# How to conjugate English verbs in the simple present

Studying English? There’s no better time than the *present*!

The simple present is one of the most common tenses in English. While it may at first seem pretty, well, simple, there’s still plenty to understand.

Here’s everything you need to know about the simple present tense!

---

### In this post:

- [When to use the English present tense](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#what-is-the-english-present-tense-and-when-do-you-use-it)
- [How to conjugate the simple present](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#how-do-you-conjugate-english-verbs-in-the-simple-present)

- [Spelling changes](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#spelling-changes-for-the-third-person-singular)
  - [Pronunciation](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#pronunciation-of-the-third-person-singular)
  - [The verb _to be_](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#the-verb-to-be-in-the-simple-present-tense)
  - [Negation](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#negation-of-the-simple-present-tense)
  - [Questions](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#questions-in-the-simple-present-tense)

- [Keywords for the simple present](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#keywords-that-signal-the-simple-present)
- [List of English verbs in the simple present](https://blog.duolingo.com/simple-present/#list-of-english-verbs-in-the-simple-present-tense)

## What is the English present tense and when do you use it?

The simple present tense is used for:

**1. Actions that happen regularly or habitually**  
I do laundry on Wednesdays.  
We watch a movie once a week.  
Eddy goes to the gym every day.

**2. General truths and stative verbs (for example _want_, _think_, and _have_)**  
They never eat meat.  
Junior loves ice cream.  
I have a sister.

**3. Scheduled events**  
My train arrives at 5 o’clock.  
That new bookstore opens this weekend.  
The wedding is at noon tomorrow.

## How do you conjugate English verbs in the simple present?

Luckily, verbs in the simple present tense mostly stay the same no matter [the subject](https://blog.duolingo.com/subject-pronouns-in-english/) of the sentence. In fact, for the subjects _I_, _you_, _we_, and _they_, you use the base form of the verb to form the simple present.

However, there is one important exception:

💡

When using the [third person singular](https://blog.duolingo.com/first-person-second-person-third-person/) (_he/she/it_), an _**-s**_ is added to the end of the base verb.

For example:

| SUBJECT | VERB<br>_to work_ |
| --- | --- |
| I | work |
| you | work |
| he/she/it | works |
| we | work |
| you (plural) | work |
| they | work |

### Spelling changes for the third person singular

There are special spelling rules that must be followed for certain verbs in the third person singular (_he/she/it_).

💡

When a verb ends with _-ch_, _-o_, _-sh_, _-ss_, _-x_, _or -zz_, add _**-es**_ instead of just _-s._

| SUBJECT | EXAMPLE |
| --- | --- |
| I, you, we, they | I brush my teeth. |
| he/she/it | He brushes his teeth. |

### Pronunciation of the third person singular

The pronunciation of the third person singular _-s_ can be tricky because it changes depending on the sound that comes before it. (Remember to think about the last **sound** and not the last letter—they [won’t always be the same in English](https://blog.duolingo.com/why-is-english-spelling-so-tricky/)!)

If a verb ends in a _voiced sound_ (one in which you vibrate your vocal folds, such as "b"), the _-s_ at the end of the word is pronounced like the "z" in zoo.

If a verb ends in a _voiceless sound_ (one in which you don’t vibrate your vocal folds, like "p"), the _-s_ at the end of the word is pronounced like the "s" in sun.

Finally, if a verb ends in a _sibilant sound_ (such as "s"), the third person singular ending is a whole syllable, pronounced "-iz", like the word is.

| FINAL SOUND: VOICED<br>_-s_ pronounced as "z" (like in _zoo_) |
| --- |
| SOUNDS | EXAMPLES |
| “b”<br> “d”<br> “g”<br> “l”<br> “m”<br> “n”<br> “r”<br> “th” (as in the)<br> “v”<br> “w”<br> “y”<br> all vowel sounds | grabs<br>reads<br>begs<br>falls<br>aims<br>runs<br>cheers<br>bathes<br>waves<br>knows<br>buys<br>sees |

| FINAL SOUND: VOICELESS<br>_-s_ pronounced as "s" (like in _sun_) |
| --- |
| SOUNDS | EXAMPLES |
| “p”<br> “t”<br> “k”<br> “f” | hopes<br>starts<br>likes<br>stuffs |

| FINAL SOUND: SIBILANT<br>_-es_ pronounced as "iz" (like the word _is_) |
| --- |
| SOUNDS | EXAMPLES |
| “s”<br> “sh”<br> “ch”<br> “dj”<br> “z” | kisses<br>wishes<br>watches<br>judges<br>buzzes |

### The verb _to be_ in the simple present tense

The verb [_to be_](https://blog.duolingo.com/how-to-use-the-verb-to-be-in-english/) is irregular in the simple present tense:

| SUBJECT | FORM OF _TO BE_ | EXAMPLES |
| --- | --- | --- |
| I | am | I am happy. |
| you (singular) | are | You **are** my brother. |
| he/she/it | is | It is Monday today. |
| we | are | We **are** at school right now. |
| you (plural) | are | You **are** my friends. |
| they | are | They **are** on the floor. |

### Negation of the simple present tense

Negative sentences in the simple present are formed as follows:

Do not is used for the subjects _I_, _you_, _we_, and _they_, and does not is used for the subjects _he/she/it_.

💡

**Note:** In negative sentences, you won’t add _-s_ to the base form of the verb for third person singular.

| SUBJECT | NEGATIVE SIMPLE PRESENT | EXAMPLE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| I | do not + base verb | I do not watch TV. |
| you | do not + base verb | You do not watch TV. |
| he/she/it | **does not** \+ base verb | She does not watch TV. |
| we | do not + base verb | We do not watch TV. |
| you (plural) | do not + base verb | You do not watch TV. |
| they | do not + base verb | They do not watch TV. |

In addition, _do not_ is often contracted to form the word don’t, and _does not_ is often contracted to form the word doesn’t.

| SUBJECT | NEGATIVE SIMPLE PRESENT WITH CONTRACTION | EXAMPLE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| I | don’t + base verb | I don’t like winter. |
| you | don’t + base verb | You don’t like winter. |
| he/she/it | **doesn’t** \+ base verb | She doesn’t like winter. |
| we | don’t + base verb | We don’t like winter. |
| you (plural) | don’t + base verb | You don’t like winter. |
| they | don’t + base verb | They don’t like winter. |

### Questions in the simple present tense

English has different rules for forming [different types of questions](https://blog.duolingo.com/all-about-english-questions/), and there are present tense versions of each question type!

**Questions with _to be_**

💡

When asking questions with the verb _to be_, use the present tense form of _be_ that matches the subject.

In [yes/no questions with _to be_](https://blog.duolingo.com/english-yes-or-no-questions/#yesno-questions-with-auxiliaries-modals-and-forms-of-the-verb-be), the subject follows the form of _to be_:

| QUESTION | Are you hungry? |
| ANSWER | Yes, I’m hungry. |

[_Wh_-questions with _to be_](https://blog.duolingo.com/what-are-wh-questions/#%E2%80%9Cwh%E2%80%9D-questions-with-auxiliaries-modals-and-forms-of-the-verb-be) begin with a question word, followed by a form of _to be_ and the subject:

| QUESTION | When is the concert? |
| ANSWER | The concert is on Friday. |

**Questions with other verbs**

💡

For questions with verbs other than _to be_, use the auxiliary verb _**do**_ (for _I_, _you_, _we_, _they_) or _**does**_ (for _he_/ _she_/ _it_) along with the base form of the main verb.

[Yes/no questions with other verbs](https://blog.duolingo.com/english-yes-or-no-questions/#yesno-questions-with-a-form-of-do) begin with _do_/ _does_, followed by the subject and the base verb:

| QUESTION | Does Junior like ice cream? |
| ANSWER | Yes, Junior likes ice cream. |

[_Wh_-questions with other verbs](https://blog.duolingo.com/what-are-wh-questions/#%E2%80%9Cwh%E2%80%9D-questions-with-a-form-of-the-verb-do) begin with a question word, followed by _do_/ _does_, the subject, and finally the base verb:

| QUESTION | When does Vikram come home from work? |
| ANSWER | Vikram usually comes home from work at 6 pm.

## Keywords that signal the simple present

There are certain words that are often used with the simple present. These signal words are great clues to help you know when to use this tense.

- always
- never
- usually
- often
- sometimes
- rarely
- normally
- on _____
  - on Mondays
  - on weekends
- once a ____ (twice a ____, three times a ____, etc.)
  - once a day
  - twice a week
  - three times a month
  - once a year
- every ____
  - every day
  - every morning
  - every month
  - every year
  - every Monday
  - every week

## List of English verbs in the simple present tense

The table below will help you understand how verbs change in the simple present tense!

| BASE VERB | _I, YOU, WE, THEY_ | _HE/SHE/IT_ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| argue | argue | argues |
| ask | ask | asks |
| become | become | becomes |
| begin | begin | begins |
| believe | believe | believes |
| bite | bite | bites |
| blow | blow | blows |
| break | break | breaks |
| bring | bring | brings |
| build | build | builds |
| burn | burn | burns |
| buy | buy | buys |
| call | call | calls |
| carry | carry | carries |
| catch | catch | catches |
| change | change | changes |
| choose | choose | chooses |
| clean | clean | cleans |
| climb | climb | climbs |
| come | come | comes |
| continue | continue | continues |
| cook | cook | cooks |
| cost | cost | costs |
| cry | cry | cries |
| decide | decide | decides |
| die | die | dies |
| do | do | does |
| draw | draw | draws |
| drink | drink | drinks |
| drive | drive | drives |
| drop | drop | drops |
| dry | dry | dries |
| eat | eat | eats |
| enjoy | enjoy | enjoys |
| fall | fall | falls |
| feed | feed | feeds |
| feel | feel | feels |
| fight | fight | fights |
| find | find | finds |
| finish | finish | finishes |
| forget | forget | forgets |
| fly | fly | flies |
| get | get | gets |
| give | give | gives |
| go | go | goes |
| grow | grow | grows |
| hang | hang | hangs |
| hate | hate | hates |
| have | have | has |
| hear | hear | hears |
| help | help | helps |
| hit | hit | hits |
| hurt | hurt | hurts |
| invite | invite | invites |
| join | join | joins |
| jump | jump | jumps |
| keep | keep | keeps |
| kick | kick | kicks |
| kill | kill | kills |
| kiss | kiss | kisses |
| know | know | knows |
| laugh | laugh | laughs |
| lay | lay | lays |
| lead | lead | leads |
| learn | learn | learns |
| leave | leave | leaves |
| lend | lend | lends |
| let | let | lets |
| lie | lie | lies |
| like | like | likes |
| live | live | lives |
| look | look | looks |
| lose | lose | loses |
| love | love | loves |
| make | make | makes |
| marry | marry | marries |
| mean | mean | means |
| meet | meet | meets |
| melt | melt | melts |
| miss | miss | misses |
| mix | mix | mixes |
| move | move | moves |
| need | need | needs |
| open | open | opens |
| pass | pass | passes |
| pay | pay | pays |
| play | play | plays |
| promise | promise | promises |
| put | put | puts |
| read | read | reads |
| remember | remember | remembers |
| return | return | returns |
| ride | ride | rides |
| ring | ring | rings |
| rise | rise | rises |
| run | run | runs |
| say | say | says |
| see | see | sees |
| seem | seem | seems |
| sell | sell | sells |
| send | send | sends |
| shake | shake | shakes |
| shout | shout | shouts |
| sing | sing | sings |
| sink | sink | sinks |
| sit | sit | sits |
| sleep | sleep | sleeps |
| smell | smell | smells |
| smile | smile | smiles |
| speak | speak | speaks |
| spell | spell | spells |
| start | start | starts |
| stay | stay | stays |
| steal | steal | steals |
| stick | stick | sticks |
| stop | stop | stops |
| study | study | studies |
| swim | swim | swims |
| take | take | takes |
| talk | talk | talks |
| teach | teach | teaches |
| tell | tell | tells |
| think | think | thinks |
| throw | throw | throws |
| touch | touch | touches |
| travel | travel | travels |
| try | try | tries |
| turn | turn | turns |
| understand | understand | understands |
| use | use | uses |
| wake | wake | wakes |
| want | want | wants |
| watch | watch | watches |
| wear | wear | wears |
| win | win | wins |
| wish | wish | wishes |
| work | work | works |
| write | write | writes |

## There’s no time like the present

Keep looking out for certain keywords, and with a little practice, you’ll be prepared to use the simple present tense with confidence!