Verbs in Spanish Every Beginner Should Learn

Learning verbs is the cornerstone of mastering any language — and Spanish is no exception. Verbs help you form sentences, express actions, and communicate effectively in everyday situations. For beginners, focusing on the most common Spanish verbs will give you a strong foundation to build fluency quickly.

This guide lists 100 essential Spanish verbs organized by usage, along with tips for remembering them, so you can start speaking confidently today.

1. Common Everyday Verbs

These verbs are used in daily life and cover basic actions:

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
To be (permanent)	Ser	sehr
To be (temporary)	Estar	ehs-tahr
To have	Tener	teh-nehr
To go	Ir	eer
To do / make	Hacer	ah-sehr
To say / tell	Decir	deh-seer
To see	Ver	behr
To come	Venir	veh-neer
To give	Dar	dahr
To want / love	Querer	keh-rehr

💡 Tip: Remember ser vs. estar — use ser for permanent qualities and estar for temporary states.

2. Verbs for Daily Activities

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
To eat	Comer	koh-mehr
To drink	Beber	beh-behr
To sleep	Dormir	dohr-meer
To wake up	Despertar	dehs-pehr-tahr
To cook	Cocinar	koh-see-nahr
To read	Leer	leh-ehr
To write	Escribir	ehs-kree-beer
To listen	Escuchar	ehs-koo-chahr
To speak / talk	Hablar	ah-blahr
To study	Estudiar	ehs-too-dee-ahr

These verbs are useful for describing your daily routines, whether at home, school, or work.

3. Movement and Travel Verbs

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
To walk	Caminar	kah-mee-nahr
To run	Correr	koh-rehr
To drive	Conducir	kohn-doo-seer
To travel	Viajar	vee-ah-hahr
To arrive	Llegar	yeh-gahr
To leave / go out	Salir	sah-leer
To enter	Entrar	ehn-trahr
To return	Volver	vohl-behr
To climb	Subir	soo-beer
To fall	Caer	kah-ehr

Perfect for conversations about commuting, vacations, and adventures.

4. Emotional and Mental Verbs

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
To like / enjoy	Gustar	goos-tahr
To love	Amar	ah-mahr
To hate	Odiar	oh-dee-ahr
To hope	Esperar	ehs-peh-rahr
To think	Pensar	pehn-sahr
To know (facts)	Saber	sah-behr
To know (people/places)	Conocer	koh-noh-sehr
To believe	Creer	creh-ehr
To understand	Entender	ehn-tehn-dehr
To remember	Recordar	reh-kohr-dahr

These verbs are crucial for expressing opinions, feelings, and knowledge.

5. Social and Interaction Verbs

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
To ask	Preguntar	preh-goon-tahr
To answer	Responder	reh-spohn-dehr
To meet	Encontrar	ehn-kohn-trahr
To help	Ayudar	ah-yoo-dahr
To call	Llamar	yah-mahr
To listen	Escuchar	ehs-koo-chahr
To wait	Esperar	ehs-peh-rahr
To explain	Explicar	ehs-plee-kahr
To play	Jugar	hoo-gahr
To invite	Invitar	een-vee-tahr

These verbs make conversations more natural when interacting with friends, family, and strangers.

6. Work, Study, and Technology Verbs

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
To work	Trabajar	trah-bah-hahr
To earn	Ganar	gah-nahr
To lose	Perder	pehr-dehr
To learn	Aprender	ah-prehn-dehr
To teach	Enseñar	ehn-seh-nyahr
To write	Escribir	ehs-kree-beer
To read	Leer	leh-ehr
To search / look for	Buscar	boos-kahr
To open	Abrir	ah-breer
To close	Cerrar	seh-rrahr

Ideal for students, professionals, and tech users navigating daily tasks.

7. Household & Utility Verbs

English	Spanish	Pronunciation
To clean	Limpiar	leem-pyahr
To wash	Lavar	lah-vahr
To fix / repair	Reparar	reh-pah-rahr
To turn on	Encender	ehn-sehn-dehr
To turn off	Apagar	ah-pah-gahr
To open	Abrir	ah-breer
To close	Cerrar	seh-rrahr
To cook	Cocinar	koh-see-nahr
To buy	Comprar	kohm-prahr
To sell	Vender	behn-dehr

These verbs are practical for daily life, chores, and shopping.

Tips for Learning Spanish Verbs Fast

Group by pattern: Many Spanish verbs follow regular conjugation patterns (-ar, -er, -ir). Learning these groups helps you conjugate new verbs more easily.
Use flashcards: Apps like Anki or Quizlet work well for memorizing the most common verbs.
Practice speaking daily: Incorporate verbs into short sentences or conversations to reinforce usage.
Learn the irregulars gradually: Focus on the most common irregular verbs (ser, estar, tener, ir, hacer) first.

Final Thoughts

Mastering these 100 essential Spanish verbs gives beginners a solid foundation for speaking, understanding, and interacting in real-life situations. Start with the most common verbs, practice daily, and gradually expand your vocabulary. Soon, you’ll notice your confidence skyrocketing — whether ordering food, talking with friends, or navigating travel in Spanish-speaking countries.