Definition of regular and irregular verbs
Miscellanea / / July 04, 2021
By Javier Navarro, in Jul. 2014
A verb is a word that is used to express some type of reaction that affects one or more subjects. Different languages have a verbal structure to refer to events in the present, the past or the future. Each language has its peculiarities in terms of verb forms.
Verbs have a primitive form, the infinitive, which is used to name them
It is a non-personal form, like the participle and the gerund, because they do not require the accompaniment of a person (me, you, him ...) to use them.
Verbs are conjugated, inasmuch as they can be expressed in many ways: present simple, preterite perfect, future simple, pluperfect, etc.
Verbs have a root and endings or endings, which vary depending on the tense and the verb mode.
There are two types of verbs: regular and irregular
Both belong to one of the three conjugations in Spanish, those that end in ar (to love, be or play), those that end in er (pleasure, protect or be worth) and those that end in going (sleep, leave or go).
Those that do not change their root when conjugating them are the regular verbs. The verb to love maintains the root am in any of its forms (I love, I loved, I will love ...). On the other hand, irregular verbs do have alterations in their root in some of their forms (the verb caber, would be I fit, I fit or I fit).
The lexeme or root remains fixed in the regular ones and is modified in the irregular ones. Some of the most used regular verbs are: work, drink, live or learn. Among the irregular would be: count, smell, hear or put.
If we say that a verb is regular, this implies that it follows a pattern, the same scheme. Consequently, it is easier to use them in their various forms. Irregulars are not subject to a pattern or model, they keep changing. Thus, it is more difficult to conjugate them correctly and it is common to make mistakes when using them; especially if the speaker is a foreigner and is not familiar with the language.
The difference between regular and irregular verbs is due to the fact that a language is not a fixed and theoretical structure, but is a living and changing reality
If all verbs were regular, the communication it would be easier, but also simpler, more boring and less rich. In fact, the only major attempt to create a language common and universal (Esperanto) has not been very successful; surely because the human being must like to express himself in his mother tongue, even if it has regular and irregular verbs.
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Topics in regular and irregular verbs