Spanish Spaced-Repetition

Card 1 — Present: Presente

English anchor: “I do / I am doing.”

 

Use:

• Current actions or situations.

• Habits and routines.

• Scheduled or contextually clear future actions.

 

Form:

• -ar: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.

• -er: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.

• -ir: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en.

 

Common clues: ahora, normalmente, todos los días, siempre, mañana with clear future context.

 

Examples:

• Trabajo todos los días. — I work every day.

• Ahora estudio español. — I’m studying Spanish now.

• Esta noche ceno con unos amigos. — Tonight I’m having dinner with some friends.

 

Contrast:

• Estudio español. — I study Spanish / I’m studying Spanish.

• Estoy estudiando español. — I’m studying Spanish right now; emphasizes the action in progress.

 

Watch out: The Spanish present can express “am doing”; you do not always need estar + gerundio.

Remember: “Now, usually, or a clear future arrangement.”

Card 2 — Preterite: Pretérito indefinido

English anchor: “I did.”

 

Use:

• Past events viewed as complete.

• A sequence of completed actions.

• A completed period or completed set of repetitions.

 

Form:

• -ar: -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron.

• -er/-ir: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.

 

Common clues: ayer, anoche, la semana pasada, una vez, durante dos horas.

 

Examples:

• Ayer estudié dos horas. — Yesterday I studied for two hours.

• Fui al gimnasio tres veces la semana pasada. — I went to the gym three times last week.

• Entró, se sentó y empezó a hablar. — He came in, sat down, and started talking.

 

Contrast:

• Estudié dos horas. — I studied for two hours; a completed period.

• Estudiaba cuando llamaste. — I was studying when you called; an action viewed in progress.

 

Watch out: A preterite action can be long or repeated. It does not have to be brief or happen only once.

 

Remember: “View the event as a whole.”

Card 3 — Irregular preterite

English anchor: “Irregular stems, shared endings.”

 

Use: To form common irregular preterite verbs.

 

Form:

 

For these irregular stems, use:

-e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.

 

Infinitive	Stem	Yo example
tener	tuv-	tuve
estar	estuv-	estuve
andar	anduv-	anduve
poder	pud-	pude
saber	sup-	supe
poner	pus-	puse
venir	vin-	vine
querer	quis-	quise
hacer	hic-	hice

 

Special forms:

• Hacer: él/ella/usted → hizo.

• Decir: dije, dijiste, dijo, dijimos, dijisteis, dijeron.

• Traer: traje, trajiste, trajo, trajimos, trajisteis, trajeron.

• Conducir: conduje, condujiste, condujo, condujimos, condujisteis, condujeron.

• Ser/ir: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron.

 

Examples:

• Tuve mucho trabajo ayer. — I had a lot of work yesterday.

• Puse el libro en la mesa. — I put the book on the table.

• Me dijeron la verdad. — They told me the truth.

 

Watch out:

• The j-stem verbs use -eron, not -ieron.

• These irregular-stem forms do not take the written accents of regular preterite endings.

• Ser and ir have identical preterite forms; context tells you the meaning.

 

Remember: “Learn the stem, then apply the endings.”

Card 4 — Imperfect: Pretérito imperfecto

English anchor: “I used to do / I was doing.”

 

Use:

• Past habits without presenting them as a completed, counted set.

• Actions viewed in progress.

• Background: age, time, weather, descriptions, and circumstances.

 

Form:

• -ar: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban.

• -er/-ir: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían.

 

Only three irregular verbs:

• Ser: era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran.

• Ir: iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban.

• Ver: veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veíais, veían.

 

Common clues: cuando era niño, normalmente, mientras, cada verano, a menudo.

 

Examples:

• Cuando era niño, jugaba mucho. — When I was a child, I used to play a lot.

• Eran las ocho y llovía. — It was eight o’clock, and it was raining.

• Estudiaba cuando llamaste. — I was studying when you called.

 

Watch out: The imperfect does not mean the action never finished. It means you are not presenting its endpoint as the focus.

 

Remember: “Look inside the past: background, habits, or action in progress.”

Card 5 — Present perfect: Pretérito perfecto compuesto

English anchor: “I have done.”

 

Use:

• Completed actions connected to the present.

• Experiences up to now.

• Actions within a time period treated as still relevant or ongoing.

 

Form:

he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han + past participle.

 

Common clues: ya, todavía no, alguna vez, nunca, últimamente, esta semana.

 

Examples:

• Todavía no he comido. — I haven’t eaten yet.

• He aprendido mucho este año. — I’ve learned a lot this year.

• ¿Has estado alguna vez en México? — Have you ever been to Mexico?

 

Regional note: In much of Spain, this tense is common for recent events within the current day or period. In many Latin American varieties, the preterite is more common in those contexts. Usage varies within both regions.

 

Contrast:

• Hoy he estudiado mucho.

• Hoy estudié mucho.

 

Both can describe studying today; regional usage and how the speaker frames the event affect the choice.

 

Watch out: Hoy does not automatically require the present perfect.

 

Remember: “Completed before now, connected to now.”

Card 6 — Pluperfect: Pretérito pluscuamperfecto

English anchor: “I had done.”

 

Use: An action completed before another past point.

 

Form:

había, habías, había, habíamos, habíais, habían + past participle.

 

Common clues: ya, todavía no, cuando llegué, antes.

 

Examples:

• Cuando llegué, él ya había salido. — When I arrived, he had already left.

• Ya había comido cuando llegaste. — I had already eaten when you arrived.

• Nunca había visto esa película. — I had never seen that movie.

 

Contrast:

• Cuando llegué, salió. — When I arrived, he left.

• Cuando llegué, ya había salido. — When I arrived, he had already left.

 

Watch out: You need a past reference point, but it can be understood from context rather than stated in the same sentence.

 

Remember: “Past before past.”

Card 7 — Simple future: Futuro simple

English anchor: “I will do / probably is.”

 

Use:

• Future events and predictions.

• Conjectures about the present.

 

Form:

Infinitive + -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án.

 

Common irregular stems:

tendr-, pondr-, vendr-, saldr-, podr-, sabr-, querr-, har-, dir-, habr-.

 

Common clues: mañana, algún día, pronto, el próximo año.

 

Examples:

• Mañana estudiaré español. — Tomorrow I will study Spanish.

• Algún día viajaré a México. — Someday I will travel to Mexico.

• ¿Dónde estará Juan? Estará en casa. — Where might Juan be? He’s probably at home.

 

Contrast:

• Estará en casa mañana. — He will be home tomorrow.

• Estará en casa ahora. — He is probably home now.

 

Watch out: The future form does not always refer to future time. m

 

Remember: “Will happen—or probably is.”

Card 8 — Future perfect: Futuro perfecto

English anchor: “I will have done.”

 

Use: An action completed by a future reference point.

 

Form:

habré, habrás, habrá, habremos, habréis, habrán + past participle.

 

Common clues: para mañana, para entonces, para el viernes.

 

Examples:

• Para mañana, habré terminado. — By tomorrow, I will have finished.

• Para el viernes, habremos enviado los documentos. — By Friday, we will have sent the documents.

 

Contrast:

• Terminaré mañana. — I will finish tomorrow.

• Para mañana, habré terminado. — By tomorrow, I will have finished.

 

Remember: “Already done by then.”

Card 9 — Simple conditional: Condicional simple

English anchor: “I would do.”

 

Use:

• Hypothetical actions in the present or future.

• Polite requests.

• Advice or softened statements.

 

Form:

Infinitive + -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían.

 

Irregular stems: The same stems as the simple future.

 

Common patterns: me gustaría, en tu lugar, ¿podrías…?, si tuviera…

 

Examples:

• Me gustaría viajar a Colombia. — I would like to travel to Colombia.

• ¿Podrías ayudarme? — Could you help me?

• En tu lugar, hablaría con ella. — In your position, I would talk to her.

• Si tuviera tiempo, estudiaría más. — If I had time, I would study more.

 

Watch out: English habitual “would” often becomes the imperfect, not the conditional:

• De niño, jugaba afuera todos los días. — As a child, I would play outside every day.

 

Remember: “Would do under those circumstances.”

Card 10 — Conditional perfect: Condicional compuesto

English anchor: “I would have done.”

 

Use: A hypothetical action or result in the past.

 

Form:

habría, habrías, habría, habríamos, habríais, habrían + past participle.

 

Common patterns: habría… pero…, si hubiera…

 

Examples:

• Habría ido, pero estaba enfermo. — I would have gone, but I was sick.

• Habría aprobado si hubiera estudiado más. — I would have passed if I had studied more.

 

Contrast:

• Estudiaría más. — I would study more.

• Habría estudiado más. — I would have studied more.

 

Remember: “Would have done—but the past went differently.”

Card 11 — Present subjunctive: Presente de subjuntivo

English anchor: “Want, doubt, feel, or require that…”

 

Use: In constructions expressing wishes, emotion, doubt/denial, evaluation, necessity, or influence.

 

Form:

For most verbs, take the present yo form, remove -o, and add:

• -ar: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.

• -er/-ir: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.

 

Examples of formation:

• hablo → hable.

• tengo → tenga.

• conozco → conozca.

 

Common patterns:

quiero que, espero que, es importante que, recomiendo que, dudo que, no creo que, ojalá.

 

Examples:

• Quiero que estudies. — I want you to study.

• Es importante que llegues a tiempo. — It’s important that you arrive on time.

• No creo que sea verdad. — I don’t think it’s true.

• Ojalá haga sol mañana. — I hope it’s sunny tomorrow.

 

Watch out:

• Not every opinion takes subjunctive.

• Not every sentence with que takes subjunctive.

• Subject change is a helpful pattern, not a universal requirement.

 

Remember: “The construction tells you whether to use subjunctive.”

Card 12 — Irregular present subjunctive

English anchor: “DISHES.”

 

Use: To remember six major irregular verbs.

Verb	Forms
Dar	dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den
Ir	vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan
Ser	sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean
Haber	haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan
Estar	esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén
Saber	sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan

 

Examples:

• Espero que estés bien. — I hope you’re well.

• Quiero que seas sincero. — I want you to be honest.

• No creo que sepan la respuesta. — I don’t think they know the answer.

 

Watch out: Accents matter: dé is a verb form; de is a preposition.

 

Remember: “Dar, Ir, Ser, Haber, Estar, Saber.”

Card 13 — Present perfect subjunctive

English anchor: “That someone has done.”

 

Use: A subjunctive construction referring to an already completed action connected to the present.

 

Form:

haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan + past participle.

 

Common patterns: me alegra que, espero que, no creo que + completed action.

 

Examples:

• Me alegra que hayas venido. — I’m glad you came.

• Espero que hayas estudiado. — I hope you have studied.

• No creo que hayan terminado. — I don’t think they have finished.

 

Contrast:

• Espero que estudies. — I hope you study.

• Espero que hayas estudiado. — I hope you have studied.

 

Watch out: The participle stays unchanged: ellas hayan terminado, not terminadas.

 

Remember: “Subjunctive trigger + already done.”

Card 14 — Imperfect subjunctive

English anchor: “Wanted someone to do / if someone did or had.”

 

Use:

• Subjunctive after past-context triggers.

• Hypothetical present or future situations.

• 0Imagined comparisons with como si.

 

Form:

Take the ellos/ustedes preterite, remove -ron, and add:

-ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -rais, -ran.

 

Examples of formation:

• hablaron → hablara, hablaras, hablara, habláramos, hablarais, hablaran.

• tuvieron → tuviera.

• fueron → fuera.

• dijeron → dijera.

 

Alternative forms: The -se series is also valid: hablase, tuviese, fuese.

 

Examples:

• Quería que vinieras. — I wanted you to come.

• Si tuviera tiempo, estudiaría más. — If I had time, I would study more.

• Habla como si fuera experto. — He talks as if he were an expert.

 

Watch out: Despite its name, this form can describe an imagined situation now or later.

 

Remember: “Past triggers—or imagined situations now/later.”

Card 15 — Pluperfect subjunctive

English anchor: “That someone had done / if someone had done.”

 

Use:

• A completed action before a past reference point in a subjunctive construction.

• Unreal past conditions.

 

Form:

hubiera, hubieras, hubiera, hubiéramos, hubierais, hubieran + past participle.

 

Alternative: hubiese, hubieses, hubiese, hubiésemos, hubieseis, hubiesen + participle.

 

Examples:

• Me alegró que hubieras venido. — I was glad you had come.

• Si hubiera sabido, te habría llamado. — If I had known, I would have called you.

 

Contrast:

• Si tuviera tiempo… — If I had time…; imagined now/later.

• Si hubiera tenido tiempo… — If I had had time…; imagined past.

 

Remember: “Subjunctive + already done before a past point.”

Card 16 — Imperative: Commands

English anchor: “Do it / don’t do it.”

 

Use: Instructions, requests, advice, and orders.

 

Affirmative forms:

• Tú: usually the él/ella present form → habla, come, vive.

• Usted: present subjunctive → hable, coma, viva.

• Ustedes: present subjunctive → hablen, coman, vivan.

• Nosotros: present subjunctive → hablemos, comamos, vivamos.

• Vosotros: replace infinitive -r with -d → hablad, comed, vivid.

 

Negative forms:

Use no + present subjunctive:

• No hables.

• No hable.

• No hablemos.

• No habléis.

• No hablen.

 

Irregular affirmative tú:

di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven.

 

Examples:

• Estudia más. — Study more.

• No estudies tanto. — Don’t study so much.

• Coman verduras. — Eat vegetables; addressed to ustedes.

• Hable más despacio, por favor. — Speak more slowly, please; addressed to usted.

 

Watch out: Comen is indicative; coman is the ustedes command.

 

Remember: “Negative commands use subjunctive; affirmative forms depend on the person.”