Summary
The verb is the word that expresses an action (correr), a state (ser) or a process (crecer). It is the core of the predicate and the key piece of the sentence: almost no sentence works without a verb. It is also the word that changes form the most, because it is conjugated.
When conjugated, the verb shows person and number (who performs the action), tense (past, present or future) and mood (indicative, subjunctive or imperative). Spanish verbs fall into three conjugations by their ending: -ar (amar), -er (temer) and -ir (partir). Its non-finite forms are the infinitive, the gerund and the participle.
Key points
- The verb expresses action, state or process.
- It is the core of the predicate; almost no sentence works without it.
- It is conjugated: it changes by person, number, tense and mood.
- Three conjugations: -ar, -er and -ir.
- Tenses: past, present and future.
- Moods: indicative, subjunctive and imperative.
- Non-finite forms: infinitive, gerund and participle.