Tiempo simple

Simple tense

Written by qualified Spanish expert Inma Sánchez BA
Last updated: 2023-03-31
In Spanish simple verb tenses are conjugations which contain only one verbal form, as opposed to compound tenses which contain more than one verbal form. 

Here's an example of a simple tense:

Yo voy  - I go
Tú vas  - You go
Él va - He goes
Nosotros vamos  - We go
Vosotros váis - You go
Ellos van - They go

There are 9 simple tenses in Spanish:

  1. El presente
  2. El pretérito indefinido
  3. El pretérito imperfecto
  4. El futuro simple
  5. El condicional simple
  6. El presente de subjuntivo
  7. El imperfecto de subjuntivo
  8. El futuro de subjuntivo
  9. El imperativo

For information on compound tenses, which are contain more than one verbal form see Tiempo compuesto.

Lessons with more detail on Tiempo simple

Forming negative sentences using no in Spanish (negation)
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