The past, the present and the future
When embarking on the journey of learning a new language, it is customary to begin with the present tense. By doing so, you gain the ability to express yourself regarding ongoing activities and current situations. As you delve deeper into your language studies, the past tense becomes a valuable addition, allowing you to recount events that have occurred in a more general or time-specific manner. And then, the future tense, empowering you to describe forthcoming events and articulate your thoughts about the future.
Primer, el presente (First, the present)
Just like in English, Spanish tenses refer to the time when the performance of an action happens, and they are an integral part of speaking Spanish.
The Spanish language has many tenses, but the three main tenses are the el pasado, the el presente and the el futuro.
The present tense is used to show what a subject usually does or is doing.
Siempre me levanto temprano. (I always get up early).
Segundo, el pasado (Second, the past)
The past tense or preterite is used to express actions or events that happened at a certain time in the past. So, it’s common to use it with expressions that state a certain time period such as ayer (yesterday), la semana pasada (last week) and el año pasado (last year) among others.
Fui al cine la semana pasada. (I went to the cinema last week).
Tercio, el futuro (Third, the future)
The future is used to express actions that have not been performed yet. These actions are independent of any other action. It’s common to use future tense with expressions like mañana (tomorrow), la próxima semana (next week), en dos días (in a couple of days) and others.
Compraré una nueva computadora el próximo fin de semana. (I will buy a new computer next weekend).
As a general rule in Spanish, the subject pronouns are omitted since the conjugated form of the verb is sufficient to indicate which person it is.
In English, the ending (–s/-es) is used in the present and (-ed) in the past. It does not have any type of future marking or conjugation, so it makes use of the auxiliary verbs will and shall. In Spanish, there is a different conjugation for each of the tenses.
When learning Spanish, the present tense is the first tense you’ll learn, followed by the past tense and then the future tense.
It can be daunting at first, but as you begin to understand the conjugations, they become easier, and you’ll start to do them without much thought.
Resumen
…as easy as uno, dos, tres…
uno…
pasado
presente
futuro
dos…
time, mode, number, person and aspect
Time Situates the facts in relation to the moment in which it’s spoken (now)
Mode Indicates the attitude of the speaker indicative subjunctive imperative
Number Refers to the special forms that the verb has for the third person singular and third person plural
Person Indicates the connection between the individuals that make up the speech act
Aspect Describes the scope of progress or completion of the action indefinite progressive perfect
tres…
Verb tenses can be simple or compound
Simple verb tenses are when the action is expressed with a single word. They’re compound when the action is expressed with more than one word such as an auxiliary verb ser and haber (to be and to have), and a participle non-personal form of the verb that has the ending -do in the regular form of Spanish and can form compound tenses.
For instance: ser amado– to be loved
With each verb conjugation and tense formation you master, you bring life and depth to your Spanish conversations. Remember, every step you take, no matter how small, brings you closer to fluency. So, embrace the challenge, dive into the conjugations, and allow the tenses to become your allies.
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