If you want to understand real Spanish conversations, build sentences confidently, and speak faster, start by mastering verbs. Verbs are the engine of the language—and in Spanish, a small group of high-frequency verbs appears everywhere.

This guide gives you:

• the 100 most common Spanish verbs,
• beginner-friendly definitions,
• practical example sentences, and
• a printable-style list you can study anytime.

Perfect for A1–B1 learners, travelers, and anyone building a strong Spanish foundation.

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1. The 25 Most Important Verbs to Learn First

These verbs appear constantly in spoken and written Spanish. Master them before all others.

Top 25 Essential Verbs (With Examples)

Spanish Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation
ser	to be (essential)	Soy estudiante.	I am a student.
estar	to be (temporary)	Estoy cansado.	I am tired.
tener	to have	Tengo un perro.	I have a dog.
hacer	to do, make	Hago mi tarea.	I do my homework.
ir	to go	Voy al trabajo.	I go to work.
poder	to be able to	Puedo ayudarte.	I can help you.
decir	to say, tell	Digo la verdad.	I tell the truth.
ver	to see	Veo la montaña.	I see the mountain.
dar	to give	Te doy mi número.	I give you my number.
saber	to know (facts)	Sé la respuesta.	I know the answer.
querer	to want, love	Quiero un café.	I want a coffee.
llegar	to arrive	Llego a las ocho.	I arrive at eight.
pasar	to pass, happen	Pasamos por el parque.	We pass through the park.
deber	should, must	Debo estudiar.	I must study.
poner	to put, place	Pongo la mesa.	I set the table.
parecer	to seem	Parece fácil.	It seems easy.
quedar	to stay, remain	Quedo en casa.	I stay at home.
creer	to believe	Creo en ti.	I believe in you.
hablar	to speak	Hablo español.	I speak Spanish.
llevar	to carry, wear	Llevo una chaqueta.	I wear a jacket.
dejar	to leave, allow	Dejo mis llaves aquí.	I leave my keys here.
seguir	to follow, continue	Sigo las instrucciones.	I follow the instructions.
encontrar	to find	Encuentro mi libro.	I find my book.
llamar	to call	Te llamo mañana.	I’ll call you tomorrow.
venir	to come	Vengo pronto.	I’m coming soon.

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2. 100 Common Spanish Verbs for Beginners (Master List)

Below is a categorized list to make memorization easier.

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A. Everyday Action Verbs

Spanish	English
abrir	to open
cerrar	to close
comer	to eat
beber	to drink
vivir	to live
dormir	to sleep
leer	to read
escribir	to write
caminar	to walk
correr	to run
comprar	to buy
vender	to sell
limpiar	to clean
cocinar	to cook
usar	to use
trabajar	to work
estudiar	to study
aprender	to learn
escuchar	to listen
mirar	to look/watch

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B. Movement & Travel Verbs

Spanish	English
entrar	to enter
salir	to leave
volver	to return
subir	to go up
bajar	to go down
conducir	to drive
viajar	to travel
buscar	to search/look for
encontrar	to find
llegar	to arrive

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C. Communication Verbs

Spanish	English
hablar	to speak
decir	to say
contar	to tell
preguntar	to ask
responder	to answer
explicar	to explain
llamar	to call

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D. Thinking & Feeling Verbs

Spanish	English
pensar	to think
creer	to believe
saber	to know
recordar	to remember
olvidar	to forget
sentir	to feel
esperar	to hope/wait
querer	to want/love

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E. Helping & Modal Verbs

Spanish	English
poder	can, to be able to
deber	should, must
tener que	to have to
soler	to usually do

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F. Household & Daily Routine Verbs

Spanish	English
lavar	to wash
planchar	to iron
barrer	to sweep
cocinar	to cook
organizar	to organize
preparar	to prepare
ducharse	to shower
levantarse	to get up
acostarse	to go to bed

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G. Social & Emotional Verbs

Spanish	English
ayudar	to help
amar	to love
odiar	to hate
invitar	to invite
aceptar	to accept
rechazar	to reject
esperar	to wait/hope
agradecer	to thank

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H. Useful Beginner Verbs You’ll Hear Everywhere

Spanish	English
haber	to have (auxiliary)
quedar	to stay/remain
permitir	to allow
necesitar	to need
pasar	to happen/pass
seguir	to follow
tomar	to take/drink
cambiar	to change
crear	to create
abrir	to open

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3. Sample Mini-Sentences Using the Common Verbs

✔ Simple present tense examples

• Ella cocina todos los días.
  She cooks every day.
• Nosotros viajamos mucho.
  We travel a lot.
• ¿Puedes ayudarme?
  Can you help me?
• Necesito estudiar español.
  I need to study Spanish.
• Busco mis llaves.
  I’m looking for my keys.

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4. Mini Quiz: Test Your Verbs

Choose the correct verb in Spanish.

1. I need your help → Yo ___ tu ayuda.
2. We travel often → Nosotros ___ a menudo.
3. She opens the door → Ella ___ la puerta.
4. They want coffee → Ellos ___ café.
5. He runs fast → Él ___ rápido.

Answers:

1. necesito
2. viajamos
3. abre
4. quieren
5. corre

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5. Tips for Learning Verbs Faster

✔ Learn verbs in context, not isolation

Short sentences stick better than long lists.

✔ Focus on the most common 100 verbs

They cover 80–90% of beginner-level conversation.

✔ Conjugate only 1–2 tenses at first

Start with:

• presente
• pretérito perfecto (he comido)

✔ Group verbs by theme

Travel verbs, household verbs, emotional verbs, etc.

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6. FAQ: Common Questions About Learning Spanish Verbs

1. How many verbs should a beginner learn first?

Start with 50–100 high-frequency verbs—enough to build real sentences.

2. Do I need to memorize all the conjugations?

Not at the beginning. Focus on the present tense first.

3. What are the hardest Spanish verbs for beginners?

Usually ser, estar, ir, haber, tener, and stem-changing verbs.

4. Should I learn regular or irregular verbs first?

Both appear frequently—learn the most useful, not the “easiest.”

5. What is the best way to practice verbs?

Use them in meaningful mini-sentences every day.