Learning Spanish - Getting a Head Start on Understanding Tenses - Past, Present, and Future By Sarah Dieter

While Spanish is very similar to English in sentence structure it can still be quite difficult. This is especially true for conjugating verbs into the correct tense. For this reason, this will help give you a head start on understanding the correct use of tenses in regards to the Spanish language.

In this article, we will look at the three most basic tenses: past, present, and future. These are all widely used and help form the foundation of Spanish grammar. Learning how to use them properly and contextually correct is a fundamental skill that will allow you to become fluent in Spanish more quickly.

Present Tense

The present tense usage is fairly simple to understand. It is used correctly when the verb is an action that is presently happening or happens habitually. These verbs will usually end in "ar", "er", and "ir".

Past Tense

Obviously this is used when talking about an action that has happened in the past and is no longer going on. If the action is still going on, then it should be referred to in the present tense not the past tense. Other than this side note, it functions just like the present tense usage does. Keep in mind that in past tense, the last letters will change based on what person it is spoken in: first, second, or third person.

Something to keep in mind is that it may be difficult for you to determine whether an action is still going on or not. If you continue to have this problem consistently then try to memorize verb endings for past, present, and imperfect tenses. This will help you determine what tense and person is being used.

Future Tense

This is not that difficult to use, but can become difficult to identify when someone else is using it. This is because it can have several different constructions for different situations. So keep an eye out and you will be able to pick up future tense usage easier than you think.

I hope that this quick overview was helpful. This is not intended to teach you everything that you need to know but just to introduce you to a simple understanding of each tense. The best thing for you to do now is to memorize the way each of these tenses gets conjugated. This will help you immensely as you get deeper into understanding the foundations of the Spanish language.

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