Spanish Present Tense: Complete Guide for DELE A2
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Key Takeaways
- Master regular -ar, -er, -ir verb conjugations through clear charts
- Learn essential irregular verbs with easy-to-follow conjugation tables
- Understand stem-changing patterns with visual guides
- Practice with DELE-focused examples for exam success
Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish Present Tense. This fundamental tense is the building block of Spanish communication, used for current actions, habitual activities, and general truths. Mastering present tense is crucial for success in all DELE A2 sections.
What is Present Tense?
The Spanish present tense describes actions happening now, habitual actions, general truths, and near-future events. Unlike English, Spanish has specific verb endings for each subject pronoun.
Regular Verb Conjugations
-AR Verbs Conjugation Chart
| Subject | Ending | Example: Hablar |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | hablo |
| tú | -as | hablas |
| él/ella/usted | -a | habla |
| nosotros | -amos | hablamos |
| vosotros | -áis | habláis |
| ellos/ustedes | -an | hablan |
Common -AR Verbs:
- estudiar (to study)
- trabajar (to work)
- escuchar (to listen)
- bailar (to dance)
-ER Verbs Conjugation Chart
| Subject | Ending | Example: Comer |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | como |
| tú | -es | comes |
| él/ella/usted | -e | come |
| nosotros | -emos | comemos |
| vosotros | -éis | coméis |
| ellos/ustedes | -en | comen |
Common -ER Verbs:
- aprender (to learn)
- beber (to drink)
- leer (to read)
- comprender (to understand)
-IR Verbs Conjugation Chart
| Subject | Ending | Example: Vivir |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | vivo |
| tú | -es | vives |
| él/ella/usted | -e | vive |
| nosotros | -imos | vivimos |
| vosotros | -ís | vivís |
| ellos/ustedes | -en | viven |
Common -IR Verbs:
- abrir (to open)
- escribir (to write)
- recibir (to receive)
- decidir (to decide)
Essential Irregular Verbs
Most Common Irregular Verbs Chart
| Verb | yo | tú | él/ella | nosotros | ellos/ellas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ser | soy | eres | es | somos | son |
| estar | estoy | estás | está | estamos | están |
| tener | tengo | tienes | tiene | tenemos | tienen |
| ir | voy | vas | va | vamos | van |
| hacer | hago | haces | hace | hacemos | hacen |
| ver | veo | ves | ve | vemos | ven |
| saber | sé | sabes | sabe | sabemos | saben |
| conocer | conozco | conoces | conoce | conocemos | conocen |
Stem-Changing Verbs
E → IE Stem Changes
| Verb | yo | tú | él/ella | nosotros | ellos/ellas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pensar | pienso | piensas | piensa | pensamos | piensan |
| querer | quiero | quieres | quiere | queremos | quieren |
| empezar | empiezo | empiezas | empieza | empezamos | empiezan |
| entender | entiendo | entiendes | entiende | entendemos | entienden |
O → UE Stem Changes
| Verb | yo | tú | él/ella | nosotros | ellos/ellas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| poder | puedo | puedes | puede | podemos | pueden |
| dormir | duermo | duermes | duerme | dormimos | duermen |
| volver | vuelvo | vuelves | vuelve | volvemos | vuelven |
| encontrar | encuentro | encuentras | encuentra | encontramos | encuentran |
E → I Stem Changes
| Verb | yo | tú | él/ella | nosotros | ellos/ellas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pedir | pido | pides | pide | pedimos | piden |
| servir | sirvo | sirves | sirve | servimos | sirven |
| repetir | repito | repites | repite | repetimos | repiten |
When to Use Present Tense
Usage Contexts Chart
| Context | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Current Actions | Ella estudia español | She studies Spanish |
| Habitual Actions | Siempre como a las dos | I always eat at two |
| General Truths | El sol sale por el este | The sun rises in the east |
| Near Future | Mañana voy al médico | Tomorrow I go to the doctor |
| Descriptions | La casa es grande | The house is big |
DELE A2 Practical Scenarios
Daily Routine Examples:
- “Normalmente me levanto a las siete.”
- “Desayuno café y como pan tostado.”
- “Voy al trabajo en autobús.”
- “Regreso a casa a las seis y ceno con mi familia.”
Personal Information:
- “Vivo en Madrid con mi familia.”
- “Estudio ingeniería en la universidad.”
- “Trabajo los fines de semana en un restaurante.”
- “Me gusta leer y escuchar música.”
Preferences and Opinions:
- “Prefiero el café al té.”
- “Creo que es importante estudiar idiomas.”
- “Pienso que el español es muy útil.”
- “Quiero visitar América Latina algún día.”
Important Grammar Rules
1. Subject Pronouns Usage
| Situation | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Emphasis | Include pronoun | Yo hablo español |
| Clarification | Include pronoun | Ella trabaja, él estudia |
| Normal speech | Omit pronoun | Hablo español (instead of Yo hablo) |
2. Reflexive Verbs Chart
| Verb | Meaning | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| levantarse | to get up | me levanto, te levantas, se levanta… |
| ducharse | to shower | me ducho, te duchas, se ducha… |
| vestirse | to get dressed | me visto, te vistes, se viste… |
3. Verb + Infinitive Constructions
| Construction | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| querer + inf | Quiero estudiar | I want to study |
| poder + inf | Puedo hablar | I can speak |
| necesitar + inf | Necesito trabajar | I need to work |
| gustar + inf | Me gusta bailar | I like to dance |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Regular Verb Confusion:
✅ “Yo como” (I eat)
❌ “Yo coma” (subjunctive)
✅ “Ellos viven” (They live)
❌ “Ellos vivan” (subjunctive)
2. Irregular Verb Errors:
✅ “Yo voy” (I go)
❌ “Yo ir” (infinitive)
✅ “Tú tienes” (You have)
❌ “Tú tener” (infinitive)
3. Stem Change Placement:
✅ “Yo pienso” (I think) – correct stem change
❌ “Yo penso” – missing stem change
✅ “Ellos duermen” (They sleep) – correct stem change
❌ “Ellos dormen” – missing stem change
DELE A2 Exam Tips
Writing Section: Use varied present tense verbs to describe daily routines and preferences
Speaking Section: Confidently conjugate regular and common irregular verbs
Reading Section: Recognize present tense forms in short texts and dialogues
Listening Section: Identify present tense verbs in conversations about daily life
Key Exam Areas: Personal information, daily activities, preferences, simple descriptions
Practice Exercises
Complete the Conjugation:
- Yo ________ (hablar) español muy bien.
- Ella ________ (comer) en la cafetería.
- Nosotros ________ (vivir) en Barcelona.
- Tú ________ (estudiar) para el examen.
Choose the Correct Form:
- Yo (voy/va) al cine los viernes.
- Ellos (tienen/tiene) dos hermanos.
- Nosotros (podemos/puede) ayudar.
- Ella (quiero/quiere) viajar.
Answers:
Conjugation: 1. hablo, 2. come, 3. vivimos, 4. estudias
Correct Forms: 1. voy, 2. tienen, 3. podemos, 4. quiere
Memory Aids
- -AR verbs: o, as, a, amos, áis, an
- -ER verbs: o, es, e, emos, éis, en
- -IR verbs: o, es, e, imos, ís, en
- Key irregulars: SER (soy, eres, es, somos, son), ESTAR (estoy, estás…)
- Stem changes: remember “boot shape” – changes everywhere except nosotros/vosotros
Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!
Take our DELE A2 Present Tense Quiz here
What’s Next in Your DELE A2 Journey?
- Need verb practice? Study DELE A2 Essential Verbs
- Ready for past tenses? Review DELE A2 Past Tenses
- Want related topics? Learn DELE A2 Sentence Structure
- Practice all A2 grammar? Return toDELE A2 Grammar Hub
Looking for a deeper dive?
This guide covers the essentials for the DELE A2 exam. If you want to explore more advanced present tense usage, subjunctive forms, and professional communication techniques, check out our complete guide: Spanish Present Tense: The Complete Guide
Master the present tense and you’ll build the foundation for all Spanish communication!
