Irregular Verbs
The verbs that don't follow the rules — and that you'll use every single day.
Regular Spanish verbs follow predictable patterns: -ar verbs conjugate one way, -er verbs another, -ir verbs a third. The problem is that the most commonly used verbs in Spanish — the ones that appear in almost every sentence — are irregular. Ser, ir, tener, hacer, poder: none of them follow the rules, and they come up constantly.
There are two main types of irregularity in the present tense. The first is an unpredictable yo form: tener → tengo, poner → pongo, salir → salgo — these need to be memorized individually. The second is a stem change: poder → puedo/puedes/puede (o→ue), querer → quiero/quieres/quiere (e→ie), pedir → pido/pides/pide (e→i). The good news: nosotros and vosotros almost never change.
This table covers 18 of the most frequently used irregular verbs in the present tense. How to read it: The three forms shown are yo · tú · él/ella (I · you · he/she). Each row includes the irregularity type and a real example sentence.
| Verb | English | yo · tú · él | Real-life Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ser | to be | soy · eres · es Completely irregular. Used for identity, origin, and time. | ¿De dónde eres tú? Where are you from? |
| Estar | to be | estoy · estás · está Irregular in yo only (estoy). Used for states and locations. | Estoy muy bien, gracias. I am very well, thank you. |
| Ir | to go | voy · vas · va Completely irregular — no resemblance to the infinitive. | Voy al supermercado. I am going to the supermarket. |
| Tener | to have | tengo · tienes · tiene Irregular yo (tengo). Stem changes e→ie in tú/él forms. | Tengo una pregunta. I have a question. |
| Hacer | to do / make | hago · haces · hace Irregular yo only (hago). Very common in expressions. | ¿Qué haces este fin de semana? What are you doing this weekend? |
| Poder | can / be able to | puedo · puedes · puede Stem-changing: o→ue in all forms except nosotros/vosotros. | ¿Puedo ver la carta? Can I see the menu? |
| Querer | to want / love | quiero · quieres · quiere Stem-changing: e→ie in all forms except nosotros/vosotros. | Quiero una mesa para dos. I want a table for two. |
| Decir | to say / tell | digo · dices · dice Irregular yo (digo) + stem change e→i. | ¿Cómo se dice 'cheers' en español? How do you say 'cheers' in Spanish? |
| Venir | to come | vengo · vienes · viene Irregular yo (vengo) + stem change e→ie. | Vengo del aeropuerto. I am coming from the airport. |
| Poner | to put / set | pongo · pones · pone Irregular yo only (pongo). Very common in everyday speech. | Pongo el abrigo aquí. I put the coat here. |
| Salir | to go out / leave | salgo · sales · sale Irregular yo only (salgo). Key for transport and going out. | El vuelo sale a las diez. The flight leaves at ten. |
| Saber | to know (facts) | sé · sabes · sabe Irregular yo only (sé). Used for knowing facts and how to do things. | No sé dónde está mi pasaporte. I don't know where my passport is. |
| Traer | to bring | traigo · traes · trae Irregular yo only (traigo). Essential at restaurants and shops. | ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor? Can you bring me the bill, please? |
| Conocer | to know (people/places) | conozco · conoces · conoce Irregular yo only (conozco). Used for knowing people and places, not facts. | No conozco esta ciudad. I don't know this city. |
| Dormir | to sleep | duermo · duermes · duerme Stem-changing: o→ue in all forms except nosotros/vosotros. | Duermo ocho horas. I sleep eight hours. |
| Pedir | to order / ask for | pido · pides · pide Stem-changing: e→i in all forms except nosotros/vosotros. Key at restaurants. | Pido el menú del día. I order the daily menu. |
| Jugar | to play | juego · juegas · juega Stem-changing: u→ue. Only verb in Spanish with this pattern. | ¿Juegas al fútbol? Do you play football? |
| Oír | to hear | oigo · oyes · oye Irregular yo (oigo). 'Oye' is also a common way to get someone's attention. | Oye, ¿tienes un momento? Hey, do you have a moment? |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common irregular verbs in Spanish?
The most frequently used irregular verbs in Spanish are ser (to be), estar (to be), ir (to go), tener (to have), hacer (to do/make), poder (can), querer (to want), decir (to say), venir (to come), and poner (to put). These verbs appear in almost every conversation, which is why they're worth prioritising — even before mastering the regular conjugation patterns.
What is a stem-changing verb in Spanish?
A stem-changing verb is one where the vowel in the root of the verb changes when conjugated — but only in certain forms. The most common patterns are o→ue (poder: puedo, puedes, puede), e→ie (querer: quiero, quieres, quiere), and e→i (pedir: pido, pides, pide). Crucially, the stem change does NOT affect the nosotros and vosotros forms, which stay regular. This pattern is sometimes called the 'boot verb' because the changed forms form a boot shape on the conjugation table.
Why is the yo form irregular in so many Spanish verbs?
Many Spanish verbs have a completely unpredictable first-person singular (yo) form in the present tense, while the other forms follow regular patterns. This happened through historical sound changes that affected only certain verb forms. Common examples: tener → tengo, poner → pongo, salir → salgo, hacer → hago, conocer → conozco. These yo forms need to be memorised individually, but the same irregular yo form often reappears in the subjunctive — so learning it once pays off twice.
Do irregular verbs follow any patterns I can learn?
Yes — there are patterns that make them manageable. Verbs ending in -go in the yo form (tengo, pongo, salgo, hago, vengo, traigo) are otherwise regular in all other forms. Stem-changing verbs (poder, querer, pedir) all change in the same positions. Completely irregular verbs (ser, ir, dar) are few and need full memorisation, but they come up so frequently you'll internalise them quickly through practice.
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