The Spanish Tense Map: Seed Forms
Learn how the infinitive, yo-form, and preterite stem each seed entire families of Spanish tenses.
Keyboard Shortcuts
💡 Pro tip: Use keyboard shortcuts for faster studying!
Study Smart Tips for The Spanish Tense Map: Seed Forms
Master these concepts using proven study techniques that actually work:
Active Recall
Test yourself before flipping each card to strengthen memory retention
Spaced Repetition
Review difficult cards more frequently than easy ones
Multiple Sessions
Break study time into shorter, focused sessions
Explain Aloud
Verbalize answers to reinforce understanding
Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
Which three verbs are irregular in the imperfect?
ser (era), ir (iba), ver (veía) — the only three in the entire language.
What do the future and conditional always share?
The same stem. Learn one irregular stem (e.g. tendr-) and you get both tenses: tendré / tendría.
How do you form the present subjunctive stem?
Take the yo form of the present indicative, drop the -o, and add opposite-vowel endings (tengo → tenga).
Which six verbs escape the yo-form rule for the present subjunctive?
Dar, Ir, Ser, Haber, Estar, Saber (DISHES) → dé, vaya, sea, haya, esté, sepa.
How do you build the imperfect subjunctive?
Take the third-person plural preterite, drop -ron, add -ra/-se endings: tuvieron → tuviera / tuviese. Zero exceptions.
What command forms come free with the present subjunctive?
Negative tú (no tengas), usted/ustedes (tenga, tengan), and nosotros (tengamos).
What is the logic of the -dr- future stems?
A d is inserted where a vowel dropped: tener → tendr-, poner → pondr-, venir → vendr-, salir → saldr-.
Which two future/conditional stems are the 'wild ones'?
hacer → har- and decir → dir-.
Do derived verbs inherit irregular stems?
Yes — mantener → mantendré, componer → compondría, deshacer → desharé.
Why is preterite mastery 'worth double'?
The strong preterite stem also generates the entire imperfect subjunctive, unlocking si-clause conditional sentences.
