Spanish Verbs List: 120 Common Verbs by Topic

Quick answer: Below is a Spanish verbs list of 120 essential verbs grouped by topic, each with its English meaning and a note on whether it’s regular, stem-changing or irregular. Learn these and you’ll cover most of everyday Spanish. You can download the whole list as a PDF with the button on this page.

Key: (R) regular · (S) stem-changing · (I) irregular. For full conjugation tables of the 200 most-used verbs, see our 200 most common Spanish verbs with conjugations.

The 20 most important Spanish verbs

Spanish	English	Type
ser	to be (identity, traits)	I
estar	to be (location, states)	I
tener	to have	I
haber	to have (auxiliary); there is/are	I
hacer	to do, to make	I
ir	to go	I
poder	can, to be able to	S/I
decir	to say, to tell	I
querer	to want, to love	S/I
ver	to see	I
dar	to give	I
saber	to know (facts)	I
conocer	to know (people, places)	I
poner	to put	I
venir	to come	I
hablar	to speak, to talk	R
llegar	to arrive	R
pasar	to pass, to happen, to spend (time)	R
deber	should, must; to owe	R
creer	to believe, to think	R

Everyday actions

Spanish	English	Type
comer	to eat	R
beber / tomar	to drink	R
dormir	to sleep	S
vivir	to live	R
trabajar	to work	R
estudiar	to study	R
comprar	to buy	R
pagar	to pay	R
cocinar	to cook	R
limpiar	to clean	R
lavar	to wash	R
abrir	to open	R (irregular participle: abierto)
cerrar	to close	S
usar	to use	R
necesitar	to need	R
buscar	to look for	R
encontrar	to find	S
perder	to lose	S
ganar	to win, to earn	R
jugar	to play (games, sports)	S

Movement and travel

Spanish	English	Type
volver / regresar	to return, to come back	S / R
salir	to leave, to go out	I
entrar	to enter	R
caminar / andar	to walk	R / I
correr	to run	R
viajar	to travel	R
manejar / conducir	to drive	R / I
subir	to go up, to get on	R
bajar	to go down, to get off	R
caer	to fall	I
traer	to bring	I
llevar	to take, to carry, to wear	R
seguir	to follow, to continue	S
quedarse	to stay	R

Confused by traer and llevar? Read bring in Spanish: traer vs llevar.

Communication

Spanish	English	Type
preguntar	to ask (a question)	R
pedir	to ask for, to order	S
contestar / responder	to answer	R
llamar	to call	R
escribir	to write	R (participle: escrito)
leer	to read	R (spelling change: leyó)
escuchar	to listen	R
oír	to hear	I
explicar	to explain	R
contar	to count, to tell (a story)	S
repetir	to repeat	S
recomendar	to recommend	S
negar	to deny	S
mentir	to lie	S

Thinking and feelings

Spanish	English	Type
pensar	to think	S
entender / comprender	to understand	S / R
recordar	to remember	S
olvidar	to forget	R
aprender	to learn	R
gustar	to like (to be pleasing)	R
amar	to love	R
odiar	to hate	R
sentir	to feel	S
esperar	to wait, to hope	R
preferir	to prefer	S
elegir	to choose	S
decidir	to decide	R
parecer	to seem	I (parezco)
doler	to hurt	S

Two verbs for “remember”? See recordar vs acordarse.

Starting and finishing

Spanish	English	Type
empezar / comenzar	to start, to begin	S
terminar / acabar	to finish, to end	R
conseguir	to get, to achieve	S
intentar / tratar de	to try	R
ayudar	to help	R
cambiar	to change	R
servir	to serve, to be useful	S
costar	to cost	S
caber	to fit	I
competir	to compete	S

Reflexive verbs for your daily routine

Spanish	English	Type
despertarse	to wake up	S
levantarse	to get up	R
ducharse / bañarse	to shower / to bathe	R
vestirse	to get dressed	S
ponerse	to put on; to become	I
acostarse	to go to bed	S
sentarse	to sit down	S
llamarse	to be called (named)	R
irse	to leave, to go away	I
acordarse (de)	to remember	S

How to use them: ponerse vs vestirse vs poner.

How to learn this list faster

1. Learn the patterns first: regular verbs follow three models. See AR, ER, IR verbs and the top 50 regular verbs.
2. Study 10 verbs a day in topic groups, like the tables above.
3. Make sentences about your own life with each verb.
4. Use them in conversation within 24 hours. That’s when they stick.