Verbs

Los verbos son palabras que indican acciones, existencia (ser/estar), posesión (tener) o ánimo.

En inglés, usamos la preposición “to” para formar el infinitivo, por ejemplo: “to talk” (hablar), “to
eat” (comer), “to change” (cambiar), etc.

Los verbos son la parte de la oración más complicada. Hay muchos tipos de verbos. El verbo puede
indicar la acción principal (el verbo principal). Un verbo auxiliar añade detalle a la acción o ayuda
el verbo principal (también se llaman “verbos complementarios”). Los verbos modales añaden
modalidad (posibilidad, capacidad, permiso, prohibición, obligación, etc.). Los verbos transitivos
conectan un sujeto con un objeto. Otros verbos sólo necesitan un sujeto (verbos intransitivos). Hay
verbos que están compuestos de más de una palabra (verbos preposicionales y verbos frasales). Los
verbos pueden ser activos o pasivos. Por ahora y en este nivel, nos concentraremos en los usos de los
verbos principales y auxiliares.

Además de los muchos tipos y usos de los verbos, necesitamos conjugar verbos. La conjugación de
los verbos depende del sujeto y del tiempo. En las siguientes lecciones y niveles, hay explicaciones
para las conjugaciones del tiempo. En este nivel, sólo vamos a estudiar los tiempos presente simple
y presente continuo de los verbos.

Algunos de los verbos más comunes en inglés:

to be(ser/estar)
to have(tener/haber)
to do(hacer)
to make(hacer)
to take(tomar/coger)
to get(conseguir)
to go(ir)
to come(venir)
to leave(salir/irse)
to know(saber/conocer)
to like(gustar)
to want(querer)
to feel(sentirse)
to begin, start(empezar)
to end, finish(acabar/terminar)
to stay(quedarse)
to change(cambiar)
to wait(esperar)
to put(poner)
 to be able(poder)
to think(pensar)
to believe(creer)
to hope, wish(esperar)
to look(mirar)
to see(ver)
to hear(oír)
to call (US) / to ring (UK)(llamar)
to read(leer)
to write(escribir)
to listen(escuchar)
to eat(comer)
to drink(beber)
to learn(aprender)
to teach(enseñar)

Auxiliary Verbs (Verbos auxiliares)

Hay tres verbos importantes en inglés que se pueden usar como verbos principales o verbos auxiliares:
“to be”, “to have” y “to do”. Dependiendo del uso, el significado cambia pero la conjugación es
siempre la misma.

To be (ser/estar)

Como en español, este verbo es muy importante y lo usamos mucho. Al mismo tiempo, es un
verbo irregular en todos los tiempos. Además, la construcción de frases negativas e interrogativas
es diferente a como construimos las de los otros verbos, como veremos en la lección de construir
frases. También, usamos este verbo para construir el presente continuo, como veremos luego. Por lo
tanto, es importante entender bien la conjugación de este verbo.

Sujeto Presente simple

I am
you, we, they are
he, she, it is

To have (haber)

Este verbo significa “tener” cuando lo usamos como verbo principal y significa “haber” cuando
se usa como verbo auxiliar. Aprenderemos más sobre el uso del verbo “to have” como auxiliar en
la lección sobre presente perfecto. Por ahora es importante tener en cuenta que se puede usar este
verbo en las dos situaciones y es un verbo irregular.

Sujeto Presente simple

I, you, we, they have
 he, she, it has

To do

Este verbo significa “hacer” cuando lo usamos como verbo principal. No hay una traducción
directa en español para este verbo cuando se usa como verbo auxiliar. Este verbo auxiliar además
es necesario para construir las frases negativas e interrogativas. También se puede usar en frases
afirmativas para dar énfasis.

Sujeto Presente simple

I, you, we, they do
he, she, it does

El verbo “to be” es el verbo más importante del inglés y al mismo tiempo, el más complicado. Se
utiliza tanto como un verbo principal como un verbo auxiliar y es irregular en el presente y el
pasado.

Grammatical Rules (Reglas gramaticales)

Affirmative (Afirmativo)

Sujeto Presente Simple Forma corta

I am I’m
yo soy/estoy
you are you’re
tú eres/estás
he is he’s
él es/está
she is she’s
ella es/está
it is it’s
es/está
we are we’re
nosotros somos/estamos
they are they’re
ellos son/están

Negative (Negativo)

Sujeto Presente Simple Forma corta

I am not I’m not
yo no soy/estoy
you are not you’re not/you aren’t
tú no eres/estás
he is not he’s not/he isn’t
él no es/está
she is not she’s not/she isn’t
ella no es/está
it is not it’s not/it isn’t
no es/está
 we are not we’re not/we aren’t
nosotros no somos/estamos
they are not they’re not/they aren’t
ellos no son/están

Interrogative (Interrogativo)

Nota: En preguntas con el verbo “to be”, el sujeto y el verbo cambian posiciones.

Presente Simple
Am I?
¿Yo soy/estoy?
Are you?
¿Tu eres/estás?
Is he?
¿El es/está?
Is she?
¿Ella es/está?
Is it?
¿Es/está?
Are we?
¿Nosotros somos/estamos?
Are they?
¿Ellos son/están?

Uses (Usos)
1. Se utiliza “to be” como verbo principal para mostrar el estado o las características de
alguien o algo (como un verbo de estado). También se puede utilizar con las preposiciones de
lugar para indicar donde algo está localizado.

Ejemplos:

Con un sustantivo:

I am a teacher.(Soy profesor.)
You aren’t a student.( No eres estudiante.)
Is he a doctor?( Él es médico?)

Con una preposición de lugar ++ un sitio+:

She is in New York.(Ella está en Nueva York.)

They aren’t at home.(Ellos no están en casa.)
Is the book on the table?(¿El libro está en la mesa?)

Con un adjetivo:

We are happy.(Nosotros estamos contentos.)

He isn’t sad.(Él no está triste.)
Are you tired?(¿Estás cansado?)
2. “To be” se utiliza como un verbo auxiliar para formar el presente continuo y la voz pasiva
que se introducirán en lecciones posteriores. Para más información sobre verbos auxiliares, ver la
lección de verbos.

3. Para mostrar que algo existe, combinamos “is” o “are” con la palabra “there”. Ver la
lección de There Be para más información.

4. “To be”, como muchos otros verbos, puede ser utilizado con una frase preposicional. Ver la
lección de verbos preposicionales y phrasal verbs.

Verbos más comunes en inglés

Antes de comenzar con la lista de verbos más usados en inglés, queremos hacer un pequeño alto
en el camino para rememorar las clases de verbos que existen en inglés y sus principales
características:

Verbos regulares

La lista de verbos regulares es muy larga, ya que se trata de la mayoría de los verbos en inglés. Los
podrás detectar porque forman su pasado y participio añadiendo -ed al final, por ejemplo:

 To ask / asked - preguntar

 To fold / folded - doblar
 To invite / invited - invitar

Verbos irregulares

Los verbos irregulares son aquellos en los que su forma cambia cuando queremos transformarlos a
otros tiempos verbales o, simplemente, no formamos pasado y participio añadiendo -ed al final. Es
conveniente conocer bien esta lista para no cometer errores gramaticales graves.

 To begin / began / begun - empezar

 To cut / cut / cut - cortar
 To do / did / done - hacer

Verbos auxiliares

Los verbos auxiliares son los verbos necesarios para conjugar otros verbos y sirven de apoyo al
verbo principal. Por ejemplo:

 Do / does / did
 Have / has / had
 Will
 Would
 Should
 Shall

Verbos más usados en inglés: Lista

Verbos regulares

 Accept - aceptar
 Add - añadir
 Agree - estar de acuerdo
 Answer - contestar
 Apologise - pedir disculpas
 Appear - aparecer
 Ask - preguntar
 Believe - creer
 Belong - pertenecer
 Call - llamar
 Change - cambiar
 Close - cerrar
 Compare - comparar
 Copy - copiar
 Cry - llorar
 Dance - bailar
 Decide - decidir
 Discover - descubrir
 Dry - secar
 End - terminar
 Enjoy - disfrutar
 Explain - explicar
 Finish - acabar
 Guess - adivinar
 Happen - suceder
 Help - ayudar
 Hurry - darse prisa
 Imagine - imaginar
 Increase - aumentar
 Include - incluir
 Invite - invitar
 Jump - saltar
 Kill - matar
 Kiss - besar
 Laugh - reir
 Lie - mentir
 Listen - escuchar
 Live - vivir
 Love - amar
 Move - mover
 Open - abrir
 Play - jugar
 Produce - producir
 Pull - tirar
 Rain - llover
 Reach - alcanzar
 Remember - recordar
 Return - volver
 Save - ahorrar
 Smile - sonreír
 Stop - parar
 Talk - hablar
 Touch - tocar
 Thank - agradecer
 Translate - traducir
 Travel - viajar
 Visit - visitar
 Wait - esperar
 Walk - caminar
 Want - querer
 Wash - lavar
  Work - trabajar
 Worry - preocuparse

Verbos irregulares

Presente Pasado simple Pasado participio Traducción

be was/were been ser o estar
beat beat beaten golpear
become became become convertir
begin began begun comenzar
bend bent bent doblar
bet bet bet apostar
bite bit bitten morder
blow blew blown soplar
break broke broken romper
bring brought brought traer
broadcast broadcast broadcast retransmitir
build built built construir
burst burst burst reventar
buy bought bought comprar
catch caught caught agarrar, coger
choose chose chosen escoger, elegir
come came come venir
cost cost cost costar
creep crept crept reptar,arrastrarse
cut cut cut cortar
deal dealt dealt repartir
dig dug dug cavar
do did done hacer
draw drew drawn dibujar
drink drank drunk beber
drive drove driven conducir
eat ate eaten comer
fall fell fallen caer
feed fed fed alimentar
feel felt felt sentir
fight fought fought luchar
find found found encontrar
flee fled fled escapar
fly flew flown volar
forbid forbade forbidden prohibir
forget forgot forgotten olvidar
forgive forgave forgiven perdonar
freeze froze frozen helar, congelar
get got got / gotten conseguir, obtener
give gave given dar
go went gone ir
grow grew grown crecer
hang hung hung colgar
have had had tener
hear heard heard oír
hide hid hidden esconder
hit hit hit golpear, pegar
hold held held sostener
hurt hurt hurt herir, lastimar
keep kept kept guardar, conservar
kneel knelt knelt arrodillarse
know knew known saber, conocer
lay laid laid poner, colocar
lead led led guiar
leave left left dejar
lend lent lent prestar
let let let permitir
lie lay lain mentir
light lit lit iluminar, encender
lose lost lost perder
make made made hacer
mean meant meant significar
meet met met encontrar, conocer
pay paid paid pagar
put put put poner
read read read leer
ride rode ridden montar
ring rang rung sonar
rise rose risen surgir, levantarse
run ran run correr
say said said decir
see saw seen ver
seek sought sought rastrear, buscar a fondo
sell sold sold vender
send sent sent enviar
set set set poner, colocar
sew sewed sewn / sewed coser
shake shook shaken agitar
shine shone shone brillar
shoot shot shot disparar, lanzar
show showed shown / showed mostrar
shrink shrank shrunk encoger
shut shut shut cerrar
sing sang sung cantar
sink sank sunk hundir
sit sat sat sentar
sleep slept slept dormir
slide slid slid deslizarse, resbalar
speak spoke spoken hablar
spend spent spent gastar, pasar (tiempo)
spit spat spat escupir
split split split partir, dividir (algo)
spread spread spread extender
spring sprang sprung saltar (de golpe)
stand stood stood permanecer parado
steal stole stolen robar
stick stuck stuck pegar (algo)
sting stung stung picar, escocer
strike struck struck golpear, pegar
swear swore sworn jurar
sweep swept swept barrer,deshollinar
swim swam swum nadar
swing swung swung balancearse
take took taken llevar, coger
teach taught taught enseñar
tear tore torn romper, rasgar
tell told told decir
think thought thought pensar, creer
throw threw thrown lanzar
understand understood understood entender
wake woke woken despertar
wear wore worn llevar puesto
weep wept wept llorar
win won won ganar
write wrote written escribir
 THE GRATONA FROG AND THE LION
Once he heard a lion croaking from a frog, and turned to where the sound came from,
thinking it was from some very important animal. He waited and watched intently for
a while, and when he saw the frog coming out of the swamp, he approached and
crushed it saying:
"You, so small and throwing those tremendous screams!"
MORALEJA
Who speaks a lot, little is what he says.

Respond to the questions:

1. What did you once hear a lion?
Answer:

2. What did the lion do?

Answer:

3. What did the lion think?

Answer:

4. What came out of the swamp?

Answer:
 THE SNOWMAN

It had stopped snowing and the children, anxious for freedom, left home and began
to run around the white and fluffy newly formed carpet.

The blacksmith's daughter, taking handfuls of snow with her skillful hands, gave
herself to the task of molding it.

I'll make a doll like the little brother I wish I had, he told himself.

He came out a lovely little boy, round, with eyes of coal and a red button by mouth.
The little girl was enthusiastic about her work and turned the doll into her inseparable
companion during the sad days of that winter. I spoke to him, I spoiled him ...

But soon the days began to be longer and the rays of sun warmer ... The doll melted
without leaving more trace of its existence than a puddle with two coals and a red
button. The girl cried in dismay.

A little old man, who was looking for warmth for his winter in the sun, said sweetly:
Dry your tears, pretty, because you just received a great lesson: now you know that you
should not put your heart in perishable things.

Respond to the questions:

Who walked home?

What did the blacksmith's daughter do?

Who came out?

Because the girl cried with sorrow?

 HISTORY OF A MONITO
A little monkey went very fast to his grandmother's house, taking a flower with him.
Contenta she said: "Thank you very much monkey I'll put it on my hat"

How was the monkey?

What brought him?

Where did the flower go?

Bear
One day Papa Bear went for a walk with his son, but since it was very cold, Papa
Bear bought him a sweater and the teddy was very happy.

Contains the correct answer.

Who went out for a walk?

What did daddy buy his little son?

The little bear got ... Happy or sad?

 THE TOAD AND THE BUTTERFLY

In the beautiful garden of a country house, there was a hard-working market toad,
who looked after this place with great affection.

He jumped from one place to another and was very proud to consider himself the
owner of the plants and flowers that showed off their brightest colors.

I watched them happily; and conversing with the sun he said: - Sun Lord, do not
punish them with your rays too strong, because they may wither!

And the rain: -Walk them carefully, they need your caresses and your humidity.

One day he jumped very happy, because a rose had opened its cocoon offering its
color and fragrance, saw a butterfly resting on it and furious said: - Lady butterfly,
out of here! You have no right to spoil my flowers !, I love them very much and I
find it hard to take care of them !.

"What snore is that?" Answers the butterfly.

-Out I said, intruder! Nobody wants her around here !, replies the toad. While the
butterfly clarifies: -I look as beautiful as the flowers and they without me asking,
offer me food.

Saying this he leaned over the rose and over the other flowers to taste his nectar.

- How delicious, sir toad! You see, the flowers are more generous than you.

Reading comprehension:

01. What did the toad do?

02. Who was the toad talking to? What did he tell them?

03. Who did the toad get angry with?

04. What did the butterfly do to anger the toad?

 HE DOVES, THE MILAN AND THE HAWK

Pigeons, terrified by the presence of a kite, called the hawk to defend them.

Immediately he accepted.

When they had already admitted it into their pigeon house, they realized that

it was doing much more damage and slaughter in a day, than what a kite

would do in a year.

Respond to the questions:

What do I land?

What is the name of the alcon?

What would a kite do?

 THE TURTLE AND THE EAGLE

A turtle to an eagle would teach him to fly, so he spoke to him: - with only four
lessons, I will fly lightly through the regions; already climbing the flight through
the air to the sky. I will see close to the sun and the stars, and another hundred
beautiful things; already fast traveling, from city to city I will pass, and in this
easy, delicious way, I will be able to see everything in a few days.

The eagle laughed at the folly, advises him to follow his destiny; by marrying
awkwardly with patience, as Providence so arranged.

She insists on her whim blindly ... The queen of the birds quickly snatches him,
carrying him through the clouds. -Look, he says, look how you go up. And when
he asked, he said:
- Are you happy? And he drops it and it bursts.

Reading comprehension

1. Did the turtle manage to fly as was his wish? If not

What happened?

2. What is the fable called? Who wrote them?

3. What did the turtle want to see?

4. Do you like the attitude of the turtle? Why?

 THE THIEF AND THE DOG

This was a very brave dog. He did not let anyone come near the house. Its
owners were proud of him. He was a good guardian.

Once, taking advantage of the darkness of the night, a thief entered the house.
The owners had left leaving their dog in charge of everything.

The dog discovered the thief and started barking. The neighbors woke up, and
were going to get up to help him, when the thief threw a bone. The dog fell
silent. He picked up the bone and went to a corner.

The neighbors, thinking that nothing was happening, went back to sleep.

The thief took everything there was. When their owners returned, the dog was
still gnawing at the bone. They understood what had happened and they threw
him out of the house saying:

-The thief has not cheated on you. You have cheated us all!

Reading comprehension:

a) What was the dog like?

b) Was it a stray or house dog?

c) What did the thief do when he saw the dog?

d) What did the dog do when he saw the thief?

 WHITE PELITOS
There was once a rabbit village called "Fallen Ears" that was north of a
forest. The rabbits that lived there were called "fallen ears" because their ears
were tilted all the way down. The rabbits of this village were very proud of
their long and drooping ears. But there was a young rabbit from the village
who did not feel very happy. His ears were different because he had them
standing. Everyone made fun of him and called him "White Pelitos". - You
should be proud because your ears are the same as your grandpa's, - his
mother always told him. But White Pelitos did not like to look different. He
wanted his ears to be long and drooping like those of the other rabbits in his
villa.

1. What were the rabbits of the village proud of?

2. Why did not the young bunny feel happy?

3. What does "inclined ears" mean?

4. "Pelitos blancos" should be proud because:

 THE SUN AND THE SUNFLOWER
One hard winter morning, the flowers fell asleep. They were so cold, that
they hugged each other to warm themselves. But one of them opened its
yellow petals, searching for the light of day. And, even though the sun was
hidden by the clouds, the flower continued to raise its yellow petals as if
searching for it. Realizing this, the sun, which saw everything, approached
the beautiful flower and asked what it was called. - I do not have a name - he
said timidly. - Starting today, you'll call yourself a sunflower. You will have the
petals as bright as my rays and they will always open to where I am - - The
sun said, caressing her with its rays of light and heat. Lavy Serkovic.

1. What kind of text is the one you just read?

2. What events occurred first in the story?

4. Why did the sun approach the sunflower?

5. What was the sunflower like?