Level 2 — Elementary (CEFR: A2)
Unit 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs
Lesson 1 — Present Tense Endings
Lesson Overview
Level: 2 — Elementary Unit: 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs Lesson: 1 of 14 Estimated Time: 45 minutes
What this lesson covers:
- The -IR present tense ending set and its single difference from -ER
- Model conjugation of vivir across all forms
- The critical nosotros distinction: -imos vs. -emos
- Ministry sentences in the present tense using -IR verbs
- Pattern recognition: hearing the -IR ending and mapping it to its subject instantly
The -IR Present Tense Endings
| Pronoun | Ending | vivir (to live) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | vivo |
| tú | -es | vives |
| él/ella/usted | -e | vive |
| nosotros | -imos | vivimos |
| vosotros | -ís | vivís |
| ellos/ustedes | -en | viven |
The One Difference That Matters: -imos vs. -emos
Compare the three verb groups side by side:
| Pronoun | -AR | -ER | -IR |
|---|---|---|---|
| nosotros | -amos | -emos | -imos |
Every other ending in the -IR present tense is identical to -ER. The sole distinguishing feature in the nosotros form is -imos instead of -emos.
This single difference is easy to miss in fast speech. The interpreter who has internalized it will catch the distinction; the one who hasn’t will confuse vivimos (-IR) with a hypothetical vivemos (-ER, which does not exist). In production, you will never generate a wrong nosotros form if you know this one rule.
Contrast drill:
- comemos (-ER) — we eat
- vivimos (-IR) — we live
- hablamos (-AR) — we speak
All Six -IR Present Tense Forms: Pattern Overview
Five of the six endings are shared with -ER verbs exactly:
- yo: -o (same as all verbs)
- tú: -es (same as -ER)
- él/ella: -e (same as -ER)
- nosotros: -imos (different from -ER’s -emos)
- vosotros: -ís (same as -ER’s -éis — note: vosotros is not used in Latin America)
- ellos/ustedes: -en (same as -ER)
For Latin American Spanish (five forms, no vosotros):
| Pronoun | -IR ending | vivir |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -o | vivo |
| tú | -es | vives |
| él/ella/usted | -e | vive |
| nosotros | -imos | vivimos |
| ellos/ustedes | -en | viven |
Ministry Sentences: Present Tense -IR Verbs
The following sentences use regular -IR verbs in ministry contexts. These are patterns the interpreter will encounter frequently.
vivir (to live): Vivimos para glorificar a Dios. — We live to glorify God. El que cree en Cristo vive eternamente. — The one who believes in Christ lives eternally. ¿Cómo vives tu fe en el día a día? — How do you live your faith day to day? Cristo vive en mí. — Christ lives in me.
compartir (to share): Compartimos el evangelio con los que no lo conocen. — We share the gospel with those who don’t know it. El diácono comparte los recursos de la iglesia con los necesitados. — The deacon shares the church’s resources with the needy. ¿Compartes tu fe con tus vecinos? — Do you share your faith with your neighbors?
recibir (to receive): Recibo la gracia de Dios cada mañana. — I receive God’s grace each morning. La comunidad recibe a los misioneros con hospitalidad. — The community receives the missionaries with hospitality. ¿Recibes la Palabra con corazón abierto? — Do you receive the Word with an open heart?
sufrir (to suffer): Sufrimos por el evangelio con gozo. — We suffer for the gospel with joy. Muchos hermanos sufren persecución por su fe. — Many brothers suffer persecution for their faith. El que sufre con Cristo también reinará con Él. — The one who suffers with Christ will also reign with Him.
escribir (to write): Pablo escribe sobre la gracia en casi todas sus cartas. — Paul writes about grace in almost all his letters. Escribimos la visión para que quede clara. — We write the vision so that it remains clear.
decidir (to decide): Hoy decides por Cristo o contra Él. — Today you decide for Christ or against Him. Decidimos seguir a Jesús sin importar el costo. — We decide to follow Jesus regardless of the cost.
cumplir (to fulfill): Dios cumple sus promesas sin falta. — God fulfills his promises without fail. ¿Cumples los compromisos que haces ante Dios? — Do you fulfill the commitments you make before God?
Negation in the Present Tense
Negation in -IR verbs works identically to all other verbs: place no directly before the conjugated verb.
No vivimos para nosotros mismos. — We do not live for ourselves. No recibe el amor de Dios por orgullo. — He does not receive God’s love because of pride. ¿No sufres por la situación de esa familia? — Don’t you suffer for the situation of that family?
Questions in the Present Tense
¿Vives cerca de la iglesia? — Do you live near the church? ¿Reciben los nuevos creyentes apoyo espiritual? — Are new believers receiving spiritual support? ¿Sufre alguien de su familia? — Is someone in your family suffering?
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 — Paradigm Production
Without notes, produce all five Latin American forms of vivir in the present tense. Then do the same with compartir, recibir, escribir.
Answers: vivo / vives / vive / vivimos / viven comparto / compartes / comparte / compartimos / comparten recibo / recibes / recibe / recibimos / reciben escribo / escribes / escribe / escribimos / escriben
Exercise 2 — Ministry Sentence Production
For each verb, produce one ministry sentence using each of the five forms. Focus on ministry context. Say them aloud.
Verbs: vivir, compartir, sufrir, decidir
Exercise 3 — Contrast Drill: -ER vs. -IR nosotros
A partner reads nosotros forms from a mixed list of -ER and -IR verbs. You identify which verb group each belongs to based on the ending:
vivimos (-IR) / leemos (-ER) / escribimos (-IR) / comprendemos (-ER) / decidimos (-IR) / respondemos (-ER) / recibimos (-IR) / corremos (-ER)
Exercise 4 — Recognition: Live Speech
A partner reads the following passage at normal speed. You identify every -IR present tense form:
La iglesia vive en un momento histórico. Sufrimos dificultades, pero decidimos seguir adelante con fe. Recibimos el Espíritu Santo para cumplir la misión. Compartimos lo que Dios nos ha dado sin reservas.
Key Takeaways for This Lesson
Before moving to Lesson 2:
- -IR present tense endings: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -en (Latin American forms)
- The only difference from -ER: nosotros uses -imos instead of -emos
- All other -IR present endings are identical to -ER
- Know the basic ministry vocabulary: vivir, compartir, recibir, sufrir, decidir, cumplir, escribir
Daily Practice
Three present-tense sentences using -IR verbs that describe your actual faith life today:
Hoy vivo para… / Comparto… / Recibo…
Use the nosotros form in at least one sentence — this reinforces the -imos ending before it has a chance to slip into -emos.