One of the biggest mistakes Spanish learners make is trying to memorize a giant list of verbs before saying anything. After teaching beginners for 25+ years, here’s what I’ve learned: five verbs will get you speaking faster than fifty.
Master these this month and you can hold real conversations:
1. Ser — “to be” (identity)
The first verb you’ll need. Use it for who or what something IS.
- Soy estudiante. — I’m a student.
- Es de Argentina. — He’s from Argentina.
- Somos amigos. — We’re friends.
2. Estar — “to be” (state & location)
The other “to be.” Use it for how something IS right now, or where it is.
- Estoy bien. — I’m fine.
- El libro está en la mesa. — The book is on the table.
- Estamos cansados. — We’re tired.
(Confused about ser vs. estar? Read my cheat sheet.)
3. Tener — “to have”
Beyond just owning things, tener is used in tons of expressions where English would use “to be.”
- Tengo hambre. — I’m hungry. (literally: I have hunger)
- Tiene 25 años. — She’s 25 years old.
- Tenemos prisa. — We’re in a hurry.
4. Hacer — “to do / to make”
Used for activities, weather, and time expressions.
- ¿Qué haces? — What are you doing?
- Hace calor hoy. — It’s hot today.
- Hago la cena. — I’m making dinner.
5. Ir — “to go”
Movement, future plans, and intentions all use ir.
- Voy al supermercado. — I’m going to the supermarket.
- Vamos a comer. — We’re going to eat. (also expresses near future)
- ¿Vas a la fiesta? — Are you going to the party?
Bonus: Combine Them
Once you know these five, you can combine them with “going to” (ir + a + verb) and suddenly express future actions for ANY verb:
- Voy a estudiar. — I’m going to study.
- Vamos a comer. — We’re going to eat.
- Vas a aprender mucho. — You’re going to learn a lot.
That single trick (ir + a + infinitive) lets you talk about future plans without learning future tense conjugations yet.
Your 30-Day Plan
- Week 1: Drill all conjugations of ser and estar. Use them in 20 sentences each.
- Week 2: Add tener. Practice the “have hunger / thirst / years” expressions.
- Week 3: Add hacer. Make a list of activities you do daily.
- Week 4: Add ir. Use ir + a + infinitive to plan your week in Spanish out loud.
For guided practice with answer keys, browse my Spanish Grammar resources. Or for personalized coaching that meets you exactly where you are, book a free consult.