Lingobi- Mastering the Spanish Present Tense (Presente)

Mastering the Spanish Present Tense (Presente)

By Lingobi, Published on 06/20/2025

The present tense—or presente—in Spanish is one of the first and most important verb tenses to master. It's used to talk about things that happen now, regularly, or even in the near future. If you're learning Spanish, understanding the present tense will give you the foundation to have everyday conversations, express preferences, and describe routines.

When to Use the Present Tense

The present tense in Spanish is used for:

Talking about daily habits and routines
Describing facts or general truths
Expressing feelings and emotions
Talking about what's happening now
Describing future plans (informally)

Regular Verb Conjugations

Spanish verbs end in -ar, -er, or -ir. Here's how regular verbs are conjugated in the present tense:

Subject	Hablar (to speak)	Comer (to eat)	Vivir (to live)
Yo	hablo	como	vivo
Tú	hablas	comes	vives
Él/Ella/Usted	habla	come	vive
Nosotros	hablamos	comemos	vivimos
Vosotros	habláis	coméis	vivís
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	hablan	comen	viven

Examples in Action

Estudio español todos los días. – I study Spanish every day.
Mi hermano trabaja en un hospital. – My brother works at a hospital.
Comemos a las ocho. – We eat at eight.
¿Vives cerca de aquí? – Do you live nearby?

Tips for Mastering the Present Tense

Practice with verbs you use every day like "comer", "trabajar", and "vivir".
Try writing simple sentences about your routine.
Use apps like Lingobi to hear native pronunciation and test yourself with interactive activities.
Pay attention to subject-verb agreement—it’s essential in Spanish!

The present tense is your entry point into real-world Spanish. Once you’re confident using it, you’ll be able to start expressing yourself clearly in everyday situations. Keep practicing and take note of how often it appears in conversations!

Start practicing with our Sentence Builder game and much more in the Lingobi app.