When you are learning a language, you often find yourself scrambling to build vocabulary first. Shortly thereafter you realize that you need to string that vocabulary together into meaningful thoughts and phrases that help you communicate.
Verbs are the glue that stick vocabulary together and bring life to your communication. Learning verbs in Spanish is essential for surviving everyday communication. The very first time a student of mine opens their course book and sees a full page of verbs categorized by AR, ER & IR – they literally flip out. Some of them ask “do I have to learn all of these”?
It’s funny actually, how situations predict the reactions of learners. My medical Spanish classroom students’ jaws drop when they see the list, yet my Spanish immersion students salivate over verbs because it means they can actually communicate what they’re trying to say and charade all day long.
This is a list of 101 verbs in Spanish that is extremely useful for anyone trying to have real conversations. Enjoy!
Aceptar
Andar
Aprender
Ayudar
Bailar
Beber
Buscar
Caber
Caerse
Cambiar
Caminar
Cancelar
Cantar
Comer
Comprar
Conducir
Conocer
Contar (o-ue)
Contestar
Correr
Cortar
Creer
Dañar
Dar
Deber
Decir (e-i)
Dejar
Desear
Dibujar
Doler (o-ue)
Dormir (o-ue)
Encontrar (o-ue)
Enseñar
Escuchar
Esperar
Estar
Estudiar
Explicar
Guardar
Gustar
Haber
Hablar
Hacer
Herir
Ir
Jugar (u-ue)
Lavar
Leer
Limpiar
Llamar
Llegar
Llenar
Llevar
Llorar
Manejar
Mirar
Mostrar (o-ue)
Necesitar
Oír
Olvidar
Pagar
Pasar
Pedir (e-i)
Peinar
Pensar (e-ie)
Poder (o-ue)
Poner
Preguntar
Prestar
Quedarse
Quejarse
Querer (e-ie)
Reparar
Romper
Saber
Sacar
Salir
Seguir (e-i)
Sentirse (e-ie)
Ser
Soñar (o-ue)
Tener (e-ie)
Terminar
Tocar
Tomar
Toser
Trabajar
Traer
Usar
Valer
Vender
Venir (e-ie)
Ver
Vestir (e-i)
Viajar
Vivir
Volar (o-ue)
Volver (o-ue)
If you want to see how these verbs conjugate in various tenses, check out this page to see Spanish verb conjugations
Here is the meaning of the 101 verbs in Spanish…
Aceptar (To accept)
Andar (To go)
Aprender (To learn)
Ayudar (To help)
Bailar (To dance)
Beber (To drink)
Buscar (Look for / To search)
Caber (To fit)
Caerse (Fall down)
Cambiar (To change)
Caminar (To walk)
Cancelar (To cancel)
Cantar (To sign)
Comer (To eat)
Comprar (To buy)
Conducir (To drive)
Conocer (To know)
Contar (o-ue) (To count)
Contestar (To answer)
Correr (To run)
Cortar (To cut)
Creer (To believe)
Dañar (To damage)
Dar (To give)
Deber (To must / Have to / To owe)
Decir (e-i) (To say)
Dejar (To let / To leave / To stop / To allow / To quit)
Desear (To wish)
Dibujar (To draw)
Doler (o-ue) (To hurt / To ache)
Dormir (o-ue) (To sleep)
Encontrar (o-ue) (To find)
Enseñar (To teach)
Escuchar (To listen)
Esperar (To wait)
Estar (To be / To stay / To stand)
Estudiar (To study)
Explicar (To explain)
Guardar (To save / To keep)
Gustar (To like)
Haber (To have)
Hablar (To speak)
Hacer (To do / To make)
Herir (To hurt / To injure)
Ir (To go)
Jugar (To play)
Lavar (To wash)
Leer (To read)
Limpiar (To clean)
Llamar (To call)
Llegar (To arrive)
Llenar (To fill in / To fill out)
Llevar (To carry / To take / To bring)
Llorar (To cry)
Manejar (To drive / To manage)
Mirar (To look / To look at / To watch / To see)
Mostrar (o-ue) (To show)
Necesitar (To need / To require)
Oír (To ear / To listen)
Olvidar (To forget)
Pagar (To pay)
Pasar (To pass / To go / To move)
Pedir (e-i) (To ask for / To request)
Peinar (to comb hair)
Pensar (e-ie)
Poder (o-ue) (To be able to / Can / May)
Poner (To put / To add / To set)
Preguntar (To ask)
Prestar (To lend / To loan)
Quedarse (To stay / To remain)
Quejarse (To complain / To moan)
Querer (e-ie) (To want / To love / To wish)
Reparar (To repair / To fix)
Romper (To break / To smash)
Saber (To know / To taste)
Sacar (To take out / To bring out / To extract)
Salir (To leave / To get out / To go out)
Seguir (e-i) (To follow / To continue)
Sentirse (e-ie) (To feel)
Ser (To be)
Soñar (o-ue) (To dream)
Tener (e-ie) (To have / To keep / To own / To possess)
Terminar (To finish)
Tocar (To touch / To play)
Tomar (To take / To drink / To catch)
Toser (To cough)
Trabajar (To work)
Traer (To bring / To bring in / To carry)
Usar (To user)
Valer (To cost / To avail)
Vender (To sell)
Venir (e-ie) (To come)
Ver (To see / To watch)
Vestir (e-i) (To wear / To dress)
Viajar (To travel)
Vivir (To live)
Volar (o-ue) (To fly)
Volver (o-ue) (To come back / To go back / To return)