Getting to know the present tense

Time for some grammar, with some bachata in the background (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFyp1P_NsMI).

1) Verb familiarization:

http://lingolex.com/flash_com_verbs.htm

Bailar – dance

Nadar – swim

Conducir – drive

Necesitar – need

Deletrear – spell

Poder – can/be able

Olvidar – forget

Limpiar – clean

Gastar – spend

Despertar – wake up

2) Present tense conjugation:

http://www.spanish411.net/images/Infographics/Spanish-Conjugating-Verbs.jpg

http://www.spanish411.net/Spanish-Conjugating-Verbs.asp

This site has a good outline of verb conjugation.  The concept of different endings depending on person and number is the same as in French, but it’s interesting that Spanish has a singular and a plural formal subject pronoun.  Usted/ustedes versus just vous.  Since Usted is a way to express the second person, I thought it would conjugate like tú, but instead it conjugates like él/ella.  Important to remember.