Spanish Regular -IR Verbs: Rules, Conjugation Tables & Examples
Spanish verbs ending in -ir are one of the three major verb groups in Spanish. Examples include vivir (to live), escribir (to write), and abrir (to open).
Many learners confuse:
- regular -ir verbs → vivir, escribir, abrir
- the verb ir ("to go") → which is irregular
What Are Regular -IR Verbs in Spanish?
Regular -ir verbs keep the same stem and use standard endings in conjugation.
Examples of Regular -IR Verbs
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| vivir | to live |
| escribir | to write |
| abrir | to open |
| decidir | to decide |
| recibir | to receive |
To conjugate a regular -ir verb:
- Remove -ir
- Add the correct ending
Example:
- vivir → viv- + endings
- escribir → escrib- + endings
Present Tense Conjugation of Regular -IR Verbs
| Subject | Ending |
|---|---|
| yo | -o |
| tú | -es |
| él / ella / usted | -e |
| nosotros | -imos |
| vosotros | -ís |
| ellos / ustedes | -en |
Example: vivir
| Subject | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | vivo | I live |
| tú | vives | you live |
| él / ella | vive | he / she lives |
| nosotros | vivimos | we live |
| vosotros | vivís | you all live |
| ellos | viven | they live |
Full Conjugation Table: vivir
Present (Presente)
| Subject | vivir |
|---|---|
| yo | vivo |
| tú | vives |
| él / ella | vive |
| nosotros | vivimos |
| vosotros | vivís |
| ellos | viven |
Preterite (Pretérito Indefinido)
| Subject | vivir |
|---|---|
| yo | viví |
| tú | viviste |
| él / ella | vivió |
| nosotros | vivimos |
| vosotros | vivisteis |
| ellos | vivieron |
Imperfect (Imperfecto)
| Subject | vivir |
|---|---|
| yo | vivía |
| tú | vivías |
| él / ella | vivía |
| nosotros | vivíamos |
| vosotros | vivíais |
| ellos | vivían |
Future (Futuro)
| Subject | vivir |
|---|---|
| yo | viviré |
| tú | vivirás |
| él / ella | vivirá |
| nosotros | viviremos |
| vosotros | viviréis |
| ellos | vivirán |
Conditional (Condicional)
| Subject | vivir |
|---|---|
| yo | viviría |
| tú | vivirías |
| él / ella | viviría |
| nosotros | viviríamos |
| vosotros | viviríais |
| ellos | vivirían |
Examples of Regular -IR Verbs in Sentences
vivir — to live
- Yo vivo en Madrid.
- Nosotros vivimos cerca del centro.
escribir — to write
- Ella escribe correos todos los días.
- ¿Tú escribes en español?
abrir — to open
- Ellos abren la tienda temprano.
- Voy a abrir la ventana.
Most Common Regular -IR Verbs
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| abrir | to open |
| asistir | to attend |
| decidir | to decide |
| descubrir | to discover |
| escribir | to write |
| existir | to exist |
| permitir | to allow |
| recibir | to receive |
| subir | to go up |
| vivir | to live |
Important note: a few of these verbs are regular in all tenses but have an irregular past participle (used in pretérito perfecto and pluscuamperfecto):
- abrir → abierto (not *abrido): He abierto la puerta.
- escribir → escrito (not *escribido): Has escrito una carta.
- descubrir → descubierto: Han descubierto el secreto.
Regular vs Irregular -IR Verbs
Not all verbs ending in -ir are regular.
Regular Examples
- vivir
- escribir
- abrir
Irregular Examples
- ir (to go)
- venir (to come)
- decir (to say)
- pedir (to ask for) — stem change e → i
Conjugation of ir (to go)
The Spanish verb ir is irregular.
| Subject | ir (present) |
|---|---|
| yo | voy |
| tú | vas |
| él / ella | va |
| nosotros | vamos |
| vosotros | vais |
| ellos | van |
Difference Between "-IR Verbs" and the Verb "Ir"
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| -ir verbs | Any verbs whose infinitive ends in -ir |
| ir | The verb "to go" (irregular) |
Common Mistakes Learners Make
1. Confusing "ir" with "-ir verbs"
Incorrect: "Ir is a regular -ir verb."
Correct: "Ir is an irregular verb ending in -ir."
2. Forgetting accents
- viví (not *vivi)
- vivía (not *vivia)
- vivirás (not *viviras)
3. Mixing endings
Incorrect: yo vives
Correct: yo vivo
Tips for Learning Spanish -IR Verbs
- Learn one model verb like vivir.
- Practice by tense, not by random verb.
- Memorize common irregular verbs (ir, venir, decir, pedir) separately.
FAQ
Is "ir" a regular verb in Spanish?
No. The verb ir is highly irregular.
What are regular -ir verbs?
They are verbs ending in -ir that follow standard conjugation patterns.
Are all -ir verbs irregular?
No. Many are regular.
What is the easiest regular -ir verb to learn?
vivir is commonly used as the model verb.
Conclusion
Regular Spanish -ir verbs follow predictable conjugation rules and are essential for fluency. Verbs like vivir, abrir, and escribir help learners understand Spanish grammar across multiple tenses.
The key distinction:
- -ir verbs are a verb category
- ir is one specific irregular verb