Verb · regular -er
beber
to drink
The thing that catches people out
Regular, and correct everywhere, but in conversation tomar is more common for drinks across Latin America.
Present
What happens, and what is happening now.
| yo | bebo | |
| tú | bebes | |
| él, ella, usted | bebe | |
| nosotros | bebemos | |
| ellos, ustedes | beben | |
| vosotros, Spain only | bebéis |
Preterite, the finished past
Something that happened and is over: yesterday, last year, once.
| yo | bebí | |
| tú | bebiste | |
| él, ella, usted | bebió | |
| nosotros | bebimos | |
| ellos, ustedes | bebieron | |
| vosotros, Spain only | bebisteis |
Imperfect, the background past
What used to happen, or was going on when something else happened.
| yo | bebía | |
| tú | bebías | |
| él, ella, usted | bebía | |
| nosotros | bebíamos | |
| ellos, ustedes | bebían | |
| vosotros, Spain only | bebíais |
Future
Will do. In conversation, ir a plus the verb is more common: voy a comer.
| yo | beberé | |
| tú | beberás | |
| él, ella, usted | beberá | |
| nosotros | beberemos | |
| ellos, ustedes | beberán | |
| vosotros, Spain only | beberéis |
Present perfect
Have done. Used far more in Spain, where it covers today; most of Latin America uses the preterite there.
| yo | he bebido | |
| tú | has bebido | |
| él, ella, usted | ha bebido | |
| nosotros | hemos bebido | |
| ellos, ustedes | han bebido | |
| vosotros, Spain only | habéis bebido |
Other forms
The -ing form, the form that follows he, has and ha, and how to tell someone to do it.
| -ing form | bebiendo | |
| participle | bebido | |
| command, to tú | bebe | |
| command, to usted | beba |
In a sentence
no bebo alcohol
I do not drink alcohol
bebimos agua
we drank water