Spanish Verbs 46 Workbook: Exercises for FluencyLearning Spanish verbs is one of the fastest ways to gain real communicative power. This workbook focuses on a targeted set I’m calling “Spanish Verbs 46” — a curated group of 46 high-frequency verbs that, once mastered, will dramatically increase your ability to understand and produce everyday Spanish. The activities below combine conjugation practice, contextual usage, listening and speaking prompts, and spaced repetition techniques so you build accuracy and fluency, not just recognition.
Why these 46 verbs?
These 46 verbs cover a large portion of everyday speech. They include common regular and irregular verbs, modal-like verbs, and useful pronominal verbs. By focusing on a manageable, high-impact list you’ll get more conversational mileage than trying to memorize hundreds of low-frequency verbs.
Suggested categories included: high-frequency regular verbs (like hablar, comer), crucial irregulars (ser, ir, tener), stem-changers (pensar, dormir), orthographic changes (llegar, buscar), pronominal verbs (levantarse, sentirse), and auxiliaries/modals (poder, deber, querer).
How to use this workbook
- Work one verb set per day or two sets if you’re reviewing.
- Start with conjugation drills, then move to controlled practice and production.
- Record yourself for pronunciation and oral fluency checks.
- Revisit verbs at spaced intervals: 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days.
Section 1 — The 46 verbs (suggested list)
Below is a compact list to get started. Adjust based on your goals and regional variation.
- ser
- estar
- tener
- hacer
- ir
- venir
- poder
- querer
- deber
- decir
- ver
- oír
- dar
- saber
- conocer
- poner
- salir
- traer
- volver
- empezar
- entender
- pensar
- jugar
- dormir
- pedir
- seguir
- perder
- creer
- hablar
- comer
- vivir
- trabajar
- estudiar
- llamar
- mirar
- entrar
- salir (listed already — substitute: ayudar)
- ayudar
- encontrar
- usar
- necesitar
- sentirse
- levantarse
- quedarse
- pagar
- abrir
- cerrar
Quick note
If you prefer a different mix (more irregulars, more pronominals, or business vocabulary), swap verbs while keeping the total at 46.
Section 2 — Conjugation drills (foundation)
For each verb, practice these forms first: present indicative, preterite, imperfect, future, present perfect (he + past participle), and simple commands (tú, usted, nosotros). Spend 5–10 minutes per verb set doing rapid-fire conjugation aloud.
Exercise format:
- Write the full conjugation table for one tense at a time.
- Time yourself: 5 minutes to conjugate all present-tense forms for five verbs.
- Self-check immediately with answers (or use a conjugation tool).
Example (hablar — present):
- yo hablo
- tú hablas
- él/ella habla
- nosotros hablamos
- vosotros habláis
- ellos hablan
Section 3 — Controlled practice (fill-in & transform)
Use these exercises to connect forms to meaning.
A. Fill-in-the-blank sentences (choose correct form):
- Cuando yo _____ (tener) tiempo, llamo a mi madre.
- Ayer ellos no _____ (poder) venir a la reunión.
- Nosotros _____ (empezar) a las ocho cada día.
B. Verb transformation (change tense/person):
- Transform sentence from present to past: “Ella come temprano” → “Ella comió temprano.”
- Turn statements into negative commands: “Hablad ahora” → “No habléis ahora.”
C. Multiple-choice for irregulars:
- ¿Qué forma es correcta? “Yo _____ (saber) la respuesta.” a) sé b) sabe c) sabo
Section 4 — Contextual usage (phrases & collocations)
Memorize common collocations so verbs become “chunked” with typical words they occur with.
Examples:
- tener miedo (to be afraid), tener razón (to be right)
- hacer la cama, hacer una pregunta
- ir de compras, ir a trabajar
- ponerse + adjective (ponerse triste, ponerse contento)
- seguir + gerund (seguir estudiando)
Practice:
- Create 5 short dialogues (2–4 lines) that naturally include 8–10 target verbs.
- Swap a verb in each dialogue for an alternate from the list to practice flexibility.
Section 5 — Listening & shadowing
Choose short audio (podcast snippets, dialogues, or recorded sentences) that include the target verbs. Complete these steps:
- Listen once for gist.
- Listen again and transcribe only sentences that include the target verbs.
- Shadow (repeat immediately after) each sentence, matching rhythm and intonation.
- Record yourself shadowing; compare to the original.
Example prompt:
- Audio sentence: “Mañana vamos a salir temprano para llegar a tiempo.”
- Shadow: repeat exactly, focusing on vowel sounds and linking.
Section 6 — Production (speaking & writing)
Move from accuracy to fluency with these tasks.
A. Speaking prompts (1–2 minutes each):
- Describe your daily routine using at least 10 verbs from the list.
- Retell a recent trip or event in past tenses, using at least five irregulars.
B. Writing tasks:
- 150–200 word paragraph: “A week in my life” — include 12 verbs from the list, underline or bold them for self-check.
- Short story (300 words) that uses a mix of tenses and at least 20 verbs from the 46.
C. Roleplay scenarios:
- At a restaurant (use pedir, traer, ver, gustar).
- Job interview (usar, trabajar, estudiar, tener, saber).
Section 7 — Error correction & self-monitoring
Common pitfalls and how to fix them:
- Ser vs. estar: practice contrastive sentences (e.g., “Soy médico” vs. “Estoy cansado”).
- Preterite vs. imperfect: create timelines and mark actions vs. background states.
- Stem-changers: drill only the boot forms (yo, tú, él, ellos) then add others.
Error-check exercises:
- Take a short paragraph you wrote and underline all verb forms; check tense accuracy and agreement.
- Exchange recordings with a partner or tutor for corrective feedback.
Section 8 — Spaced repetition plan
A simple 4-week rotation:
- Week 1: Learn 10 verbs (conjugations + basic sentences).
- Week 2: Add 12 new verbs; review Week 1 with production tasks.
- Week 3: Add 12 more verbs; revise Weeks 1–2 via listening/shadowing.
- Week 4: Add last 12 verbs; intensive speaking practice using all 46.
Follow-up schedule:
- Quick reviews on days 1, 3, 7, 14 after initial study.
- Monthly review for retention.
Section 9 — Mini-tests & answer keys
Include short quizzes you can self-grade: conjugation tables, fill-in blanks, translation sentences, and a short oral prompt. Keep answer keys separate to avoid spoiling practice; try to self-correct before checking.
Sample quiz (answers below):
- Conjugate “ir” in preterite (yo, tú, él).
- Translate: “We have been studying Spanish for two years.”
- Choose correct: “Ella _____ (hacer) la tarea ayer.” a) hizo b) hacía
Answers:
- yo fui, tú fuiste, él fue
- Hemos estudiado español por dos años. (or “Llevamos dos años estudiando español.”)
- a) hizo
Section 10 — Extra resources & next steps
- Flashcards (physical or SRS apps) for the 46 verbs with sample sentences.
- Short graded readers or podcasts targeted at learners for repeated exposure.
- Conversation partners or tutors for real feedback.
Final tip: focus on production, not just recognition. The verbs will feel sticky once you repeatedly use them in speaking and writing under time pressure.
If you want, I can: create printable worksheets for each verb, build a 4-week study calendar tailored to your level, or generate quizzes with answers for self-study.
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