Common Spanish Verbs: 80+ Must-Know Actions for Beginners
Verbos comunes en español (Mexican Spanish) Tap 🔊 to hear it Default: tú (with a little usted where it matters)
You’ll get high-frequency verbs with pronunciation (IPA), meaning, and real-life examples you can steal immediately.
Verbs are the engine of a sentence. Learn a solid core and suddenly you can order food, make plans, ask for help, and admit you’re lost (a classic).
Start with the “power verbs” below, then raid the grouped tables. Use the search box to find what you need in seconds.
If Spanish verbs feel like a soap opera with too many plot twists, relax. You don’t need every tense today—just the verbs people actually say all the time.
8 Power Verbs You’ll Use Constantly
These show up everywhere. Learn them first, and your Spanish instantly gets… functional. (Aka: you can survive.)
ser
/seɾ/
to be (identity, “what it is”)
Soy de Monterrey.
I’m from Monterrey.
estar
/esˈtaɾ/
to be (state, location, “how/where it is”)
Estoy bien, gracias.
I’m good, thanks.
tener
/teˈneɾ/
to have
Tengo tiempo hoy.
I have time today.
hacer
/aˈseɾ/
to do / to make
¿Qué haces hoy?
What are you doing today?
ir
/iɾ/
to go
Voy al súper.
I’m going to the supermarket.
venir
/beˈniɾ/
to come
Vengo en diez minutos.
I’ll be there in ten minutes.
querer
/keˈɾeɾ/
to want
Quiero un café, por favor.
I want a coffee, please.
poder
/poˈðeɾ/
to be able to / can
¿Puedes ayudarme?
Can you help me?
15 Real-Life Phrases (Steal These Today)
These are the “I need this in real life” lines. Some are casual (tú), and one is politely formal (usted).
¿Puedes ayudarme?
/ˈpweðes aʝuˈðaɾme/
Use when you need help (friendly, direct).
Can you help me?
Tengo que irme.
/ˈteŋɡo ke ˈiɾme/
Polite exit line. Works everywhere.
I have to go.
Quiero una botella de agua.
/ˈkjeɾo una βoˈteʝa ðe ˈaɣwa/
Ordering, requesting, surviving.
I want a bottle of water.
No puedo ahora.
/no ˈpweðo aˈoɾa/
A clean, simple “not right now.”
I can’t right now.
¿Qué haces hoy?
/ke ˈases oj/
Invite people without sounding robotic.
What are you doing today?
Ya voy.
/ʝa ˈβoj/
Mexico’s MVP response to “Where are you?”
I’m coming / I’m on my way.
Vengo en camino.
/ˈbeŋɡo en kaˈmino/
Slightly fuller “I’m on the way.”
I’m on my way.
¿Me puede ayudar, por favor?
/me ˈpweðe aʝuˈðaɾ poɾ faˈβoɾ/
Formal + respectful (store, office, stranger).
Could you help me, please?
¿Me puedes decir…?
/me ˈpweðes deˈsiɾ/
Perfect opener for questions.
Can you tell me…?
¿Puedes repetir?
/ˈpweðes repeˈtiɾ/
Say it with confidence. You’re learning.
Can you repeat that?
¿A qué hora sales?
/a ke ˈoɾa ˈsales/
Plans, rides, schedules.
What time do you leave?
¿Me das una bolsa?
/me ˈðas una ˈβolsa/
Stores, markets, takeout.
Can you give me a bag?
¿Me llevas al aeropuerto?
/me ˈʝeβas al aweɾtoˈpweɾto/
Rides and favors (very common).
Can you take me to the airport?
Te llamo luego.
/te ˈʝamo ˈlweɣo/
Friendly, normal, not dramatic.
I’ll call you later.
No sé.
/no se/
Honest, simple, super common.
I don’t know.
Big List: 60 More Common Verbs (Grouped)
Type English or Spanish to filter the tables. Try: “buy”, “learn”, “leave”, “call”, “fix”, “feel”.
| Spanish | Meaning (EN) | Example (ES) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| comer/koˈmeɾ/ | to eat | Hoy como tacos en casa. | Today I’m eating tacos at home. | |
| beber/beˈβeɾ/ | to drink | Bebo agua todo el día. | I drink water all day. | |
| dormir/doɾˈmiɾ/ | to sleep | Duermo ocho horas si puedo. | I sleep eight hours if I can. | |
| trabajar/tɾaβaˈxaɾ/ | to work | Trabajo de lunes a viernes. | I work Monday to Friday. | |
| estudiar/estuˈðjaɾ/ | to study | Estudio español un ratito. | I study Spanish for a little while. | |
| vivir/biˈβiɾ/ | to live | Vivo cerca del centro. | I live near downtown. | |
| cocinar/kosiˈnaɾ/ | to cook | Cocino pasta rápido. | I cook pasta quickly. | |
| limpiar/limˈpjaɾ/ | to clean | Limpio la mesa después. | I clean the table afterward. | |
| comprar/komˈpɾaɾ/ | to buy | Compro frutas en el mercado. | I buy fruit at the market. | |
| pagar/paˈɣaɾ/ | to pay | Pago con tarjeta, gracias. | I’ll pay with card, thanks. |
| Spanish | Meaning (EN) | Example (ES) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hablar/aˈβlaɾ/ | to speak / talk | ¿Hablas inglés? | Do you speak English? | |
| decir/deˈsiɾ/ | to say / tell | Dime la verdad. | Tell me the truth. | |
| contar/konˈtaɾ/ | to tell / count | Te cuento lo que pasó. | I’ll tell you what happened. | |
| preguntar/pɾeɣunˈtaɾ/ | to ask (a question) | Pregunto en la recepción. | I’ll ask at the front desk. | |
| pedir/peˈðiɾ/ | to ask for / order | Pido tacos al pastor. | I’m ordering tacos al pastor. | |
| llamar/ʝaˈmaɾ/ | to call / to name | Te llamo en la tarde. | I’ll call you in the afternoon. | |
| escuchar/eskuˈtʃaɾ/ | to listen | Escucho música en el camión. | I listen to music on the bus. | |
| ver/beɾ/ | to see / watch | Veo la noticia en mi celular. | I’m watching the news on my phone. | |
| leer/leˈeɾ/ | to read | Leo un mensaje rápido. | I read a message quickly. | |
| escribir/eskɾiˈβiɾ/ | to write | Escribo un correo corto. | I write a short email. |
| Spanish | Meaning (EN) | Example (ES) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| salir/saˈliɾ/ | to leave / go out | Salgo a las seis. | I leave at six. | |
| entrar/enˈtɾaɾ/ | to enter | Entro por la puerta principal. | I enter through the main door. | |
| volver/bolˈβeɾ/ | to return / come back | Vuelvo mañana. | I’ll come back tomorrow. | |
| llegar/ʝeˈɣaɾ/ | to arrive | Llego en cinco minutos. | I’ll arrive in five minutes. | |
| llevar/ʝeˈβaɾ/ | to take / carry (from here to there) | Llevo mi credencial. | I’m bringing my ID badge. | |
| traer/tɾaˈeɾ/ | to bring (to here) | ¿Traes agua? | Did you bring water? | |
| caminar/kamiˈnaɾ/ | to walk | Camino al trabajo cuando puedo. | I walk to work when I can. | |
| correr/koˈreɾ/ | to run | Corro en el parque los sábados. | I run in the park on Saturdays. | |
| manejar/maneˈxaɾ/ | to drive | No manejo hoy; voy en metro. | I’m not driving today; I’m taking the metro. | |
| viajar/bjaˈxaɾ/ | to travel | Viajo a Guadalajara cada año. | I travel to Guadalajara every year. |
| Spanish | Meaning (EN) | Example (ES) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| abrir/aˈβɾiɾ/ | to open | Abre la ventana, por favor. | Open the window, please. | |
| cerrar/seˈraɾ/ | to close | Cierra la puerta. | Close the door. | |
| empezar/empeˈsaɾ/ | to start / begin | Empiezo a trabajar a las nueve. | I start working at nine. | |
| terminar/teɾmiˈnaɾ/ | to finish / end | Termino temprano hoy. | I finish early today. | |
| buscar/busˈkaɾ/ | to look for | Busco mis llaves. | I’m looking for my keys. | |
| encontrar/enkonˈtɾaɾ/ | to find | Encuentro todo en mi mochila. | I find everything in my backpack. | |
| usar/uˈsaɾ/ | to use | Uso esta app para practicar. | I use this app to practice. | |
| poner/poˈneɾ/ | to put / place | Pon la música bajita. | Put the music on low. | |
| quitar/kiˈtaɾ/ | to remove / take off | Quita eso de ahí. | Remove that from there. | |
| cambiar/kamˈbjaɾ/ | to change / switch | Cambio de plan si llueve. | I change plans if it rains. |
| Spanish | Meaning (EN) | Example (ES) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| saber/saˈβeɾ/ | to know (facts) | No sé la respuesta. | I don’t know the answer. | |
| conocer/konoˈseɾ/ | to know (people/places) | Conozco ese lugar. | I know that place. | |
| pensar/penˈsaɾ/ | to think | Pienso que está bien. | I think it’s fine. | |
| creer/kɾeˈeɾ/ | to believe / think | Creo que sí. | I think so. | |
| entender/entenˈdeɾ/ | to understand | No entiendo, ¿puedes repetir? | I don’t understand—can you repeat? | |
| recordar/rekoɾˈðaɾ/ | to remember | Recuerda mi nombre. | Remember my name. | |
| olvidar/olβiˈðaɾ/ | to forget | Olvido mi contraseña a veces. | I forget my password sometimes. | |
| sentir/senˈtiɾ/ | to feel | Siento frío. | I feel cold. | |
| esperar/espeˈɾaɾ/ | to wait / hope | Te espero aquí. | I’ll wait for you here. | |
| preocupar/pɾeokuˈpaɾ/ | to worry (often: “to worry someone”) | No te preocupes. | Don’t worry. |
| Spanish | Meaning (EN) | Example (ES) | Translation (EN) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ayudar/aʝuˈðaɾ/ | to help | Ayúdame con esto. | Help me with this. | |
| necesitar/nesesiˈtaɾ/ | to need | Necesito un favor. | I need a favor. | |
| intentar/intenˈtaɾ/ | to try / attempt | Intento hablar sin traducir. | I try to speak without translating. | |
| decidir/desiˈðiɾ/ | to decide | Decido después. | I’ll decide later. | |
| elegir/eleˈxiɾ/ | to choose | Elijo el de pollo. | I choose the chicken one. | |
| resolver/resoˈlβeɾ/ | to solve | Resuelvo el problema rápido. | I solve the problem quickly. | |
| arreglar/areˈɣlaɾ/ | to fix / to arrange | Arreglo mi celular. | I fix my phone. | |
| explicar/ekspliˈkaɾ/ | to explain | Explícame otra vez, por favor. | Explain it to me again, please. | |
| compartir/kompaɾˈtiɾ/ | to share | Comparto el archivo contigo. | I share the file with you. | |
| cuidar/kwiˈðaɾ/ | to take care of | Cuido a mi hermano. | I take care of my brother. |
Mini Curiosities (So You Don’t Get Tricked by “Two Verbs for One Thing”)
- ser vs estar: identity/essence vs temporary state/location. “Soy mexicano” (identity) vs “Estoy cansado” (state).
- ir vs venir: think of the speaker as the “home base.” You vas there, but vienes here.
- llevar vs traer: llevar takes something away/from here to there; traer brings it toward the speaker.
- Mexican Spanish bonus: “Ya voy” often means “I’m coming” even though it uses ir. Languages are wild. You’ll be fine.
Variants & Close Cousins (Pick the Right Tool)
| Idea | Option A | Option B | What’s the difference? | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “To be” | ser/seɾ/ | estar/esˈtaɾ/ | Soy estudiante. / Estoy cansado. Identity vs state/location. | |
| Asking | preguntar/pɾeɣunˈtaɾ/ | pedir/peˈðiɾ/ | Pregunto una duda. / Pido un café. Question vs requesting/ordering. | |
| Bringing | llevar/ʝeˈβaɾ/ | traer/tɾaˈeɾ/ | Llevo la comida. / Traigo la comida. Away from here vs toward the speaker. | |
| Knowing | saber/saˈβeɾ/ | conocer/konoˈseɾ/ | Sé la dirección. / Conozco la ciudad. Facts vs familiarity/people/places. | |
| Watching vs looking | ver/beɾ/ | mirar/miˈɾaɾ/ | Veo una película. / Mira esto. Watch/see vs look at. | |
| Listening vs hearing | escuchar/eskuˈtʃaɾ/ | oír/oˈiɾ/ | Escucho música. / Oigo un ruido. Intentional listening vs hearing a sound. |
You just collected a starter kit of verbs powerful enough to handle real conversations. Next step: pick 10, use them today, and let the rest join the party later.
