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List the 18 Spanish tenses with brief usage examples visualisation

List the 18 Spanish tenses with brief usage examples

Become Fluent with Spanish Verb Conjugation: The Ultimate Resource: List the 18 Spanish tenses with brief usage examples
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Here is a list of the 18 Spanish tenses with brief usage examples:

Indicative Mood (Used for factual statements)

  1. Present Simple (Presente)
    • Usage: Actions happening now or habits.
    • Example: Yo hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
  2. Preterite (Pretérito Indefinido)
    • Usage: Completed actions in the past.
    • Example: Ayer comí pizza. (Yesterday I ate pizza.)
  3. Imperfect (Pretérito Imperfecto)
    • Usage: Past habitual actions or ongoing past actions.
    • Example: Cuando era niño, jugaba mucho. (When I was a child, I used to play a lot.)
  4. Future Simple (Futuro Simple)
    • Usage: Actions that will happen.
    • Example: Mañana estudiaré. (Tomorrow I will study.)
  5. Conditional Simple (Condicional Simple)
    • Usage: Hypothetical actions or polite requests.
    • Example: Compraría un coche si tuviera dinero. (I would buy a car if I had money.)
  6. Present Perfect (Pretérito Perfecto)
    • Usage: Actions completed recently or relevant to the present.
    • Example: He vivido aquí por dos años. (I have lived here for two years.)
  7. Past Perfect / Pluperfect (Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto)
    • Usage: Actions completed before another past action.
    • Example: Había comido antes de salir. (I had eaten before leaving.)
  8. Future Perfect (Futuro Perfecto)
    • Usage: Actions that will have been completed by a future time.
    • Example: Para entonces, habré terminado. (By then, I will have finished.)
  9. Conditional Perfect (Condicional Perfecto)
    • Usage: Hypothetical past actions.
    • Example: Habría ido si me hubieras invitado. (I would have gone if you had invited me.)

Subjunctive Mood (Used for doubts, wishes, emotions, hypotheticals)

  1. Present Subjunctive (Presente de Subjuntivo)
    • Usage: Wishes, doubts, desires.
    • Example: Quiero que vengas. (I want you to come.)
  2. Imperfect Subjunctive (Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo)
    • Usage: Past wishes, doubts in the past, hypothetical situations.
    • Example: Si tuviera tiempo, iría. (If I had time, I would go.)
  3. Future Subjunctive (Futuro de Subjuntivo) [rare, archaic]
    • Usage: Rare, legal or very formal contexts.
    • Example: Quien fuere encontrado culpable… (Whoever is found guilty…)
  4. Present Perfect Subjunctive (Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo)
    • Usage: Actions that are complete but relate to the present.
    • Example: Espero que hayas estudiado. (I hope you have studied.)
  5. Past Perfect Subjunctive (Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo)
    • Usage: Past actions prior to another past action in subjunctive.
    • Example: Ojalá hubiera llegado a tiempo. (I wish I had arrived on time.)
  6. Future Perfect Subjunctive (Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo) [rare]
    • Usage: Very rare, formal or literary.
    • Example: Cuando hubiere terminado… (When he/she shall have finished…)

Imperative Mood (Commands)

  1. Affirmative Commands (Imperativo Afirmativo)
    • Usage: Giving orders or requests.
    • Example: ¡Habla! (Speak!)
  2. Negative Commands (Imperativo Negativo)
    • Usage: Telling not to do something.
    • Example: No hables. (Don’t speak!)

Continuous/Progressive Forms

  1. Present Progressive (Presente Progresivo)
    • Usage: Actions happening right now.
    • Example: Estoy hablando. (I am speaking.)

These 18 tenses include simple and compound forms, across the indicative, subjunctive, and imperative moods, capturing all common uses in Spanish grammar.

References

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