Gramática: Conjugación de verbos regulares en -er/-ir

Objetivos

  • Identify the correct conjugation of verbs in the present tense that end in -er & -ir

These verbs are conjugated similarly to –ar verbs, but with different characteristic vowels. In order to form the present tense—just as you did with –ar verbs—remove the –er or –ir ending from the infinitive, and then add the following endings to the stem:

Photo of a handwritten sign reading "Vivimos en la era del plástico, muy útil y todo, pero..." with pictures of fish with x's for eyes, surrounded by plastic bottles
Woman speaking into a microphone. The sign behind her reads "La historia la ganan los que escriben"

“History is won by those who write it.”

Play Audiobeber (to drink)
 (stem: beb)
 
singular plural
Play Audioyo bebo Play Audionosotros bebemos
Play Audiotú bebes Play Audiovosotros bebéis
Play Audioél/ella/usted bebe Play Audioellos/ellas/ustedes beben
vivir (to live)
(stem: viv)
 
singular plural
Play Audioyo vivo Play Audionosotros vivimos
Play Audiotú vives Play Audiovosotros vivís
Play Audio él/ella/usted vive Play Audio ellos/ellas/ustedes viven

Notice that the only differences between the endings of -er and -ir verbs in the present tense occur in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

  • Yo vivo con mis compañeros de cuarto, pero yo bebo con otros amigos. (I live with my roommates, but I drink with other friends.)
  • Vivimos en una residencia ecológica y comemos comida vegetariana. (We live in an ecological dorm and we eat vegetarian food.)