Simple present tense for routines and facts
A1Simple present tense for routines and facts (Spanish: presente de indicativo)
This guide explains how to use the Spanish simple present (presente de indicativo) when you talk about routines (habits) and facts (general truths). You will learn what it means, when to use it, how to form regular and common irregular verbs, how to make negatives and questions, and which verbs or structures appear often in routine/fact sentences. Many short, natural examples are included with English translations.
What is the Spanish simple present (presente de indicativo)?
The Spanish presente de indicativo is the basic present-tense form of verbs. It is used to:
- Describe habitual actions and routines (I work every day).
- State facts and general truths (Water boils at 100°C).
- Often express scheduled events in the near future (The train leaves at 6).
In English this usually corresponds to the simple present (I study) or sometimes the present continuous (I am studying). In Spanish, the simple present commonly covers both uses; the present progressive (estar + gerund) is used specifically for actions happening right now.
When do I use the simple present?
Routines and habits
Use the simple present for repeated or regular actions.
- Me levanto a las 7. (I get up at 7.)
- Trabajo de lunes a viernes. (I work Monday to Friday.)
- Vamos al supermercado los sábados. (We go to the supermarket on Saturdays.)
- Siempre estudio por la tarde. (I always study in the afternoon.)
Facts and general truths
Use it for statements that are true in general, scientific facts, or stable information.
- El agua hierve a 100 °C. (Water boils at 100 °C.)
- La Tierra gira alrededor del Sol. (The Earth orbits the Sun.)
- Madrid es la capital de España. (Madrid is the capital of Spain.)
Other common uses (short notes)
- Near future / scheduled events: Mañana salgo a las ocho. (Tomorrow I leave at eight.)
- Instructions or commentary (often used in recipes or sports commentary): Primero se precalienta el horno. (First the oven is preheated.)
The rest of this guide focuses on routines and facts but mentions the nearby uses where relevant.
How do I form the simple present? (regular verbs)
Spanish verbs end in -ar, -er, or -ir. Remove the infinitive ending and add the present endings for each person.
Regular -ar verbs (hablar = to speak)
- yo hablo (I speak)
- tú hablas (you informal)
- él / ella / usted habla (he / she / you formal)
- nosotros / nosotras hablamos (we)
- vosotros / vosotras habláis (you plural, Spain)
- ellos / ellas / ustedes hablan (they / you plural formal)
Examples:
- Hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
- Ella habla muy claro. (She speaks very clearly.)
Regular -er verbs (comer = to eat)
- yo como
- tú comes
- él come
- nosotros comemos
- vosotros coméis
- ellos comen
Examples:
- Comemos a las ocho. (We eat at eight.)
- ¿Tú comes carne? (Do you eat meat?)
Regular -ir verbs (vivir = to live)
- yo vivo
- tú vives
- él vive
- nosotros vivimos
- vosotros vivís
- ellos viven
Examples:
- Vivo en Madrid. (I live in Madrid.)
- Viven cerca de aquí. (They live near here.)
Note: In many parts of Latin America you will not use vosotros; use ustedes in all plural 'you' situations: ustedes hablan, ustedes comen, ustedes viven.
What about irregular and stem-changing verbs?
Many common verbs are irregular in the present. Here are the main patterns you need for routines and facts.
Stem-changing verbs (so-called "boot" verbs)
Some verbs change the vowel in the stem in all forms except nosotros and vosotros. Common patterns:
- e → ie (pensar: pienso, piensas, piensa, pensamos, pensáis, piensan)
- o → ue (dormir: duermo, duermes, duerme, dormimos, dormís, duermen)
- e → i (pedir: pido, pides, pide, pedimos, pedís, piden)
Examples:
- Siempre pienso en mi familia. (I always think about my family.) — routine
- Duermo ocho horas cada noche. (I sleep eight hours each night.) — routine
- Pido ayuda cuando no entiendo. (I ask for help when I don't understand.) — habit
Irregular yo-forms and other irregular patterns
Some verbs are regular except the yo form: conocer → yo conozco (I know / I meet), hacer → yo hago, poner → yo pongo, traer → yo traigo, salir → yo salgo.
Examples:
- Conozco a María. (I know María.)
- Hago ejercicio tres veces por semana. (I exercise three times a week.)
Some verbs are completely irregular (common ones you should memorize):
- ser: soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son (to be — identity, facts)
- estar: estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están (to be — location, temporary states)
- ir: voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van (to go)
- tener: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen (to have, age, obligations)
Examples:
- Soy profesor. (I am a teacher.) — fact
- Está cansado hoy. (He is tired today.) — temporary state
- Voy al trabajo en coche. (I go to work by car.) — routine
- Tengo dos hermanas. (I have two sisters.) — fact
Subject pronouns: do I need to say 'yo', 'tú', etc.?
Spanish verbs show the subject in their endings, so subject pronouns (yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos) are often omitted.
- Trabajo en una oficina. = (Yo) trabajo en una oficina. (I work in an office.)
Use the pronoun when you want to emphasize or clarify the subject:
- Yo trabajo por la mañana, pero él trabaja por la noche. (I work in the morning, but he works at night.)
Note on plural 'you': In Spain use vosotros/vosotras (habláis, coméis, vivís). In Latin America use ustedes (ustedes hablan, ustedes comen, ustedes viven) and conjugate like third person plural.
Also note voseo in some countries (Argentina, Uruguay, parts of Central America) where 'vos' replaces tú and verbs change: vos hablás, vos tenés. If you are learning general Spanish, start with tú and usted/ustedes; learn voseo later if you study a specific country.
How to make negatives and questions
Negatives
Put no before the conjugated verb.
- No trabajo los sábados. (I don't work on Saturdays.)
- No hay leche en la nevera. (There is no milk in the fridge.)
Spanish accepts double negatives: No veo a nadie. (I don't see anyone.) — literal: I don't see nobody.
Questions
Form questions by intonation, by inverting subject and verb, or by using question words. Spanish does not use auxiliary do/does.
- ¿Trabajas los domingos? (Do you work on Sundays?) — intonation/inversion
- ¿Dónde vive Ana? (Where does Ana live?)
- ¿A qué hora te levantas? (At what time do you get up?)
You can add tags like ¿no? or ¿verdad? for confirmation:
- Trabajas los domingos, ¿no? (You work on Sundays, don't you?)
Special verbs and structures often used to express routines and facts
Reflexive verbs for daily routines
Many daily actions use reflexive verbs (actions you do to yourself). Use reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se.
- Me levanto a las 7. (I get up at 7.)
- Te duchas por la mañana. (You shower in the morning.)
- Se acuestan a las 11. (They go to bed at 11.)
Gustar and similar verbs (me gusta, me encantan)
Gustar behaves differently: the verb agrees with what is liked, and the person is an indirect object.
- Me gusta correr por las mañanas. (I like to run in the mornings.)
- Nos gustan las películas de comedia. (We like comedy movies.)
Wrong: "Yo gusto chocolate." Correct: "Me gusta el chocolate." (I like chocolate.)
Hay (there is / there are) and haber
Hay expresses existence and is impersonal (no subject change):
- Hay tres libros en la mesa. (There are three books on the table.)
- No hay escuela hoy. (There is no school today.)
Use hay + que + infinitive for general obligations: Hay que estudiar. (One must study / You have to study.)
Ser vs. Estar — quick guide
- Ser: identity, origin, profession, permanent characteristics, time/date. Example facts: Soy estudiante. (I am a student.) Son las tres. (It is three o'clock.)
- Estar: location, health, emotions, temporary conditions. Example temporary state: Estoy cansado. (I am tired.)
Compare:
- Él es aburrido. (He is a boring person.)
- Él está aburrido. (He is bored.)
Common mistakes and tips for English speakers
1. Overusing present progressive (estar + gerund) instead of simple present
- Incorrect for routine: *Estoy viviendo en Madrid. (if you mean "I live in Madrid" as a general fact)
- Correct: Vivo en Madrid. (I live in Madrid.)
- Use estoy viviendo only to say it's a temporary situation: Estoy viviendo en Madrid este mes. (I am living in Madrid this month.)
2. Confusing ser and estar
- Use ser for permanent facts: Soy médico. (I am a doctor.)
- Use estar for states and locations: Estoy en casa. (I am at home.)
3. Using subject pronouns unnecessarily
- Spanish usually drops subject pronouns. Say Trabajo en una oficina, not Yo trabajo en una oficina, unless you want emphasis.
4. Mistakes with gustar structure
- Wrong: Yo gusto el chocolate.
- Right: Me gusta el chocolate.
5. Not matching verbs for vosotros vs ustedes
- If you are learning Latin American Spanish, prefer ustedes (ustedes comen), not vosotros (vosotros coméis).
6. Word order for adverbs of frequency
- Natural: Siempre estudio por la tarde (Always I study in the afternoon) or Estudio siempre por la tarde. Pay attention to placement: adverbs typically come before the main verb or right after the conjugated verb.
Useful time expressions and adverbs for routines
Common words that often appear with the simple present:
- siempre (always) — Siempre leo antes de dormir.
- nunca (never) — Nunca fumo.
- a menudo / con frecuencia (often) — Voy al cine a menudo.
- a veces (sometimes) — A veces como fuera.
- todos los días / cada día (every day) — Camino todos los días.
- cada mañana / cada noche (each morning / each night)
- de vez en cuando (from time to time) — De vez en cuando como pizza.
- tres veces por semana / dos veces al mes — Hago yoga tres veces por semana.
Comprehensive examples (grouped by concept)
Daily routines (short sentences)
- Me levanto a las 6:30. (I get up at 6:30.)
- Me ducho y me visto. (I shower and get dressed.)
- Desayuno a las siete. (I have breakfast at seven.)
- Salgo de casa a las ocho. (I leave the house at eight.)
- Vuelvo a las seis de la tarde. (I come back at six in the evening.)
- Me acuesto a las once. (I go to bed at eleven.)
Habits expressed with frequency words
- Siempre estudio después de cenar. (I always study after dinner.)
- A veces trabajo los fines de semana. (Sometimes I work weekends.)
- Casi nunca como dulces. (I almost never eat sweets.)
Facts and general truths
- Las plantas necesitan agua y luz. (Plants need water and light.)
- Los bebés no pueden hablar al nacer. (Babies cannot speak at birth.)
- El hierro se oxida en presencia de agua. (Iron rusts in the presence of water.)
Negative sentences
- No fumo. (I don't smoke.)
- No hay leche. (There is no milk.)
- Ella no cocina los martes. (She doesn't cook on Tuesdays.)
Questions and short answers
- ¿A qué hora trabajas? — Trabajo de nueve a cinco. (What time do you work? — I work from nine to five.)
- ¿Tú tomas café por la mañana? — Sí, tomo café. (Do you drink coffee in the morning? — Yes, I drink coffee.)
Reflexive verbs for routines
- ¿A qué hora te levantas? — Me levanto a las siete. (What time do you get up? — I get up at seven.)
- Nos bañamos después de correr. (We bathe after running.)
Gustar and likes/dislikes
- Me gusta correr por las mañanas. (I like running in the mornings.)
- No me gustan las películas de terror. (I don't like horror movies.)
Hay (existence) and obligations
- En mi ciudad hay mucha historia. (There is a lot of history in my city.)
- Hay que respetar las reglas. (One must respect the rules / You have to respect the rules.)
Scheduled events / near future expressed with present
- El tren sale a las seis. (The train leaves at six.)
- Esta noche tengo una reunión a las nueve. (Tonight I have a meeting at nine.)
Ser / Estar contrast (examples)
- Él es médico. (He is a doctor.) — fact / profession
- Él está enfermo hoy. (He is sick today.) — temporary state
Quick reference conjugation examples
Regular verbs (full forms)
- Hablar: hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, habláis, hablan
- Comer: como, comes, come, comemos, coméis, comen
- Vivir: vivo, vives, vive, vivimos, vivís, viven
Common irregular verbs (present forms)
- Ser: soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son
- Estar: estoy, estás, está, estamos, estáis, están
- Ir: voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van
- Tener: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen
- Hacer: hago, haces, hace, hacemos, hacéis, hacen
- Decir: digo, dices, dice, decimos, decís, dicen
- Poder: puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, podéis, pueden
- Querer: quiero, quieres, quiere, queremos, queréis, quieren
- Pedir (e→i): pido, pides, pide, pedimos, pedís, piden
- Dormir (o→ue): duermo, duermes, duerme, dormimos, dormís, duermen
- Conocer (yo irregular): conozco, conoces, conoce, conocemos, conocéis, conocen
- Saber (yo irregular): sé, sabes, sabe, sabemos, sabéis, saben
Glossary (short definitions)
- Present indicative (presente de indicativo): The basic present tense used for habits, facts, and current actions.
- Conjugation: Changing the verb form to show person and number (yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos).
- Stem change: A vowel change in the verb stem in certain forms (e→ie, o→ue, e→i).
- Irregular verb: A verb that does not follow regular conjugation patterns (ser, ir, tener...).
- Reflexive verb: A verb that uses reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) to show the action is done to the subject.
- Impersonal hay: "hay" = there is / there are, used to state existence.
Final tip: To practice routines and facts, describe your daily schedule and simple true statements about the world in Spanish using the present. Focus first on mastering regular endings and the most common irregulars (ser, estar, tener, ir, hacer, decir), and learn key stem-changing patterns (e→ie, o→ue, e→i). Pay attention to pronoun use: you can drop the subject pronoun in most sentences for natural Spanish.