The 10 Spanish verbs every beginner must learn first
Not all verbs are equal. These 10 Spanish verbs will carry you through 80% of everyday conversations — learn them before anything else.
With 1,316 verbs in our database, it can be hard to know where to start. The answer: start with the verbs that appear in almost every conversation. Master these 10 and you'll be able to express the vast majority of everyday ideas in Spanish.
1. Ser — to be (permanent)
Ser is used for identity, nationality, profession, and permanent characteristics. Soy inglés. Somos estudiantes. Es una buena idea. Possibly the single most important verb in the language.
2. Estar — to be (temporary)
Estar handles location, emotional states, and temporary conditions. Estoy bien. ¿Dónde está el baño? Estamos en Madrid. Together with ser, these two verbs unlock a huge part of Spanish.
3. Tener — to have
Tener expresses possession but also age, hunger, thirst, and many idiomatic phrases. Tengo 30 años. ¿Tienes hambre? Tenemos que salir.
4. Ir — to go
Ir is essential for movement and, crucially, for forming the immediate future with ir a + infinitive. Voy al trabajo. ¿Adónde vas? Vamos a comer.
5. Querer — to want / to love
Querer is your go-to verb for expressing desires and affection. Quiero un café. ¿Qué quieres hacer? Te quiero.
6. Poder — can / to be able to
Poder expresses ability and permission. ¿Puedes ayudarme? No puedo venir hoy. ¿Puedo pasar?
7. Hacer — to do / to make
Hacer is used constantly: for activities, weather, and forming expressions. ¿Qué haces? Hace calor. Hago deporte todos los días.
8. Decir — to say / to tell
Decir is fundamental for reporting speech and giving information. ¿Qué dices? Me dijo que llegará tarde. Dime la verdad.
9. Hablar — to speak / to talk
Hablar is the model for all regular -AR verbs — and one you'll use constantly. ¿Hablas español? Hablo un poco. Hablamos mañana.
10. Saber — to know (facts / how to)
Saber handles knowledge of facts and skills. ¿Sabes nadar? No sé. Sabe cocinar muy bien. Remember: use conocer for knowing people and places.
How to practise
For each of these verbs, learn the full present tense conjugation first, then learn 5 example sentences. Make them personal — sentences about your own life are far easier to remember. Once you have all 10 in the present tense, move on to the preterite for the top 5.
Half of these verbs are irregular — for a deep dive into their conjugation patterns, see the 20 most important irregular Spanish verbs. And since ser and estar are on this list, make sure you also read our ser vs estar guide to know exactly when to use each.