Spanish
The 50 Spanish verbs to learn first
A small set of verbs does most of the work in any language. In Spanish, a few dozen high-frequency verbs cover a huge share of everyday speech, so learning them first gives you the fastest return. Below is a practical starter set and a way to actually master it.
A few dozen do the work
A small set of verbs does most of the work in any language. Learn the Spanish high-frequency ones first and you get the fastest return.
Start with the irregulars
These break the rules but show up in almost every sentence, so front-load them.
- ser (to be)
- estar (to be)
- tener (to have)
- hacer (to do, make)
- ir (to go)
- poder (to be able)
- decir (to say)
- ver (to see)
- dar (to give)
- saber (to know)
- querer (to want)
- venir (to come)
The regular workhorses
- hablar (to speak)
- comer (to eat)
- vivir (to live)
- trabajar (to work)
- estudiar (to study)
- necesitar (to need)
- usar (to use)
- comprar (to buy)
- llegar (to arrive)
- pasar (to pass, happen)
- tomar (to take, drink)
- llamar (to call)
Opinions and daily life
- creer (to believe)
- pensar (to think)
- gustar (to like)
- parecer (to seem)
- encontrar (to find)
- empezar (to begin)
- terminar (to finish)
- poner (to put)
- salir (to leave)
- volver (to return)
- entender (to understand)
- conocer (to know, meet)
Rounding out the fifty
- sentir (to feel)
- seguir (to follow, continue)
- llevar (to carry, wear)
- dejar (to leave, let)
- escribir (to write)
- leer (to read)
- abrir (to open)
- cerrar (to close)
- pedir (to ask for)
- ayudar (to help)
- buscar (to look for)
- esperar (to wait, hope)
- recordar (to remember)
- jugar (to play)
Knowing an infinitive is only half the job; you need its forms, the present first and then the pasts. Verboteca makes each form of these fifty its own card and starts you on the present (free A1), so the highest-value forms come first and stay.