GCSE Spanish verbs list - the top 25. The essential guide.

GCSE Spanish verbs list - the top 25

Below you will find the top 25 Spanish verbs.

This is the definitive GCSE Spanish verbs list.

In each sentence there is one verb - so if you are familiar with these verbs, it will improve your chances in the actual GCSE exam.

Having said that, all students of Spanish will benefit from knowing these verbs well.

GCSE Spanish verbs list - the top 25

Here is the definitive list:

1. SER - to be

2. HABER - to have

3 ESTAR - to be

4. TENER - to have

5. HACER - to do/ make

6. PODER - to "can" / to be able

7. DECIR - to say / tell

8. IR - to go

9. VER - to see

10. DAR - to give

11. SABER - to know ( a fact)

12. QUERER - to want / to love

13. LLEGAR - to arrive

14. PASAR - to pass / to spend

15. DEBER - to "must" / to have to / to owe

16. PONER - to put

17. PARECER - to seem

18. QUEDAR - to stay / to remain

19. CREER - to believe

20. HABLAR - to speak

21. LLEVAR - to carry / to wear

22. DEJAR - to leave

23. SEGUIR - to follow

24. ENCONTRAR - to find

25. LLAMAR - to call

You will find below the verbs set out in the first person (YO form), with the English translation.

Comments have been added which will be useful to the Spanish GCSE student.

The 25 top verbs in Spanish - one of the keys to success in #GCSE SPANISH. Click here for the definitive guide.

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1. Ser - to be

"Ser" is the most frequently used Spanish verb.

It is therefore an absolute must for your Spanish GCSE / Spanish IGCSE studies.

Indeed, "Ser" is a key verb for any Spanish student.

Firstly, it is irregular.

Here are the key parts of the verb.

ser first person in present, future, imperfect perfect and preterite

The irregular parts have been highlighted.

Here are some examples of the use of the verb, which will be useful in both the speaking and writing part of the GCSE exam.

Present tense examples

Soy inglés / soy inglesa

Soy bastante alto / soy bastante alta

Warning!

Native English speakers may be tempted to translate "I am 15 /16 years old" by using "soy".

This is incorrect!

To say, I am 15/ 16 years old, you say:

"Tengo 15 / 16 años".

Imperfect tense example

To say when I was young, you use the imperfect tense.

"Cuando era joven"

Preterite tense - comment

"Fui" can mean "I was" but it also means "I went".

This can be confusing.

To avoid possible confusion, you could learn "block" phrases.

Here is an example:

"Fui a España en avión." (I went to Spain by plane)

Fui un(a) estudiante de ABC instituto primario (I was a student of ABC primary school)

2. Haber - to have

Haber is the second most frequent word in the Spanish language.

Haber means "to have".

It is irregular - see the table below.

Haber also has important grammatical role.

What is the difference between Haber and Tener?

English speaking Spanish students can be confused as to when to use "haber" and when to use "tener", since they both mean "to have" in English.

Put simply -

1. Tener means to have in a physical sense

e.g. tengo un lápiz en mi mano.

2. Haber means to have in a grammatical sense

he sido - I have been

había sido - I had been

habría sido - I would have been

haber first person in present, future, imperfect perfect and preterite

3. Estar - to be

estar first person tener first person in present, future, imperfect perfect and preterite

Estar - to be

Estar is the third most common word in the Spanish language.

This two syllable verb poses students of the language a number of challenges.

Firstly, Estar is irregular in its formation.

Secondly, its meaning is the same as Ser (number 1 in this list) for it also means "to be"....

and because of this, Estar can cause a number of difficulties.

It is always dangerous to simplify, but here goes

Estar is used for:

a) where something is located

Madrid está en España.

b) when something is temporary.

Estoy triste (but I am not sad all the time)

4. Tener- to have

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	TENGO	I HAVE
Future	TENDRÉ	I WILL HAVE
Imperfect	TENÍA	I HAD / USED TO HAVE
Perfect	HE TENIDO	I HAVE HAD
Preterite	TUVE	I HAD

5. Hacer - to do / make

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	HAGO	I DO / MAKE
Future	HARÉ	I WILL DO / MAKE
Imperfect	HACÍA	I DID / MADE USED TO MAKE / DO
Perfect	HE HECHO	I HAVE DONE / MADE
Preterite	HICE	I DID / MADE

6. Poder - to can / be able

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	PUEDO	I CAN / AM ABLE
Future	PODRÉ	I WILL BE ABLE
Imperfect	PODÍA	I WAS ABLE
Perfect	HE PODIDO	I HAVE BEEN ABLE
Preterite	PUDE	I WAS ABLE

7. Decir - to say / tell

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	DIGO	I SAY / TELL
Future	DIRÉ	I WILL SAY / TELL
Imperfect	DECÍA	I USED TO SAY / TELL I TOLD / I SAID
Perfect	HE DICHO	I HAVE SAID / TOLD
Preterite	DIJE	I SAID / TOLD

8. Ir - to go

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	VOY	I GO
Future	IRÉ	I WILL GO
Imperfect	IBA	I USED TO GO / I WENT
Perfect	HE IDO	I HAVE GONE / BEEN
Preterite	FUI	I WENT

9. Ver - to see

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	VEO	I SEE
Future	VERÉ	I WILL SEE
Imperfect	VEÍA	I USED TO SEE / I SAW
Perfect	HE VISTO	I HAVE SEEN
Preterite	VI	I SAW

10. Dar - give

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	DOY	I GIVE
Future	DARÉ	I WILL GIVE
Imperfect	DABA	I USED TO GIVE / I GAVE
Perfect	HE DADO	I HAVE GIVEN
Preterite	DI	I GAVE

11. Saber - t0 know (a fact)

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	SÉ	I KNOW
Future	SABRÉ	I WILL KNOW
Imperfect	SABÍA	I USED TO KNOW / I KNEW
Perfect	HE SABIDO	I HAVE KNOWN
Preterite	SUPE	I KNEW

12. Querer - to want, to love

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	QUIERO	I WANT / I LOVE
Future	QUERRÉ	I WILL WANT / LOVE
Imperfect	QUERÍA	I USED TO WANT / LOVE I WANTED / LOVED
Perfect	HE QUERIDO	I HAVE WANTED / LOVED
Preterite	QUISE	I WANTED / LOVED

13. Llegar - to arrive

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	LLEGO	I ARRIVE
Future	LLEGARÉ	I WILL ARRIVE
Imperfect	LLEGABA	I USED TO ARRIVE / I ARRIVED
Perfect	HE LLEGADO	I HAVE ARRIVED
Preterite	LLEGUÉ	I ARRIVED

14. Pasar - to pass / spend time

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	PASO	I PASS / SPEND TIME
Future	PASARÉ	I WILL PASS / SPEND TIME
Imperfect	PASABA	I USED TO PASS / SPEND TIME
Perfect	HE PASADO	I HAVE PASSED / SPENT TIME
Preterite	PASÉ	I PASSED / SPENT TIME

15. Deber - to "must", to have to, to owe

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	DEBO	I must / to have to / owe
Future	DEBERÉ	I WILL HAVE TO / WILL OWE
Imperfect	DEBÍA	I USED TO HAVE TO/ OWE
Perfect	HE DEBIDO	I HAVE HAD TO / OWED
Preterite	DEBÍ	I HAD TO / OWED

16. Poner - to put

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	PONGO	I PUT
Future	PONDRÉ	I WILL PUT
Imperfect	PONÍA	I USED TO PUT / I PUT
Perfect	HE PUESTO	I HAVE PUT
Preterite	PUSE	I PUT

17. Parecer - to seem

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	PAREZCO	I SEEM
Future	PARECERÉ	I WILL SEEM
Imperfect	PARECÍA	I USED TO SEEM / I SEEMED
Perfect	HE PARECIDO	I HAVE SEEMED
Preterite	PARECÍ	I SEEMED

18. Quedar - to stay , remain

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	QUEDO	I STAY / REMAIN
Future	QUEDARÉ	I WILL STAY / REMAIN
Imperfect	QUEDABA	I USED TO STAY / REMAIN
Perfect	HE QUEDADO	I HAVE STAYED / REMAINED
Preterite	QUEDÉ	I STAYED / REMAINED

19. Creer - to think, believe

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	CREO	I BELIEVE
Future	CREERÉ	I WILL BELIEVE
Imperfect	CREÍA	I USED TO BELIEVE / I BELIEVED
Perfect	HE CREÍDO	I HAVE BELIEVED / BELIEVED
Preterite	CREÍ	I BELIEVED

20. Hablar - to speak, talk

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	HABLO	I SPEAK / TALK
Future	HABLARÉ	I WILL SPEAK / TALK
Imperfect	HABLABA	I USED TO SPEAK / TALK I SPOKE / I TALKED
Perfect	HE HABLADO	I HAVE SPOKEN / TALKED
Preterite	HABLÉ	I SPOKE

21. Llevar - to take, carry, wEAR

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	LLEVO	I TAKE / CARRY / WEAR
Future	LLEVARÉ	I WILL TAKE / CARRY / WEAR
Imperfect	LLEVABA	I USED TO TAKE / CARRY / WEAR / I TOOK / CARRIED / WORE
Perfect	HE LLEVADO	I HAVE TAKEN / CARRIED / WORN
Preterite	LLEVÉ	I TOOK / CARRIED / WORE

22. DEJAR - TO LEAVE / LET

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	DEJO	I LEAVE / LET
Future	DEJARÉ	I WILL LEAVE / LET
Imperfect	DEJABA	I USED TO LEAVE / LET
Perfect	HE DEJADO	I HAVE LEFT / LET
Preterite	DEJÉ	I LEFT / LET

23. Seguir - to follow

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	SIGO	I FOLLOW
Future	SEGUIRÉ	I WILL FOLLOW
Imperfect	SEGUÍA	I USED TO FOLLOW / I FOLLOWED
Perfect	HE SEGUIDO	I HAVE FOLLOWED / I FOLLOWED
Preterite	SEGUÍ	I FOLLOWED

24. Encontrar - to find

Tense	Spanish - YO	English - I
Present	ENCUENTRO	I FIND
Future	ENCONTRARÉ	I WILL FIND
Imperfect	ENCONTRABA	I USED TO FIND / I FOUND
Perfect	HE ENCONTRADO	I HAVE FOUND / I FOUND
Preterite	ENCONTRÉ	I FOUND