where a person, place, or thing is located.

Estoy en casa.
I am at home.

4. A Condition at a Particular Moment

Estar can describe the current condition of something.

La puerta está abierta.
The door is open.

10 Practical Examples with Estar

Study these examples carefully and observe how the form of estar changes according to the subject.

1. Estoy cansado.

I am tired.

2. Estoy en casa.

I am at home.

3. Tú estás bien.

You are well.

4. Ella está feliz.

She is happy.

5. Él está enfermo.

He is sick.

6. Nosotros estamos en la escuela.

We are at school.

7. Ustedes están listos.

You are ready.

8. Ellos están ocupados.

They are busy.

9. Madrid está en España.

Madrid is in Spain.

10. La puerta está abierta.

The door is open.

Common Sentence Patterns

Learning useful patterns makes it easier to use estar naturally.

Subject + estar + temporary state

Estoy cansado.

I am tired.

Subject + estar + feeling

Ella está feliz.

She is happy.

Subject + estar + location

Estamos en casa.

We are at home.

Subject + estar + current condition

La puerta está abierta.

The door is open.

Ser and Estar Are Not Interchangeable

Both ser and estar can be translated as “to be” in English, but they are not normally used in the same situations.

Ser is commonly associated with identity, origin, profession, and characteristics, while estar is commonly associated with states, conditions, feelings, and location.

Compare:

Soy estudiante.
I am a student.

Estoy cansado.
I am tired.

The English translation uses “I am” in both sentences, but Spanish uses two different verbs because the meanings and contexts are different.

Important Forms to Remember

Pay special attention to the accented forms:

estás — you are

está — he / she / you are

estáis — you are

están — they / you are

Next Step

Now that you know the two main Spanish verbs meaning “to be”, we can move to another extremely useful verb: tener — “to have”.

4. Tener — to have

The verb tener is one of the most useful verbs in Spanish. Its basic meaning is “to have”, but it is also used in several everyday expressions that learners need to recognize and use naturally.

You can use tener to talk about possession, age, relationships, needs, obligations, and various common states or situations.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of tener:

When Do We Use Tener?

Tener is commonly used for possession, age, relationships, physical or personal states, and obligations.

1. Possession

Use tener to say that someone owns or possesses something.

Tengo un libro.
I have a book.

2. Age

In Spanish, age is expressed with tener, not with ser or estar.

Tengo veinte años.
I am twenty years old.

3. Relationships

Tener can be used to talk about family members, friends, and other relationships.

Tengo dos hermanos.
I have two brothers.

4. Common States and Expressions

Spanish frequently uses tener in expressions where English uses “to be”.

Tengo hambre.
I am hungry.

5. Obligation — Tener que

The structure tener que + infinitive is used to express an obligation or something that someone has to do.

Tengo que trabajar.
I have to work.

10 Practical Examples with Tener

These examples show some of the most useful ways to use tener in everyday Spanish.

1. Tengo un libro.

I have a book.

2. Tienes una casa.

You have a house.

3. Ella tiene dos hermanos.

She has two brothers.

4. Él tiene veinte años.

He is twenty years old.

5. Tenemos mucho trabajo.

We have a lot of work.

6. Ellos tienen dos hijos.

They have two children.

7. Tengo hambre.

I am hungry.

8. Ella tiene sed.

She is thirsty.

9. Tenemos que estudiar.

We have to study.

10. Tienen tiempo.

They have time.

Common Sentence Patterns

Several highly useful Spanish structures are built with tener.

Subject + tener + possession

Tengo un libro.

I have a book.

Subject + tener + age

Tengo veinte años.

I am twenty years old.

Subject + tener + common expression

Tengo hambre.

I am hungry.

Subject + tener que + infinitive

Tengo que trabajar.

I have to work.

Tener vs. English “To Be”

One important point for English-speaking learners is that some expressions using tener are translated with “to be” in English.

For example:

Tengo hambre.
I am hungry.

Tengo sed.
I am thirsty.

Tengo veinte años.
I am twenty years old.

This is an important difference between the two languages. Instead of translating word for word, learn these expressions as complete Spanish patterns.

Tener Que + Infinitive

The structure tener que + infinitive is especially useful because it allows you to express obligations very easily.

Tengo que estudiar.

I have to study.

Tenemos que salir.

We have to leave.

Ellos tienen que trabajar.

They have to work.

Important Forms to Remember

Pay particular attention to the irregular first-person form:

yo tengo

The other forms follow different vowel patterns that should be learned through repeated exposure and use.

Next Step

You now know how tener is used for possession, age, common expressions, relationships, and obligations.

The next essential verb is hacer — “to do” or “to make”, a verb used constantly to describe actions and activities.

5. Hacer — to do / to make

The verb hacer is one of the most useful verbs in Spanish. Its basic meanings are “to do” and “to make”, but it is also used in many common expressions and everyday situations.

You will use hacer to talk about actions, activities, tasks, things you create or make, and several expressions that are very common in spoken Spanish.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of hacer:

When Do We Use Hacer?

Hacer can be used in several important situations. Its exact meaning depends on the context.

1. To Talk About Actions

Use hacer when talking about something someone does or performs.

Hago ejercicio.
I exercise.

2. To Talk About Activities

Hacer is commonly used with activities and regular actions.

Hacemos deporte.
We do sports.

3. To Make Something

Hacer can also mean “to make” when someone creates or prepares something.

Ella hace una comida.
She makes a meal.

4. Tasks and Work

The verb is also useful for talking about tasks, work, and things that need to be completed.

Hago mi trabajo.
I do my work.

5. Common Everyday Expressions

Hacer appears in many fixed or very common expressions that learners should recognize as complete patterns.

Hace calor.
It is hot.

10 Practical Examples with Hacer

These examples show how hacer can be used for everyday actions, activities, tasks, and expressions.

1. Hago ejercicio todos los días.

I exercise every day.

2. Hago mi trabajo por la mañana.

I do my work in the morning.

3. ¿Qué haces?

What are you doing?

4. Ella hace la comida.

She makes the meal.

5. Él hace muchas cosas.

He does many things.

6. Nosotros hacemos deporte.

We do sports.

7. Ustedes hacen un buen trabajo.

You do a good job.

8. Ellos hacen una casa.

They build a house.

9. Hace calor hoy.

It is hot today.

10. Hacemos planes para el fin de semana.

We make plans for the weekend.

Common Sentence Patterns

Learning common structures with hacer makes it easier to create new sentences.

Subject + hacer + activity

Hago ejercicio.

I exercise.

Subject + hacer + task

Hago mi trabajo.

I do my work.

Subject + hacer + thing

Ella hace la comida.

She makes the meal.

Subject + hacer + plans

Hacemos planes.

We make plans.

Hacer in Common Expressions

Some expressions with hacer should be learned as complete expressions rather than translated word by word.

Hace calor.
It is hot.

Hace frío.
It is cold.

Hacer una pregunta.
To ask a question.

Hacer planes.
To make plans.

A Very Important Irregular Form

The first-person singular form of hacer is irregular:

yo hago

This form should be learned as a complete unit because it does not follow the regular pattern you might expect from the infinitive.

Hacer and the Meaning of “Do” or “Make”

English uses two different verbs, “do” and “make”, while Spanish can use hacer for both.

Hago mi trabajo.
I do my work.

Hacemos planes.
We make plans.

Ella hace la comida.
She makes the meal.

The meaning is determined by the context and by the words that follow the verb.

Next Step

You now know how hacer is used to talk about actions, activities, tasks, creations, and common expressions.

The next essential verb is ir — “to go”, which will allow you to talk about movement, destinations, and future plans.

6. Ir — to go

The verb ir is one of the most useful verbs in Spanish. Its basic meaning is “to go”, and it is essential for talking about movement, destinations, places, plans, and future actions.

Although ir is an irregular verb, its most common present-tense forms are very useful and should become familiar through repeated use.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of ir:

When Do We Use Ir?

Ir is mainly used to talk about movement from one place to another, destinations, and planned or future actions.

1. Going to a Place

Use ir when saying where someone is going.

Voy a Madrid.
I am going to Madrid.

2. Going to a Person or Place

The verb is commonly followed by a when introducing a destination.

Vamos a la escuela.
We are going to school.

3. Talking About Movement

Ir can describe everyday movement and travel.

Ellos van al trabajo.
They are going to work.

4. Ir a + Infinitive

One of the most useful structures with ir is ir a + infinitive. It is commonly used to talk about an action that is going to happen.

Voy a estudiar.
I am going to study.

5. Talking About Plans

The structure ir a + infinitive is especially useful for expressing plans and intentions.

Vamos a viajar mañana.
We are going to travel tomorrow.

10 Practical Examples with Ir

These examples show how ir can be used to talk about destinations, movement, plans, and future actions.

1. Voy a casa.

I am going home.

2. Vas a la escuela.

You are going to school.

3. Ella va al trabajo.

She is going to work.

4. Él va a Madrid.

He is going to Madrid.

5. Vamos al supermercado.

We are going to the supermarket.

6. Vais a la universidad.

You are going to the university.

7. Ellos van al parque.

They are going to the park.

8. Voy a estudiar esta noche.

I am going to study tonight.

9. Vamos a comer juntos.

We are going to eat together.

10. Van a viajar mañana.

They are going to travel tomorrow.

Common Sentence Patterns

The most useful structures with ir are simple and highly reusable.

Subject + ir + a + destination

Voy a Madrid.

I am going to Madrid.

Subject + ir + a + place

Vamos a la escuela.

We are going to school.

Subject + ir + a + infinitive

Voy a estudiar.

I am going to study.

Subject + ir + a + infinitive + time expression

Van a viajar mañana.

They are going to travel tomorrow.

Ir + a + Infinitive

This structure is particularly important for beginners because it allows you to talk about future actions without learning a separate future-tense conjugation at this stage.

Voy a trabajar.
I am going to work.

Vas a estudiar.
You are going to study.

Vamos a salir.
We are going to go out.

Ellos van a viajar.
They are going to travel.

The Irregular First-Person Form

The first-person singular form of ir is highly irregular:

yo voy

This form should be learned as a complete expression because it does not resemble the infinitive ir.

Ir in Everyday Communication

Because ir can describe both movement and future plans, it appears frequently in everyday conversations.

¿Adónde vas?
Where are you going?

Voy a casa.
I am going home.

¿Qué vas a hacer?
What are you going to do?

Voy a estudiar.
I am going to study.

Important Forms to Remember

The six present-tense forms of ir are:

voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van

Pay particular attention to voy, which is the first-person singular form.

Next Step

You now know how ir is used to talk about destinations, movement, plans, and future actions.

The next essential verb is poder — “can” or “to be able to”, which allows you to express ability, possibility, and simple requests.

7. Poder — can / to be able to

The verb poder is one of the most useful Spanish verbs for everyday communication. It is generally translated as “can” or “to be able to”.

It allows you to talk about ability, possibility, permission, and situations in which someone is able to do something.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of poder:

When Do We Use Poder?

Poder is commonly followed by an infinitive and allows you to express what someone can or cannot do.

1. Ability

Use poder + infinitive to talk about a person's ability to perform an action.

Puedo nadar.
I can swim.

2. Possibility

Poder can also express that something is possible.

Podemos ir mañana.
We can go tomorrow.

3. Asking for Permission

In everyday Spanish, poder can be used to ask whether something is allowed or possible.

¿Puedo entrar?
Can I come in?

4. Making a Polite Request

A question with poder can be used to make a simple and polite request.

¿Puedes ayudarme?
Can you help me?

10 Practical Examples with Poder

These examples show how poder is used to express ability, possibility, permission, and requests.

1. Puedo hablar español.

I can speak Spanish.

2. Puedes venir mañana.

You can come tomorrow.

3. Ella puede cocinar.

She can cook.

4. Él puede ayudarme.

He can help me.

5. Podemos estudiar juntos.

We can study together.

6. Podéis esperar aquí.

You can wait here.

7. Ellos pueden venir esta tarde.

They can come this afternoon.

8. ¿Puedo entrar?

Can I come in?

9. ¿Puedes ayudarme?

Can you help me?

10. No puedo ir hoy.

I cannot go today.

Common Sentence Pattern

One of the most useful structures with poder is:

Subject + poder + infinitive

Puedo estudiar.

I can study.

The second verb remains in the infinitive form. It is poder that changes according to the subject.

Poder + Infinitive

This pattern can be combined with many different verbs.

Puedo hablar.
I can speak.

Puedes venir.
You can come.

Ella puede estudiar.
She can study.

Podemos trabajar.
We can work.

Expressing “Cannot”

To express inability or impossibility, place no before the conjugated form of poder.

No puedo.

I cannot. / I am not able to.

No puedo ir.

I cannot go.

No podemos trabajar hoy.

We cannot work today.

An Important Conjugation Pattern

Notice that the vowel changes in several forms of poder:

puedo, puedes, puede, pueden

The first-person plural and second-person plural forms keep the vowel of the verb stem:

podemos, podéis

Poder in Questions

Poder is especially useful in questions because it allows you to ask about ability, permission, or possibility.

¿Puedo entrar?
Can I come in?

¿Puedes ayudarme?
Can you help me?

¿Puede repetir?
Can you repeat?

Important Forms to Remember

The six present-tense forms of poder are:

puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, podéis, pueden

Next Step

You now know how poder is used to express ability, possibility, permission, and requests.

The next essential verb is decir — “to say” or “to tell”, which is especially useful when communicating information and reporting what someone says.

8. Decir — to say / to tell

The verb decir is one of the most useful verbs in Spanish for communicating information. Its basic meanings are “to say” and “to tell”.

You use decir when expressing what someone says, giving information, telling someone something, or asking what another person said.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of decir:

When Do We Use Decir?

Decir is used mainly to communicate words, information, opinions, instructions, or messages.

1. Saying Something

Use decir when someone says or expresses something.

Él dice la verdad.
He tells the truth.

2. Telling Someone Something

Decir can be used when giving information to another person.

Te digo la verdad.
I tell you the truth.

3. Asking What Someone Says

The verb is also useful for asking what someone said or is saying.

¿Qué dices?
What are you saying?

4. Expressing Information

Decir can introduce facts, opinions, or information.

Ella dice que está cansada.
She says that she is tired.

10 Practical Examples with Decir

These examples show how decir is used in everyday communication.

1. Digo la verdad.

I tell the truth.

2. ¿Qué dices?

What are you saying?

3. Él dice la verdad.

He tells the truth.

4. Ella dice que está cansada.

She says that she is tired.

5. Decimos la verdad.

We tell the truth.

6. ¿Qué dice el profesor?

What does the teacher say?

7. Dicen que es importante.

They say that it is important.

8. Te digo algo importante.

I am telling you something important.

9. No sé qué decir.

I do not know what to say.

10. ¿Puedes decirlo otra vez?

Can you say it again?

Common Sentence Patterns

Several useful structures can help you use decir more naturally.

Subject + decir + information

Digo la verdad.

I tell the truth.

¿Qué + decir?

¿Qué dices?

What are you saying?

Subject + decir + que + sentence

Ella dice que está cansada.

She says that she is tired.

decir + object + information

Te digo la verdad.

I tell you the truth.

Decir + Que

A very common structure is decir que + sentence. It allows you to report information, opinions, or what another person says.

Dice que está ocupado.
He says that he is busy.

Ella dice que es importante.
She says that it is important.

Dicen que es difícil.
They say that it is difficult.

Decir in Questions

Decir is particularly useful when asking someone to repeat or clarify information.

¿Qué dices?
What are you saying?

¿Qué dice?
What does he / she / formal you say?

¿Puedes decirlo otra vez?
Can you say it again?

Important Irregular Forms

Two forms deserve particular attention when learning decir.

yo digo

tú dices

The stem changes in several present-tense forms, while nosotros decimos and vosotros decís keep the basic vowel of the verb.

Decir and the English Verbs “Say” and “Tell”

English distinguishes between “say” and “tell”, while Spanish often uses the single verb decir for both meanings.

Ella dice la verdad.
She tells the truth.

Ella dice que está cansada.
She says that she is tired.

Te digo la verdad.
I tell you the truth.

The surrounding words and the context help determine the most natural English translation.

Useful Expressions with Decir

Some expressions with decir are especially useful for everyday communication.

decir la verdad
to tell the truth

decir algo
to say something

decir que...
to say that...

¿Qué dices?
What are you saying?

Important Forms to Remember

The six present-tense forms of decir are:

digo, dices, dice, decimos, decís, dicen

Next Step

You now know how decir is used to communicate information, report what someone says, and ask or clarify information.

The next essential verb is querer — “to want” or “to love”, which is especially useful for expressing desires, intentions, and preferences.

9. Querer — to want / to love

The verb querer is an essential Spanish verb for expressing desires, wishes, intentions, and affection.

Depending on the context, querer can mean “to want” or “to love”. It is especially useful because it allows learners to express what they want to do, what they would like, and how they feel about people or things.

Present Tense Conjugation

Here are the present-tense forms of querer:

When Do We Use Querer?

Querer has several important uses in everyday Spanish. The meaning depends on what follows the verb and on the context.

1. Expressing Desire

Use querer to say that you want something.

Quiero un café.
I want a coffee.

2. Querer + Infinitive

One of the most useful structures is querer + infinitive. It allows you to say what you want to do.

Quiero estudiar.
I want to study.

3. Expressing Intentions

Querer + infinitive can also express an intention or a desired action.

Queremos viajar.
We want to travel.

4. Expressing Affection

Depending on the context, querer can also mean “to love” or “to care about”.

Quiero a mi familia.
I love my family.

5. Expressing a Wish

Querer can be used to express a wish or something someone would like to have or do.

Quiero aprender español.
I want to learn Spanish.

10 Practical Examples with Querer

These examples illustrate how querer is used to express desires, intentions, and affection.

1. Quiero un café.

I want a coffee.

2. Quieres agua.

You want water.

3. Ella quiere estudiar.

She wants to study.

4. Él quiere viajar.

He wants to travel.

5. Queremos aprender español.

We want to learn Spanish.

6. Queréis comer ahora.

You want to eat now.

7. Ellos quieren descansar.

They want to rest.

8. Quiero a mi familia.

I love my family.

9. ¿Qué quieres hacer?

What do you want to do?

10. No quiero salir hoy.

I do not want to go out today.

Common Sentence Patterns

The most useful structures with querer are easy to reuse with different vocabulary.

Subject + querer + noun

Quiero un café.

I want a coffee.

Subject + querer + infinitive

Quiero estudiar.

I want to study.

Subject + querer + infinitive + time expression

Queremos viajar mañana.

We want to travel tomorrow.

Subject + querer + person

Quiero a mi familia.

I love my family.

Querer + Infinitive

This is one of the most useful patterns to remember because it allows you to express many different intentions with a single structure.

Quiero estudiar.
I want to study.

Quieres aprender.
You want to learn.

Ella quiere trabajar.
She wants to work.

Queremos viajar.
We want to travel.

Expressing “Do Not Want”

To express that someone does not want something or does not want to do something, place no before the conjugated form of querer.

No quiero.

I do not want to.

No quiero trabajar hoy.

I do not want to work today.

Querer as “To Love”

When querer is used with a person as its object, it can express affection or love.

Quiero a mi madre.
I love my mother.

Ella quiere a sus hijos.
She loves her children.

Queremos a nuestros amigos.
We love our friends.

Querer in Questions

Querer is very useful when asking someone about their wishes, preferences, or intentions.

¿Qué quieres?
What do you want?

¿Qué quieres hacer?
What do you want to do?

¿Quieres venir?
Do you want to come?

An Important Conjugation Pattern

Notice the vowel change in several present-tense forms:

quiero, quieres, quiere, quieren

The first-person plural and second-person plural forms keep e in the stem:

queremos, queréis

Important Forms to Remember

The six present-tense forms of querer are:

quiero, quieres, quiere, queremos, queréis, quieren

Next Step

You now know how querer is used to express wants, wishes, intentions, and affection.

The next essential verb is saber — “to know”, which is used to talk about knowledge, information, and knowing how to do something.