Learning Spanish can be fun and rewarding, but it can also be challenging, particularly when it comes to conjugating verbs. The good news is that mastering verb conjugation is essential if you want to speak Spanish fluently. That’s why, in this article, we’ll explore the different conjugation styles for verbs ending in “o,” particularly the endings “o, as, a, amos, ais, and an,” and how they are used in Spanish. We’ll also discuss the different types of ar verbs and provide some tips and examples to help you improve your Spanish skills.
Conjugation Style: “o, as, a, amos, ais, an”
All Spanish verbs are conjugated, meaning they change their endings to agree with the person and tense they refer to. When we conjugate a verb, we strip it of its “infinitive” form, which is the form that you find in a dictionary. In Spanish, infinitives always end in “ar,” “er,” or “ir.” In this article, we’ll focus on verbs that end in “ar.”
The conjugation style for verbs ending in “o” follows a basic pattern. The endings for the present tense are:
- “o” for “Yo” (I)
- “as” for “Tú” (informal You)
- “a” for “Él/Ella/Ud” (He/She/You formal)
- “amos” for “Nosotros/Nosotras” (We, masculine or mixed gender group)
- “áis” for “Vosotros/Vosotras” (informal You, masculine or mixed gender group)
- “an” for “Ellos/Ellas/Uds” (They, all female or mixed gender group)
For example, if you want to say “I play” in Spanish, the verb “to play” is “jugar,” and the corresponding conjugation would be “juego.” If you want to say “You play,” the corresponding conjugation would be “juegas,” and so on.
Ar Verbs
In Spanish, there are three types of verbs: “ar” verbs, “er” verbs, and “ir” verbs. Ar verbs are the most common, and mastering their conjugation is essential if you want to speak Spanish fluently.
Here are some common “ar” verbs in Spanish:
- Hablar (to speak)
- Comprar (to buy)
- Bailar (to dance)
- Escuchar (to listen)
- Tocar (to play)
To conjugate “ar” verbs, simply remove the “ar” from the infinitive and add the appropriate endings for the subject pronoun. For example:
- Hablar (to speak) – hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, habláis, hablan
- Comprar (to buy) – compro, compras, compra, compramos, compráis, compran
- Bailar (to dance) – bailo, bailas, baila, bailamos, bailáis, bailan
As you can see, the “o, as, a, amos, ais, and an” endings remain the same regardless of the verb you’re using.
Is it “imos” or “emos”?
One of the most common questions that Spanish learners ask is whether to use “imos” or “emos” as the ending for “we” in verbs ending in “ar.” The answer is straightforward. It depends on the verb.
For “ar” verbs, the ending for “we” is “amos.” For example:
- Hablar (to speak) – hablamos
- Comprar (to buy) – compramos
- Bailar (to dance) – bailamos
On the other hand, some verbs that end in “ar” take the ending “emos” for “we.” Some examples are:
- Creer (to believe) – Creemos
- Leer (to read) – leemos
- Poseer (to have, to possess) – poseemos
When should a verb end in “Amos” or “Emos”?
As we saw earlier, the ending for “we” in “ar” verbs is “amos.” However, some irregular verbs end in “emos” for “we.” These verbs include:
- Andar (to walk) – andamos
- Dar (to give) – damos
- Estar (to be) – estamos
- Ir (to go) – vamos
- Saber (to know) – sabemos
- Ser (to be) – somos
- Tener (to have) – tenemos
- Venir (to come) – venimos
“é, aste, ó, amos, asteis, aron”
In the previous sections, we have covered the basics of verb conjugation for verbs that end in “ar.” In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the different endings for each subject pronoun in the past tense.
The endings for “ar” verbs in the past tense are:
- “é” for “Yo” (I)
- “aste” for “Tú” (informal You)
- “ó” for “Él/Ella/Ud” (He/She/You formal)
- “amos” for “Nosotros/Nosotras” (We, masculine or mixed gender group)
- “asteis” for “Vosotros/Vosotras” (informal You, masculine or mixed gender group)
- “aron” for “Ellos/Ellas/Uds” (They, all female or mixed gender group)
For example, if you want to say “I talked” in Spanish, the verb “to talk” is “hablar,” and the corresponding conjugation would be “hablé.” If you want to say “You talked,” the corresponding conjugation would be “hablaste,” and so on.
When should a verb end in “áis” or “éis”?
In the present tense of “ar” verbs, the ending for “informal you” (Vosotros/Vosotras) is “áis.” However, in some parts of Spain, particularly in Andalucía, “informal you” is conjugated with “éis.”
Here are some examples:
- Hablar (to speak) – habláis / habléis
- Comprar (to buy) – compráis / compréis
- Bailar (to dance) – bailáis / bailéis
While both endings are correct, it’s essential to stick to the common usage in your area and not mix them up.
What does “AIS” mean in Spanish?
In Spanish, “ais” is the ending used for “informal you” in verbs that end in “ar.” For example, if you want to say “You speak Spanish,” you would say “Hablas español.” The ending “ais” is used for both singular and plural subjects.
Ar Verb Conjugation
To conjugate “ar” verbs, you need to know the basic pattern of verb endings in Spanish. Here’s a quick reminder of how to conjugate “ar” verbs in the present tense:
- “o” for “Yo” (I)
- “as” for “Tú” (informal You)
- “a” for “Él/Ella/Ud” (He/She/You formal)
- “amos” for “Nosotros/Nosotras” (We, masculine or mixed gender group)
- “áis” for “Vosotros/Vosotras” (informal You, masculine or mixed gender group)
- “an” for “Ellos/Ellas/Uds” (They, all female or mixed gender group)
To form the past tense, add the appropriate ending for the subject pronouns “-é,” “-aste,” “-ó,” “-amos,” “-asteis,” or “-aron.”
How do you conjugate “ar” verbs in Spanish?
Let’s take the verb “hablar” as an example and conjugate it in the present and past tense.
Present Tense:
- Yo hablo (I speak)
- Tú hablas (You speak)
- Él/Ella/Ud habla (He/She/You formal speaks)
- Nosotros/Nosotras hablamos (We speak)
- Vosotros/Vosotras habláis (informal You speak)
- Ellos/Ellas/Uds hablan (They speak)
Past Tense:
- Yo hablé (I spoke)
- Tú hablaste (You spoke)
- Él/Ella/Ud habló (He/She/You formal spoke)
- Nosotros/Nosotras hablamos (We spoke)
- Vosotros/Vosotras hablasteis / habléis (informal You spoke)
- Ellos/Ellas/Uds hablaron (They spoke)
Conclusion
In summary, understanding verb conjugation in Spanish is essential if you want to speak the language fluently. Verbs that end in “ar” follow a basic pattern of conjugation, and once you know the pattern, you can conjugate any “ar” verb, regardless of the subject or tense. By sticking to the common usage and practicing, you’ll soon be able to conjugate “ar” verbs like a pro. So, keep practicing and have fun speaking Spanish!