Imperfect -aba, prefixes, -ivo/-iva adjectives and homophones
Learn when to use b and when to use v in Spanish with systematic rules: imperfect -aba always with b, vice-/viso- prefixes with v, -bir verbs with b, after m always b, -ivo/-iva adjectives with v, homophones tubo/tuvo. 15 questions covering the most frequent rules.
B and v sound identical in Spanish, so there's no way to get them right by ear: the only reliable way to spell them correctly is to know the rules. Fortunately, these are very systematic rules that, once learned, cover hundreds of words at once.
The exam covers the most useful rules —the imperfect tense in -aba is always b, adjectives ending in -ivo/-iva are always v, verbs ending in -bir take b (with exceptions: vivir, servir, hervir)— and the most commonly confused homophones like tubo/tuvo.
Revise b and v through rules, not lists of individual words, in the exam below.
Spanish Language · Primary, Secondary
Memorising words one by one is inefficient. The exam teaches rules that cover dozens of words: imperfect -aba (cantaba, saltaba → always b).
-bir verbs take b (escribir, recibir, subir) EXCEPT vivir, servir, hervir. The exam practises both the rule and its exceptions.
Tubo (cylindrical object) vs tuvo (past of tener). The exam works the most confused pairs with real context.
"A student wrote "iva" for the imperfect. With the -aba rule (all -AR verbs in imperfect take b), they stopped: cantaba, jugaba, miraba — never with v."
Tricks and techniques to master this topic faster:
Imperfect -AR: always b. cantaba, saltaba, jugaba, hablaba — never with v.
After m → always b: también, cambio, hombre, sombra, ambos, combate.
-ivo/-iva adjectives → always v: activo, pasivo, positivo, negativo, creativo.
Vice- → always v: vicepresidente. Ob- → always b: obtener, objeto, obra.
If you are studying B and V in Spanish — Spelling Rules, these curriculum topics complement each other:
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