How to Conjugate -IR Verbs in Spanish

One of the most important aspects of learning Spanish, introduced at the very beginning of the course, is conjugating verbs. It can be challenging for English speakers who are not familiar with having so many verb forms, but it is essential for building complete, comprehensible sentences in this language.

–IR Spanish verbs are one of three groups (the remaining being -ER and -AR verbs) students need to master before proceeding to more complex aspects. Take a look at our charts, which should help you learn or teach how to conjugate -IR verbs in Spanish.

The Basics of Spanish Conjugation

When a Spanish verb is in its infinitive form, it ends with -AR, -ER, or -IR. It becomes a bit more complicated when you need to use them to express actions performed by different subjects (I, you, she, they, etc.) and in a particular tense (present, future, past, etc.), as it requires using proper endings.

The good news is that most Spanish verbs are regular, so in order to use them, you just need to memorize one pattern and apply it correctly. However, there are also irregular verbs commonly used in this language, so they need to be introduced relatively soon in the course as well.

Conjugation Rules of the -IR Ending Verbs in Spanish

Here are the basic rules of conjugating -IR verbs in Spanish in the most commonly used tenses:

Simple Present Tense Endings

To talk about an action done currently or on a regular basis, drop the -IR ending and apply the correct ending presented in the chart below:

Preterite Tense Endings

The preterite tense in Spanish is used to talk about an action that was completed in the past.

Simple Future Tense Endings

To talk about plans and future actions, you need to add an ending to the complete verb (viviremos, escribiréis, etc.).

Imperfect Endings

The imperfect tense (pretérito imperfecto) is used to talk about actions that don’t have a defined ending or that were habitual in the past.

The Conjugation of Common Regular -IR Verbs in Spanish

To help you learn or teach common -IR verbs in Spanish with regular conjugation patterns, we have prepared charts with useful examples. Take a look at them, and feel free to copy and print them out!

Abrir - To Open

Simple Present Tense

• Nosotros abrimos la tienda a las nueve. - We open the store at nine o'clock.
• Tú abres la ventana por la mañana. - You open the window in the morning.

Preterite Tense

• Yo abrí la puerta ayer. - I opened the door yesterday.
• Ellos abrieron las ventanas anoche. - They opened the windows last night.

Simple Future Tense

• Vosotros abriréis los regalos en la fiesta. - You all will open the presents at the party.
• Tú abrirás la ventana después de la clase. - You will open the window after the class.

Imperfect Tense

• Él abría el libro todas las noches. - He used to open the book every night.
• Nosotros abríamos la tienda a las ocho de la mañana. - We used to open the store at eight in the morning.

Decidir - To Decide

Simple Present Tense

• Tú decides qué comer en el almuerzo. - You decide what to eat for lunch.
• Vosotros decidís qué hacer el fin de semana. - You all decide what to do on the weekend.

Preterite Tense

• Ella decidió viajar a España en sus vacaciones. - She decided to travel to Spain on her vacation.
• Ellos decidieron organizar una fiesta. - They decided to organize a party.

Simple Future Tense

• Vosotros decidiréis los detalles del proyecto. - You all will decide the details of the project.
• Tú decidirás si quieres ir a la fiesta. - You will decide if you want to go to the party.

Imperfect Tense

• Él decidía qué libros leer durante el verano. - He used to decide which books to read during the summer.
• Ellos decidían quién era el líder del grupo. - They used to decide who the leader of the group was.

Escribir - To Write

Simple Present Tense

• Ella escribe poemas en su tiempo libre. - She writes poems in her free time.
• Tú escribes en tu diario cada noche. - You write in your diary every night.

Preterite Tense

• Yo escribí una carta ayer. -  I wrote a letter yesterday.
• Nosotras escribimos un informe para el trabajo el mes pasado. - We wrote a report for work last month.

Simple Future Tense

• Ellas escribirán un artículo para la revista. - They will write an article for the magazine.
• Ella escribirá un poema para el concurso. - She will write a poem for the contest.

Imperfect Tense

• Yo escribía cartas a mis amigos cuando era niño. - I used to write letters to my friends when I was a child.
• Ellos escribían informes detallados para sus proyectos. - They used to write detailed reports for their projects.

Vivir - To Live

Simple Present Tense

• Vosotros vivís en Ecuador. - You all live in Ecuador.
• Usted vive en una ciudad pequeña. - You (formal) live in a small town.

Preterite Tense

• Nosotros vivimos en la misma ciudad por diez años. - We lived in the same city for ten years.
• Yo viví en México durante dos años. - I lived in Mexico for two years.

Simple Future Tense

• Él vivirá en el extranjero después de graduarse. - He will live abroad after graduation.
• Vosotros viviréis en una ciudad diferente el año que viene. - You all will live in a different city next year.

Imperfect Tense

• Yo vivía en una ciudad pequeña cuando era niño. - I used to live in a small town when I was a child.
• Nosotros vivíamos en una casa grande antes de mudarnos. - We used to live in a big house before moving.

The Conjugation of Common Irregular Spanish -IR Verbs

After introducing regular -IR Spanish verbs in the course, it is time to proceed to popular stem-changing -IR verbs. Their conjugation is more challenging as the forms are a bit different in every case. 

Here are some of the most commonly used irregular -IR verbs in Spanish:

Ir - To Go

Simple Present Tense

• Yo voy al trabajo todos los días. - I go to work every day.
• Vosotros vais de compras los viernes. - You all go shopping on Fridays.

Preterite Tense

• Nosotros fuimos a un concierto ayer. - We went to a concert yesterday.
• Ellos fueron al museo la semana pasada. - They went to the museum last week.

Simple Future Tense

• Tú irás al gimnasio esta tarde. - You will go to the gym this afternoon.
• Ellas irán a la fiesta el sábado. - They are going to the party on Saturday.

Imperfect Tense

• Vosotros ibais al cine los fines de semana. - You all used to go to the movies on weekends.
• Yo iba al parque todos los días. - I used to go to the park every day.

Decir - To Say/To Tell

Simple Present Tense

• Ella dice que va a llegar tarde. - She says she will arrive late.
• Vosotros decís que no entendéis la lección. - You all say that you don't understand the lesson.

Preterite Tense

• Él dijo que estaba cansado. - He said that he was tired.
• Yo dije la verdad en la reunión. - I said the truth in the meeting.

Simple Future Tense

• Nosotros diremos nuestras ideas en la próxima sesión. - We will tell our ideas in the next session.
• Ellos dirán la verdad cuando lleguen. - They will tell the truth when they arrive.

Imperfect Tense

• Ellos decían que preferían quedarse en casa. - They used to say that they preferred to stay at home.
• Él decía que era muy difícil. - He used to say that it was very difficult.

Check out our dedicated article for a complete decir conjugation guide!

Pedir - To Ask For

Simple Present Tense

• Yo pido ayuda cuando no entiendo. - I ask for help when I don't understand.
• Ella pide permiso para salir. - She asks for permission to go out.

Preterite Tense

• Tú pediste ayuda con la tarea. - You asked for help with the homework.
• Ellos pidieron una explicación detallada. - They asked for a detailed explanation.

Simple Future

• Yo pediré un aumento de sueldo el próximo mes. - I will ask for a salary raise next month.
• Nosotros pediremos una pizza para la cena. - We will ask for a pizza for dinner.

Imperfect Tense

• Tú pedías permiso para salir a jugar. - You used to ask for permission to go out and play.
• Vosotros pedíais más tiempo para completar los proyectos. - You all used to ask for more time to complete the projects.

The Final Note

We hope that with all the examples given above, students will have less difficulty learning how to conjugate -IR verbs in Spanish. If you need more materials for your Spanish classes, feel free to browse through our website and get everything you need!

For example, we offer free lesson plans, cultural calendars, or Spanish song lists. You can also purchase more advanced materials, such as scaffolded activities or slang dictionaries. With Speaking Latino, you can save time planning lessons and make them more engaging for your students. Enjoy!