So far, you have learned to use the regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs in the present tense.

In this lesson we will put all three together, so you can learn to switch forms as required.

While there is no new material in this lesson, I do want to take a moment to explain what is coming up next.

What about the irregular forms?

From here, the lessons move on to study the past tense. You may be wondering: Hey, what about irregular forms of present tense verbs?

I'm talking about important phrases like how to say I am and You are in Spanish. In Unit 4, you will learn to use the two Spanish verbs ser and estar for these concepts. But those verbs do not follow the normal pattern of present tense conjugation. They are irregular, meaning you will have to learn exceptions to the normal rules.

Many Common Verbs are Irregular

The most frequently used verbs in English, such as to do, to see, and to say are irregular in Spanish. So are powerhouse verbs like to put, to get, and to give.

That is why you haven't seen any of these extremely common words in the exercises so far.

After covering the regular present tense verbs, you might expect our curriculum to next focus on irregular verbs. It does not.

Why? Well, I do not want you to make the same mistake that I did.

Don't Get Stuck in the Present Tense!

At the beginning of my study of Spanish, I felt that I should focus only on the present tense until I had completely mastered it. That was a big mistake, which slowed down my learning!

Consider this... While the present tense is very common, the past tense is even more so! We generally spend more time talking about things that happened, rather than what we are doing at the moment.

The same is true for written language. Whether you are talking about a novel, a children's story, or a newspaper, most written works mainly use the past tense.

Shortcut to Comprehension

The goal is to get familiar with the basics of both present tense and past tense, and then return to fill in the more complicated details. Having a broad understanding of both early in your learning helps you to understand and read material more quickly.

After all, nothing inspires your confidence more than being able to read and understand something which previously seemed like a total mystery.

Don't worry. Later units will cover the irregular forms that we are skipping for now, and do so in great detail.

But right now let's finish up the regular present tense with our combined exercises, and I'll see you in the next unit where we will get started with the past tense.