The Verb Tenses

When using verbs you have to know how and when to use the different verb tenses:

1.) Present Continuos: Verbo ser / estar + verbo en gerundio

Used for an action that is taking place right now

Ejemplos:

* I´m talking on the phone right now = Estoy hablando por teléfono ahora mismo

* What are you eating? I´m eating egg plant = Que estas comiendo? Estoy comiendo

berenjena

* Everybody is swimming in the pool = Todo el mundo está nadando en la piscina

* I´m talking on the phone = Estoy hablando por teléfono

Present Continuous is also used for the future by using a word that indicates when

Ejemplos:

* We are having dinner with some friends tonight = Vamos a cenar con unos amigos esta

noche

*
Are we playing paddle tomorrow = Vamos a jugar al padel mañana?

* She is starting her new job on Monday = Ella va a empezar su nuevo trabajo el lunes

* I´m visiting my grandmother this evening = Voy a visitar a mi abuela esta tarde

* My sister´s coming for lunch at two o´clock = Mi hermana viene a comer a las dos
2.) Simple Present

It is used to identify common actions

Ejemplos:

*
I take the bus to work everyday = Cojo el autobús al trabajo todos los días

* We like to walk in the country = Nos gusta andar por el campo

* Do you always have coffee in the morning? = Siempre tomas café por la mañana?

* I prefer to read rather than watch TV = Prefiero leer en lugar de ver la tele

* Lucy lives and works in Dublin = Lucy vive y trabaja en Dublin

3.) Simple Past

Used to express actions already completed

Ejemplos:

* I already finished the book the other day = Ya terminé el libro el otro día

* They bought a house last week = Se compraron una casa la semana pasada

* We saw a good movie this weekend = Vimos una buena película este fin de semana

* When were you in New York? = Cuando estuviste en Nueva York?

* Juan called me this morning = Juan me llamó esta mañana

* Where did you meet your wife? = Donde conociste a tu mujer?

4.) Past Continuos: Verb to be / to be in the past tense - was / were + gerund

Used to express when someone was in the middle of doing something at any given time

Ejemplos:

* I was working in the garden when you called = Estaba trabajando en el jardín cuando

llamaste

* When the teacher arrived to class, everybody was already waiting for him = Cuando el

profesor llegó a la clase todo el mundo ya le estaba esperando

* What were you doing the other day when I saw you? = Que estabas haciendo el otro día

cuando te vi?

* I was waiting for someone when you saw me = Estaba esperando a alguien cuando me

viste

* When we were driving to Paris, the police stopped us = Cuando íbamos conduciendo a

París, la policía nos paró

5.) Present Perfect: Use the particulars Have / Has + verb

Used for a recent action; a connection with now. Action in the past has a result with now

and is not mentioned when the action occurred

* Adverbs are used a lot in this verb tense "already, yet. for, just y since"

* See the topic about these adverbs

Ejemplos:

* I´m sorry. The train has already left = Lo siento. El tren ya se ha ido
* I haven´t finished the book yet = Aun no he terminado el libro

* Have you seen Susan anywhere? = Has visto a Susan por alguna parte?

* I don´t think she has arrived yet = Creo que no ha llegado todavía

* We have already been to New York three times = Ya hemos estado en Nueva York tres

veces

* Juan still hasn´t called the dentist = Juan aún no ha llamado al dentista

6.) Present Perfect Continuos: Use auxiliaries Have / Has + been + gerund

Used for an action that started in the past and continues

Ejemplos:

* I´m tired. I have been working since 7:00 this morning = Estoy cansado. He estado

trabajando desde las siete de la mañana

* How long have you been waiting for the bus? = Cuanto tiempo has estado esperando el

autobús?

* It has been raining all day = Ha estado lloviendo todo el día

* We have been driving for more than four hours = Hemos estado conduciendo durante

más de cuatro horas

* I have been working on this blog since last year = He estado

* trabajando en este blog desde el año pasado

7.) Passive: Use the verb ser or estar + participle of the verb

When using the liability, the "Who" or "What" is not so important in the sentence

Ejemplos:

* The report was finished last week = El informe fue terminado la semana pasada (no

sabemos quién terminó el informe)

* I didn´t go to the party because I wasn´t invited = No fui a la fiesta porqué no fui

invitado

* All our things were stolen from our hotel room = Todo nuestras cosas fueron robadas de

nuestra habitación del hotel

* Many accidents are caused by distractions when driving = Muchos accidentes son

causadas por distracciónes al conducir

* Cars are made to last many years = Los coches están hechos para durar muchos años

8.) Future Simple: Will + verb is used in the present tense

It is normally used for when you decide to do something in the near future when you are

talking to someone; and many times it's spontaneous

Ejemplos:

* Don´t worry. I will take you to the airport = No te preocupes. Te llevaré al aeropuerto

* I will call you later because I´m busy at the moment = Te llamo después porque estoy

ocupado en este momento

* I will help you paint the house = Te ayudaré pintar la casa

* Juan will probably arrive late to work this morning = Juan probablemente llegará tarde

al trabajo esta mañana

* They said they won´t come to the party = Dijeron que no vendrán a la fiesta

9.) Going to: Use the verb ser / estar + going to + verb in the present tense

Used when you have already planned or decided to do something in the future or to predict

something you see or feel

Ejemplos:

* We´re going to Italy next month = Nos vamos a Italia el mes que viene

* I´m going to have dinner with some friends tonight = Voy a cenar con unos amigos esta

noche

* The boss is going to get angry = El jefe se va a enfadar

* It´s going to be a nice day today = Va a ser un día bonito hoy

* Susan is going to work in London = Susan va a trabajar en Londres

* Look at those dark clouds. I think it´s going to rain = Mira a esas nubes obscuras. Creo

que va a llover

10.) Conditional Type

1: To express that the action is quite possible and likely to happen

Used: If + Subject + verb in present / + subject + will + verb in present

Ejemplos:

* If I buy a new car, I will give you my old car = Si me compro un coche nuevo, te daré

mi coche viejo

* I will go to the party if you come with me = Iré a la fiesta si vienes conmigo (se puede

invertir la frase)

* If it rains, we won´t go by bike = Si llueve, no iremos en bici

* I will call you if I know something = Te llamaré si se algo

* What will you tell him if you see him at the party? = Que le dirás so le ves en la fiesta?

* We will go to the concert if there are good groups = Iremos al concierto si hay buenos

grupos

11.) Conditional Type 2.: It is possible but unlikely that the action can happen

Used: If + subject + verb in the past / + subject + would + verb in the present

Ejemplos:

* If I spoke better english, it would be easier to find a job = Si hablara mejor inglés, sería

más fácil encontrar un trabajo

* If I had a lot of money, I would lend you some = Si tuviera mucho dinero, te prestaría

algo

* If I were you, I would tell her the truth = Si yo fuera tú, le diría la verdad

* If you studied more, I´m sure you would pass the test = Si estudiaras más, estoy seguro

que aprobarías el examen

* If I knew where they lived, I would visit them = Si supiera donde viven, les visitaría

12.) Conditional Type 3: It is impossible for the action to be carried out because it

already refers to the past

Used: If + subject + had + participle verb / + subject + would + have + participle verb

Ejemplos:

* If I had known you were in the city, I would have called you to have lunch = Si hubiera

sabido que estabas en la ciudad, te hubiera llamado para almorzar

* If María had prepared herself for the interview, she would have gotten the job = Si

María se hubiera preparado para la entrevista, hubiera conseguido el trabajo

* If you hadn´t drunk so much beer, you wouldn´t have had the accident = Si no hubieras

bebido tanta cerveza, no hubieras tenido el accidente

* If you had studied more, you would have passed the test = Si hubieras estudiado más,

hubieras aprobado el examen

* Here´s an example of the Present Perfect Continous. This is one of the best love songs of

all time song by Otis Redding called, "I´ve loving you too long" = Te he estado queriendo

demasiado tiempo