Memorizing verb tenses

[lizaann]

I might be going at this all wrong. In college language courses, there were verb charts to memorize. Now, each time that I encounter a new verb in Duolingo, I make a chart and try to commit it to memory which seems next to impossible now that I see the imperfect creeping in, which means dealing with four verb tenses, before I have the first three under my belt. I feel that this is not going to work without an eidetic memory. How do others do it?

[Rusty]

There's no need to memorize every form a verb can take! Memorizing patterns, some spelling changes, and a very few totally irregular verbs is sufficient.

Check out this website to see what they say about irregular verbs. First, they touch on the regular verb endings, and then introduce the irregular patterns that may be encountered in the present tense. (Caution: they have accidentally placed tener in their list of 'o-ue' "stem changers." Tener is an 'e-ie' stem-changing verb, BUT it also has an irregular first person form in the present tense. You'll find it correctly placed in their "Irregular 'yo' form with a stem change" list.) This page also introduces spelling changes, but the author doesn't draw attention to all of them.

When the present tense irregulars are learned, you'll be happy to learn that there are only three irregular verbs in the imperfect tense! The preterit tense, however, has many irregular forms, almost all of which involve a changed stem.

When it's time to learn the compound verbs, you only have to learn how to conjugate the auxiliary verb haber into all the tenses, plus the past participle form of the infinitive (along with some irregular participles).

When you're ready to learn the subjunctive mood, you'll discover why it's very important to know the present tense 'yo' forms, because its stem is used to form the present subjunctive mood. Likewise, the past subjunctive mood is formed from the preterit's third person plural form, so it's also very important to know.

Spanish speakers are probably brought to tears when they are introduced to English strong verbs: sing, sang, sung, or speak, spoke, spoken. So, don't despair.

[lizaann]

Thank you, Rusty - I will keep that link open in the background. As to learning the subjunctive, I would prefer that it be at some point in the future. If I can soon tell others what I am doing, have done and will do, without mentally running through a list of verb endings, I will feel that I have a grip on the language. For abstract thought, I will stick to English and French.