Common Irregular Verbs: Ser, Ir, Tener, Hacer
Quick Answer: Ser, ir, tener, and hacer are among the most used verbs in Spanish and are irregular in most tenses. They must be memorized individually.
The four most essential irregular verbs in Spanish
Category: Verb Tenses
The Rule
Ser, ir, tener, and hacer are among the most used verbs in Spanish and are irregular in most tenses. They must be memorized individually.
Why This Matters
These four verbs appear in nearly every conversation. The good news: ser and ir share identical preterite forms (fui, fuiste, fue...), and context always makes the meaning clear. Tener and hacer have irregular yo-forms in the present (tengo, hago) and irregular preterite stems (tuv-, hic-).
Examples
• Fui al cine ayer. / Fui profesora. — "I went to the movies yesterday. / I was a teacher." [Ir and ser share the same preterite] • Tengo tres hermanos. — "I have three siblings." [Tener: irregular yo-form (tengo)] • ¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana? — "What did you do on the weekend?" [Hacer: preterite stem hic-/hiz-] • Hizo mucho calor ayer. — "It was very hot yesterday." [Hacer for weather: hizo (3rd person preterite)]
Common Mistakes
❌ Yo sabo la respuesta. ✅ Yo sé la respuesta. → Saber in first person present is 'sé,' not 'sabo.' This is one of the most common beginner errors. ❌ El hacé su tarea. ✅ Él hace su tarea. → Hacer is irregular: the third person singular is 'hace,' not 'hacé.' No accent needed.
Quick Tip
Ser and ir having identical preterite forms seems confusing, but context always clarifies: 'Fui a la tienda' (I went) vs 'Fui feliz' (I was happy). Focus on memorizing these four verbs first — they'll appear everywhere.
Ser and ir having identical preterite forms seems confusing, but context always clarifies: 'Fui a la tienda' (I went) vs 'Fui feliz' (I was happy). Focus on memorizing these four verbs first — they'll appear everywhere.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: Yo sabo la respuesta. → Correct: Yo sé la respuesta.. Saber in first person present is 'sé,' not 'sabo.' This is one of the most common beginner errors.
Incorrect: El hacé su tarea. → Correct: Él hace su tarea.. Hacer is irregular: the third person singular is 'hace,' not 'hacé.' No accent needed.
Quiz
What is the preterite of 'ir' for 'nosotros'?