Easy Spanish Verbs: The “-ATE → -AR” Connection
If English verbs ending in -ate feel “Latinate,” that’s because they often are. Spanish shares many of the same Latin roots, and Spanish frequently turns those roots into -ar verbs. That means you can guess a lot of Spanish verbs correctly with very little memorization.
This guide focuses on a practical learner goal:
When you see an English “-ate” verb, can you confidently guess the Spanish infinitive and then use it in a sentence?
In this guide you’ll learn:
- The core “-ate → -ar” pattern (and the common variations)
- A list of high‑frequency verbs worth learning first
- The most common exceptions (so you don’t over‑guess)
- How to use these verbs in real sentences
- A short practice plan to make the pattern stick
The core rule (with one important nuance)
In many cases:
English -ate → Spanish -ar
Examples:
- celebrate → celebrar
- separate → separar
- educate → educar
But Spanish doesn’t always keep the exact English spelling. Sometimes the root shifts slightly (because English and Spanish evolved differently). Treat it as a root‑recognition strategy, not a mechanical letter swap.
High‑frequency examples (worth learning early)
| English | Spanish | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| celebrate | celebrar | very common |
| separate | separar | very common |
| participate | participar | very common |
| communicate | comunicar | very common |
| activate | activar | common |
| concentrate | concentrar | common |
| organize | organizar | common |
| operate | operar | common |
| demonstrate | demostrar | root shifts |
| calculate | calcular | root shifts |
| create | crear | drops “-ate” but same idea |
| educate | educar | common |
| motivate | motivar | common |
| investigate | investigar | common |
| decorate | decorar | root shifts |
| complicate | complicar | spelling pattern (-car) |
Notice: even when the English verb isn’t exactly “-ate” in the infinitive (like create), the Latin root still often matches a Spanish -ar verb.
️ Use these verbs in real sentences (templates)
Memorize a few reusable sentence frames:
- Quiero + infinitivo. (I want to…)
- Necesito + infinitivo. (I need to…)
- Voy a + infinitivo. (I’m going to…)
- Podemos + infinitivo. (We can…)
Examples:
- Quiero participar. (I want to participate.)
- Necesito separar la ropa. (I need to separate the clothes.)
- Voy a celebrar mi cumpleaños. (I’m going to celebrate my birthday.)
- Podemos comunicar la idea. (We can communicate the idea.)
- Necesito organizar mi día. (I need to organize my day.)
Learning tip: a verb you can use in a template is “real vocabulary.” A verb you only recognize is still passive.
Quick conjugation cheat sheet (so you can actually speak)
Once you know the infinitive, the next step is using it in the present tense. For regular -ar verbs, remove -ar and add:
- yo: -o
- tú: -as
- él/ella/usted: -a
- nosotros: -amos
- vosotros: -áis
- ellos/ellas/ustedes: -an
Example with organizar:
- yo organizo
- tú organizas
- él/ella organiza
You don’t need to master every tense to benefit from the pattern. If you can confidently say organizo / participo / separo, these verbs become usable immediately.
️ Common exceptions and traps
1) Spanish uses a different verb family
- translate → traducir (not traducar)
- explain → explicar (not explicar is correct but not from -ate)
2) English looks “Latinate,” but Spanish prefers a different everyday verb
This happens less with -ate, but it can occur. When in doubt, confirm in context.
3) Spelling patterns (-car / -gar / -zar)
Some verbs end in:
- -car (complicar)
- -gar (investigar)
- -zar (organizar)
These can trigger spelling changes in some conjugations (advanced detail). For beginners, focus on the infinitive first; conjugation patterns come next.
Practice
7‑day micro‑plan (5 minutes/day)
- Day 1: Learn 10 verbs from the table (say them out loud).
- Day 2: Write 5 sentences using quiero / necesito / voy a.
- Day 3: Learn 10 more verbs and group them by meaning (work, study, daily life).
- Day 4: Read a Spanish article and underline every -ar verb you recognize.
- Day 5: Speak: describe your day using 5 verbs (organizar, participar…).
- Day 6: Review and remove verbs you already “own.”
- Day 7: Test: convert 15 English -ate verbs to Spanish quickly.
Takeaway
Spotting “Latinate” English verbs (especially -ate) helps you guess Spanish -ar verbs on the fly. Use it while reading, then lock the verbs in by using sentence templates.
Quick FAQ
Is this rule 100% accurate?
No. It’s a pattern, not a guarantee. But it’s accurate often enough that it’s a great “first guess,” especially for reading and for expanding your vocabulary quickly.
What should I do when my guess is wrong?
Treat it as a learning opportunity: write down the correct Spanish verb (like traducir) and keep going. The goal is to build a mental map of which roots match and which don’t.