Irregular AR Verbs
Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 16.6.3
Verbs Ending in 'gar' in the Preterite Tense
Some AR verbs in the preterite change their stem in the 'yo' form. This is the only change and follow a regular pattern after this. Derivatives of these verbs follow the same pattern.
Verbs ending in 'gar'
- Spanish verbs ending in 'gar' in the preterite change their spelling in the first person.
- These verbs add a 'u' after 'g'.
- Jugar (to play) → jugué (I played).
Jugar - to play
- Jugué - I played.
- Jugaste - you played.
- Jugó - he/she played.
- Jugamos - we played.
- Jugasteis - you (plural) played.
- Jugaron - they played.
Negar - to deny
- Negué - I denied.
- Negaste - you denied.
- Negó - he/she denied.
- Negamos - we denied.
- Negasteis - you (plural) denied.
- Negaron - they denied.
Entregar - to hand in
- Entregué - I handed in.
- Entregaste - you handed in.
- Entregó -he/she handed in.
- Entregamos - we handed in.
- Entregasteis - you (plural) handed in.
- Entregaron - they handed in.
Llegar - to arrive
- Llegué - I arrived.
- Llegaste - you arrived.
- Llegó - he/she arrived.
- Llegamos - we arrived.
- Llegasteis - you (plural) arrived.
- Llegaron - they arrived.
Other verbs that follow this pattern
- Other verbs that follow this pattern include:
- Apagar - to turn off.
- Colgar - to hang.
- Castigar - to punish.
- Pagar - to pay.
- Cargar - to load, charge.
- Navegar - to surf (the internet).
Verbs Ending in 'car' in the Preterite Tense
Some AR verbs in the preterite change their stem in the 'yo' form. This is the only change and they follow a regular pattern after this.
Verbs ending in 'car'
- Spanish verbs ending in 'car' change their spelling in the first person preterite.
- The 'car' in the infinitive changes to 'qué' in the 'yo' form.
- Publicar (to publish) → publiqué (I published).
Tocar - to touch, play (an instrument)
- Toqué - I played.
- Tocaste - you played.
- Tocó - she played.
- Tocamos - we played.
- Tocasteis - you played.
- Tocaron - they played.
Buscar - to look for, to search
- Busqué - I looked for.
- Buscaste - you looked for.
- Buscó - she looked for.
- Buscamos - we looked for.
- Buscasteis - you looked for.
- Buscaron - they looked for.
Explicar - to explain
- Expliqué - I explained.
- Explicaste - you explained.
- Explicó - he explained.
- Explicamos - we explained.
- Explicasteis - you explained.
- Explicaron - they explained.
Similar verbs
- Other verbs that follow this pattern include:
- Pescar - to fish.
- Dedicar - to devote.
- Provocar - to provoke.
- Marcar - to score, to mark.
- Sacar - to get, to achieve
Verbs Ending in 'zar' in the Preterite Tense
AR verbs that end in 'zar' have an irregular 'yo' form in the preterite tense. The 'zar' in the infinitive changes to 'cé' in the 'yo' form, e.g. comenzar → comencé (to start → I started).
Empezar - to begin
- Empecé - I began.
- Empezaste - you began.
- Empezó - he/she began.
- Empezamos - we began.
- Empezasteis - you (plural) began.
- Empezaron - they began.
Comenzar - to start
- Comencé - I started.
- Comenzaste - you started.
- Comenzó - he/she started.
- Comenzamos - we started.
- Comenzasteis - you (plural) started.
- Comenzaron - they started.
Utilizar - to use
- Utilicé - I used.
- Utilizaste - you used.
- Utilizó - she used.
- Utilizamos - we used.
- Utilizasteis - you (plural) used.
- Utilizaron - they used.
Similar verbs
- Other verbs that follow this pattern include:
- Almorzar - to have lunch.
- Amenazar - to threaten.
- Cruzar - to cross.
- Organizar - to organise.
- Alcanzar - to reach.
Test yourself on Irregular AR Verbs
How do you say 'they handed in' in Spanish?
How do you say 'Ross denied' in Spanish?
How do you say 'I looked for' in Spanish?
¿Qué significa 'marqué' en inglés?
How do you say 'I had lunch' in Spanish?