Lesson 11 - Ropa (Clothes)
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Pages in this lesson: Clothes - -ar verbs - Dialogue - Reading - Quiz
This page: Learn how to conjugate -ar verbs in present tense. Learn common regular -ar verbs.
Present tense -ar verbs
Grammar Lesson
Verb Forms
The verb hablar (to speak) has been conjugated in the table below as an example of a regular present tense -ar verb. The -ar at the end of the infinitive form of the verb is dropped and the ending (in red letters in the table) is added.
| Subject pronouns | Form of hablar | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hablo | I speak |
| tú | hablas | you speak |
| usted, él, ella | habla | you speak/he speaks/she speaks |
| nosotros, nosotras | hablamos | we speak |
| vosotros, vosotras | habláis | you speak (used in Spain only) |
| ustedes, ellos, ellas | hablan | you speak/they speak |
Note: Remember that the subject pronoun doesn't necessarily have to be used in a sentence if it is clear who the subject is based on the context or verb form. For example, with the verb hablo, it is obvious that the subject is yo so the subject is generally not used. The subject may still be used, however, for emphasis.
Common regular -ar verbs
Here are some other common regular -ar verbs. Click on the verbs in the table below to hear the pronunciation and repeat.
| Verb | Translation |
|---|---|
| ► ayudar | to help |
| ► bailar | to dance |
| ► caminar | to walk |
| ► cantar | to sing |
| ► comprar | to buy |
| ► cortar | to cut |
| ► dibujar | to draw |
| ► enseñar | to teach |
| ► escuchar | to listen |
| ► estudiar | to study |
| ► hablar | to speak |
| ► limpiar | to clean |
| ► llevar | to take, to wear |
| ► mirar | to look at, to watch |
| ► nadar | to swim |
| ► practicar | to practice |
| ► trabajar | to work |
| ► usar | to use, to wear |
| ► viajar | to travel |
| ► visitar | to visit |
Practice
Section 1
Select the correct translation.
Practice
Section 2
Select the correct form of the verb for the subject.
Practice
Section 3
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb for the subject.
Practice
Section 4
Use the words below to write a present tense sentence. Put the verb in the correct tense. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
- Example:
- Marco/trabajar/en el banco → Marco trabaja en el banco.
Negative
To make a verb negative in Spanish, you just add the word "no" before the verb.
- Examples:
- No hablo francés.
- Ella no escucha la música.
- Los niños no cantan en el coro.
Practice
Section 5
Change the sentence to negative. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
- Example:
- La maestra trabaja en la escuela. → La maestra no trabaja en la escuela.
Yes/No Questions
To form yes/no questions in Spanish, you just change the word order by putting the verb first. If there is no subject (the verb is already first), all you need is to put question marks. In Spanish an upside-down question mark (¿) is used at the beginning of the question as well as a regular question mark (?) at the end. In some sentences the subject can go right after the verb or at the end of the sentence. If a verb has an object or adverb, however, the subject usually goes after the object or adverb. You will notice in the examples below that there is no translation for the auxiliary verbs do and does. They do not exist in Spanish.
- Examples:
- ¿Hablas inglés? = Do you speak English?
- ¿Trabaja ella en la escuela? = Does she work in the school?
Often Spanish-speakers don't even change the word order for a question. They use the normal sentence word order and just add question marks (to written text) and question intonation (to spoken questions).
- Examples:
- ¿María habla español?
- ¿Los niños nadan en el lago?
Questions with Question Words
To make questions with question words, the question word comes first, then the verb and then the subject (unless the question word is taking the place of the subject).
- Examples:
- ¿Dónde trabaja María? = Where does Maria work?
- ¿Cuántos usa Juan? = How many does Juan use?
Practice
Section 6
Write the question in Spanish. If you need to review the question words, you can study them in Lesson 4 - Question Words. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
- Example:
- How many does Susana use? → ¿Cuántos usa Susana?
Find the mistake in the sentence and re-write it correctly in the space. Don't forget to use correct capitalization, accents and punctuation, or the computer will mark it as incorrect.
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More Practice
Write a sentence with each of the verbs from the table of -ar verbs on a piece of paper. For more practice, try writing some negative sentences and/or questions with the verbs.
Writing
Write five sentences in the present tense with verbs that you learned on this page.
- Examples:
- Estudio español en la universidad.
- El profesor no habla inglés.
If you want to type a special character (like an accented letter) in the comments section, you could do one of the following . . .
- Select and copy the character that you need → á é í ó ú ü ñ ¿ ¡ Á É Í Ó Ú Ü Ñ « »
- Use special codes on your computer if you have numeric keypad (instructions HERE).
- Type your sentences into the text box below and use the special character buttons provided. Then select and copy your text and paste it into the comments section.
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Lesson 11 - Ropa (Clothes)
Clothes - -ar verbs - Dialogue - Reading - Quiz
Important Links
Pronouns - Pronunciation - Verbs
