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Spanish Grammar: Verbs
VERB defined
A VERB is a word which expresses action or state of being.
He walks to school.
We drove to Chicago.
He is busy.
She feels better.
The verb of a sentence may consist of one word, as in the sample sentences above, or it may consist of a main verb and one or more auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verbs (may, can, be, will, have, must, should, etc.) help in the formation of the various verb tenses, moods, etc.
He will do it.
I have seen her.
We must wait here.
You should have called.
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TENSE Defined
This is simply a formal way of saying time. In English we think of time as being broken into three segments: past, present, and future. Our verbs are assigned forms (conjugated) to indicate this division.
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Simple Tenses
As stated, there are three simple verb tenses in English (Present, Past, and Future).
THE PRESENT TENSE is used to describe an action which goes on every day or in general.
We walk to school every morning.
She speaks French well.
THE PAST TENSE is used to describe a past and completed action.
We saw that movie last week.
They spent their vacation in Mexico.
THE FUTURE TENSE, which is formed by use of the auxiliary verb will, is used to describe any action in the future; in particular it is used to express promise or determination.
He will return on Tuesday.
I will attend classes in that city.
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Compound (Perfect) Tenses
In addition to the three simple tenses (Present, Past, and Future), there are three so-called perfect tenses in English (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, and Future Perfect).
THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE is formed with the auxiliary verb have and the past participle of the main verb. It is used:
(a) to describe an action that has taken place at an indefinite point in past time.
I have read that book.
(b) to describe an action beginning in the past and continuing up to the present moment.
They have lived there for many years.
THE PAST PERFECT TENSE is formed with the auxiliary had and the past participle of the main verb. It describes an action in the past which took place before a second past action.
He said he had seen that movie.
By the time we arrived, they had left.
THE FUTURE PERFECT TENSE is formed from the auxiliaries will and have, plus the past participle of the main verb. It describes a future action which, at a certain point in future time, will be considered a past action.
By June we will have completed all these exercises.
When you get there, they will have left.
All verbs in English have both a simple form and a continuous form. We have already studied the simple form. The continuous form (also called progressive form) is obtained from the verb to be, used as an auxiliary, and the present participle of the main verb. There is a continuous form for each of the six regular tenses in English. The continuous form is used to describe an action going on or continuing at some designated point in present time, past time, future time, etc.
| Verb to work, continuous form | |
The Present Tense |
He is working. |
The Past Tense |
He was working. |
The Future Tense |
He will be working. |
The Present Perfect Tense |
He has been working. |
The Past Perfect Tense |
He had been working. |
The Future Perfect Tense |
He will have been working. |
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CONJUGATION OF VERBS
In many languages verbs fall into natural groups, according to the way they make their forms. These groupings are called conjugations, and are an aid to learning grammatical structure. Though it may seem difficult at first to speak of First, Second, and Third Conjugations, these are simply short ways of saying that verbs belonging to these classes make their forms according to certain consistent rules, which you can memorize.
All Spanish verbs fall into one of three conjugations, according to their respective endings.
| Conjugation | Infinitive Ending | Model Verb |
First |
-ar |
NOTE: The part of the verb preceding the infinitive ending ( habl-, com- , and viv- in the model verbs above) is called the stem or root of the verb.
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MOOD DEFINED
The mood of a verb expresses the attitude of the speaker or writer toward his or her statement.
Just as "tense" is used to indicate a period of time when the action takes place, we also can use "mood" to express "point of view". "Mood" is used to express the relation of one action to another from the point of view of the speaker. For example, to express doubt, uncertainty, or some other limitation which the speaker wishes to express.